Page 8: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 1986)

Keel unit weighing 236 tons is placed on ways at Todd Pacific yard in San Pedro. This is first of 59 units that will comprise new 351!/2-foot midbody section for Matson Navigation's

Matsonia that will triple her cargo capacity.

Keel Laid At Todd San Pedro Yard

For Matsonia's New Midbody Section

Conversion of Matson Navigation

Company's RO/RO trailership Mat- sonia to a combination RO/RO and

LO/LO container carrier is prolressing on schedule as the 236- ton keel unit of the ship's new mid- body section was placed on the building ways at Todd Pacific Ship- yard in San Pedro, Calif. This is the first of 59 units that will comprise a 351 Vi -foot section that will replace a 291V2 -foot midsection that will be removed from the vessel, increasing her present length of 700 feet to 760 feet. Launching of the new midbody section is scheduled for January 1987, with the ship redelivered to

Matson in May to join the compa- ny's West Coast-Hawaii fleet, with cargo capacity tripled to accommo- date more than 1,200 containers, plus trailers, automobiles, and bulk molasses.

During the period of midbody construction, major modifications will be occuring aboard the ship as she is afloat at the shipyard. Engine room alterations will be made to improve fuel efficiency, and a four- tier auto garage will be installed on the after deck.

After the midbody is launched, the Matsonia will be raised out of the water by Todd's Synchrolift sys- tem and hauled on rail-mounted cradles to the shoreside work plat- form where cutting of the hull and inserting of the new midbody will take place. The Todd rail system is ideal for this type of work because of its ability to manueuver large vessel sections laterally in and out of posi- tion.

The Matsonia will be ready for relaunching in March next year, and after two months of reactivation op-

Dravo Mechling Charters

Former National Marine

Service Tank Barge Fleet

Dravo Mechling Corporation,

New Orleans-based subsidiary of

Dravo Corporation of Pittsburgh, became the nation's biggest inland tank barge operator when it char- tered 141 units formerly operated by National Marine Service of St.

Louis.

Keel section of new midbody is certified by

Mrs Marge Haskell, wife of Matson senior vice president (engineering and marine op- erations) Arthur J. Haskell. At left is Len

Thorell, vice president and general man- ager of Todd's San Pedro yard. erations and sea trials will be ready to resume service.

For further information on Todd

Pacific's San Pedro yard,

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National Marine's parent compa- ny, NICOR Inc., recently sold the barges and three towboats to a pri- vate investor group. Dravo then ac- quired the vessels on short-term charters. The move more than dou- bles the company's tank barge fleet, which now totals about 240 units.

Dravo now operates about 700 barges of all types, and more than 40 towboats.

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Maritime Reporter/Engineering News