Page 44: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 1985)

NOTABLE CONVERSIONS

OF 1985

A review of some of the oceangoing vessels that were converted during the past year for military and commercial applications.

ANTARES

Avondale Shipyards

The USNS Antares, redelivered this year by Avondale Shipyards,

Inc., was the first of three Fast Sea- lift Ships being converted by the

Louisiana yard for the U.S. Navy from Sea-Land's SL-7 container- ships. These vessels will provide for the rapid deployment of heavy mechanized Army combat and sup- port equipment and supplies, as well as providing lift capability for unit equipment and supplies of the

Marine Corps, the Air Force, and the Navy.

The Antares has an overall length of 944 feet, beam of 105 feet 6 inches, and a displacement of 55,372 long tons. Main propulsion is pro- vided by a twin-screw steam turbine plant with a total of 120,000 shp.

The ship's capabilities include 33- knot service speed, RO/RO han- dling of cargo at pierside and while anchored, and self-sustaining lift- on/lift-off for vehicles and helicop- ters. She is able to land helicopters and load a mixture of tanks, heli- copters, wheeled vehicles, and con- tainerized or palletized cargo.

Highly Efficient Shaft Generator with Innovative ED-Drive from IHI

STEAM TURBINE

DIFFERENTIAL

EPICYCLE GEARS

PLANET

HYDRAULIC MOTOR

POWER TAKE-OFF GEARS ^m mm mm mm mm • •• •• mm mm •

The ED-Drive (Electronic Differential

Epicycle Drive) connects the shaft generator to the main engine through power take-off gears and keeps the generator frequency constant.

The differential epicycle gear controls the speed ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft by changing the rotational speed and direction of annulus gear. eatures

Wide operational range effective between 50%—90% MCR of main engine load

Accurate frequency control by micro-computerized speed control system

Non-slip speed control for improved transmission efficiency

Compact design for easy installation

Additional fuel savings possible when coupled with IHI's SSG system

IHI Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., ltd. Shipbuilding & Offshore HEAD OFFICE ANNEX: Tokyo Chuo Bldg. 6-2, 1-chome. Marunouchi, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo 100, JAPAN Tel: Tokyo 03-286-2325 Telex: 24104 (IHISEN J)

Circle 135 on Reader Service Card

USNS Antares—Avondale

The conversion of the Antares included the modification of exist- ing container storage areas to pro- vide various new decks including a flight deck, the installation of Hag- glunds 35-ton and 50-ton twin cranes, and the installation of two sideports and various platforms and ramps to support RO/RO loading and unloading. All of the cargo ac- cess equipment was supplied by

MacGregor-Navire.

Avondale utilized state-of-the-art techniques for zone outfitting in the conversion effort. Structural mod- ules were outfitted with pipe, duct- work, electrical wireways, and other equipment prior to being erected at the building site.

BENWALID

Meyer Werft

The Papenburg, West Germany shipyard of Meyer Werft has rede- livered the Benwalid, converted into a combination sheep/cow carrier from the former containership Ville

D'Orient. The converted vessel was turned over to the Turkish-Libyan

Joint Maritime Transport Company of Istanbul, which has chartered the ship from the principals, Islamic

Development Bank of Jeddah, Sau- di Arabia. For the owner, this con- version is the first venture into the livestock carrying trade.

The Benwalid has an overall length of 378.3 feet and beam of 51 feet, and was converted for world- wide trade in compliance with the

Australian Department of Trade regulations. She is capable of load- ing 21,300 sheep (at 110 pounds each) in 12 tiers, or 2,100 cows (at 992 pounds each) in six tiers below deck and on deck. Main propulsion is by a Crossley/Pielstick diesel en- gine.

The ship has been fitted with exchangeable aluminum deck pal- lets for sheep, for which Meyer

Werft holds a patent. These pallets enable the ship to be re-equipped for the carriage of cows within one day. All steel decks are provided with a non-skid coating.

All the systems for the transport of livestock were developed by the shipyard, improved and optimized over many years of experience with this type of conversion. Major in- stallations include the fodder sup- ply system, fodder and drinking ves- sels of aluminum, dung removal sys- tems, and the ventilation system.

All the cow and sheep ports of the pens are made of seawater- and ammonia-resistant aluminum; for all other equipment, galvanized ma- terial was used.

To provide for the extra crew members required for the transport of livestock, the living quarters were expanded to accommodate 40 in- stead of 24 personnel. Two new suit- able sized lifeboats were installed aboard the ship.

DENEBOLA

Pennsylvania Shipbuilding

Another of the U.S. Navy's T-

AKR Class of fast supply ships, the

Benwalid—Meyer Werft iwfijUSMt' * 44 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News