Page 29: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 1992)

Model of the new FF-21 multimission frigate design Newport News Shipbuilding plans to market to foreign navies.

Newport News Markets

Frigate Design To World

The MAN B&W-Powered cruise ship Zenith.

Cruise Ship Zenith Delivered

To Chandris Celebrity Cruises

By Meyer Werft Newport News Shipbuilding &

Drydock Corp., Newport News, Va., recently unveiled a new frigate de- sign which it plans to offer to the worldwide military market. Cost- ing about $400 million, the new

FF-21 frigate would be in direct com- petition with reportedly more expensive designs from Germany and France.

The FF-21 concept is a state-of- the-art high-speed frigate incorporating proven and support- able systems for protection from subsurface, surface and airborne threats. Additionally, this highly automated vessel will be capable of operating independently or as an integral component in multiservice defensive operations.

The FF-21 multimission frigate design is a product of the combined talents and resources of Newport

News Shipbuilding, Hughes and

John J. McMullen Associates— leaders in ship design, construction and combat systems development and integration. As a result, the

FF-21 incorporates the latest tech- nologies in hull, mechanical, and electrical systems, as well as in weap- ons delivery components, combat system sensors, data management, and communications systems.

Newport News claims that the

Keel Layed For Cruise

Ship Maasdam At

Fincantieri Shipyard

During her keel laying ceremony, the first 600-ton module section of the MS Maasdam's double bottom was placed in the shipbuilding dock at Fincantieri shipyard in Monfal- cone, Italy. The 35-foot-long ship's keel section extends the full width of the vessel and stands 25 feet high.

The Maasdam is the second of

Holland America Line's three ship

FF-21 would be "faster, stealthier and less expensive" than Germany's

MEKO frigate or France's Lafayette

Class version. The two foreign de- signs are estimated to cost about $450 million apiece.

There are about 10 to 12 coun- tries around the world currently buying such ships. The most likely markets for the new frigate would be in the Middle East, Far East and

Latin America.

The FF-21 will have an overall length of 322 feet, maximum beam of 50 feet, draft of 12 feet, and full load displacement of 2,494 metric tons.

Propulsion will be provided by a

CODOG (Combined Diesel or Gas

Turbine) system consisting of twin

LM2500 gas turbines producing 60,000 hp and two 12-cylinder MTU diesels producing 8,840 hp. The max- imum speed of the FF-21 will be over 33 knots using the gas turbines. The two diesels will provide a maximum speed of 22 knots for cruise propul- sion. Four MTU diesel generators will supply auxiliary power.

The FF-21 incorporates proven weapons systems, such as General

Dynamics' Close-In Weapon

Systems (CIWS), as well as a highly integrated antisubmarine capability. new construction program. Her de- livery is scheduled for late 1993, with the Statendam scheduled for a late 1992 delivery and the Ryndam- in 1994. She will be the fifth ship to bear the name Maasdam in Holland

America's 119-year history.

Work on the vessel is on schedule with further modules being fitted to the Maasdam in May. When com- pleted, the 50,000-grt cruise ship will be 720 feet long and have a beam of 101 feet. She will carry 1,266 passengers and have a mixed crew of550 Dutch officers and Indo- nesian and Filipino crewmen.

The cruise vessel Zenith was re- cently delivered to Celebrity

Chandris Cruises by Meyer Werft of

Papenburg, Germany.

The ship is 682 feet long, with a beam of 95 feet and a draft of 24 feet.

Powered by a "father and son" four engine plant, a cruising speed of 21.4 knots can be attained. The plant consists of two MAN B&W 9 L "father" engines and two MAN B&W 6 L "son" engines. The larger engines have an output of5,994 kw, and the smaller engines develop 3,996 kw. Power from the plant is transmitted to the two controllable pitch propeller plants via double reduction gears with integrated lamella couplings.

For additional maneuverability, the Zenith was fitted with two bow thrusters, one stern thruster, and

Diamond M-Odeco Teams

With VODL To Enter

Floating Production Market

Houston-based Diamond M-

Odeco, one of the world's largest offshore drilling companies, plans to enter the global floating produc- tion market by forming an associa- tion with Victoria Oilfield Develop- ment Ltd., (VODL), of London.

VODL was established by Seatramp

Inc., of London, last year, operator of one of the world's largest interna- tional tanker shipping groups.

After the acquisition of Odeco,

Diamond M-Odeco now operates a worldwide fleet of 40 semi-submers- ible and jack-up rigs. Working with

VODL, which has access to a 20- strong fleet of vessels totalling over 3.6 million dwt, the two companies intend to offer a global floating pro- two flap rudders which are operated by a joystick.

The vessel is equipped with five diesel generating sets as well as one emergency generator to provide all necessary electrical power.

The 47,255-gt Zenith can carry 1,374 passengers and crew. The vessel will operate seven-night cruis- es from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to the

Caribbean.

The Zenith's sister ship, Horizon, has been cruising the Caribbean and to Bermuda since May 1990.

The launching of the Zenith was reported in Maritime Reporter's

April, 1992 issue.

For further information about the services and facilities provided by

Meyer Werft,

Circle 70 on Reader Service Card duction service providing a wide choice of tanker and semi-submers- ible or jack-up systems. This is the first time that a rig owner, Diamond

M-Odeco, and a tanker owner,

VODL, have joined forces to explore growth opportunities together.

The parent company of Diamond

M-Odeco is Loews Corporation of

New York. Loews possesses a 49 percent holding in Hellspont Ship- ping Corporation, owners of six Ul- tra Large Crude Carriers in the

Seatramp-operated fleet.

As part of their agreement, VODL will establish offices at Diamond M-

Odeco's Houston headquarters, while Diamond M-Odeco personnel will spend time at VODL's London offices. The exchange of personnel and expertise will allow both com- panies to plan strategy for the joint pursuit of business opportunities in this expanding sector of the offshore oil industry.

May, 1992 11