Trinity Industries Delivers Two Hydrographic Survey Ships To U.S. Navy

Trinity Industries, Inc. subsidiary, Halter Marine, Inc., recently completed a $25 million contract with the U.S. Navy with the delivery of two, 208-foot coastal hydrographic survey ships, T-AGS 51 and 52, USNS John McDonnell and USNS Littlehales.

The ships, which were designed by the Trinity Marine Group, are operated by the Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) for the Naval Oceanography Command.

Collected data from the ships is used to create and update port, harbor, approach, coastal and operational charts. The ships collect hydrographic data in water depths from 38 feet to over 13,000 feet using hull mounted and towed sonars. Each ship carries two Trinity-built fiberglass hydrographic survey launches (HSLs) for use as an integral part of the data collection process. The ships and their launches have precise navigation capability and an integrated data collection system. The ships also have data processing systems.

Each ship is 208 feet long, with a 45-foot and 14-foot draft. Full load displacement is 2,054 long tons and lightweight displacement is 1,245 long tons. Transit speed is 12 knots and endurance at that speed is 12,000 nautical miles.

Both ships have a father/son, 2,550/230 shp, geared diesel propulsion system. The larger diesel engine is used for maneuvering, maintaining a speed of 12 knots at 80 percent maximum continuous power and attaining a maximum speed of 14 knots. The smaller diesel is used alone when towing survey equipment at 4 to 6 knots. Three 350-kw diesel generators provide ship service power, with clean power provided through solid state power conditioners.

The ships can maintain survey speeds from 3 to 12 knots and collect hydrographic data on all headings in seas with significant wave height (SWH) up to nine feet. The ships are capable of recovering the two hydrographic survey launches and other survey equipment in seas up to four feet (SWH). A roll stabilization tank aids ship stability.

The global positioning system (GPS), precise timekeeping capability, and short range positioning systems sustain the ships' navigation and positioning efforts. In addition to the ships' GPS, separate GPS's provide position information to the survey data processing system.

The AGS-51/52 ships can accommodate a total of 33 persons, including 10-12 surveyor/technicians and 21-33 crew members. There are 12 double, and seven single staterooms.

Trinity is also building T-AGS 60/ 61,328.5-foot oceanographic survey ships for the Navy in a design and construction contract worth more than $100 million.

For more information on the services offered by Trinity Marine, Circle 49 on Reader Service Card

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 11, Apr 1992

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