Page 6: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 1992)

Major Changes Predicted

For World Shipping Industry

The World Freight Hong Kong exhibition was the setting for a se- ries of conferences discussing the future of the global liner shipping industry in the next decade.

Shipping industry executives and their customers forecasted a major restructuring of the industry, with the struggle for economic efficiency being the fundamental driving force among companies. "Within five years, I foresee only 11 mega-global carriers or consor- tium of carriers," stated Conrad H.

Everhard, chairman of Cho Yang

Line (USA). He said that the "al- most disastrously low" liner shipping rates would eliminate weaker carri- ers, with only a handful of the giant multinational companies remaining.

Another interesting prediction was the disappearance of company logos from ships, with cargo pools eliminating individual company identities as a forerunner of the gi- ant liner consortiums.

Other changes that were foreseen included: a shift in service emphasis to port-to-port operations; the end of rate-setting conferences; and the basis of container rate-setting being

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BRANCH OFFICES: HOUSTON: MIAMI: NEW ORLEANS: changed to the actual price of the cargo being transported.

MHI Introduces

New Bridge Operation

Support System

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) recently introduced an ad- vanced bridge operation support system called Super Bridge, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically navigate ships and prevent collisions as well as strandings and groundings. The system is expected to help reduce oil tanker accidents which can cause tremendous damage to the environ- ment. Super Bridge also reportedly lightens the work of crews for 24- hour ocean surveillance.

Super Bridge is a more intensi- fied version of MHI's integrated, comprehensive navigation system called Super Tonac. The fully auto- mated monitoring and alarm sys- tems allow for one-man bridge op- eration.

Super Bridge displays the ship's intended route and potentially dan- gerous shallow water on a CRT screen, based on data loaded into the system. The system constantly monitors movements of nearby ships in order to avoid collision. If a colli- sion course is apparent, the system will automatically sound a warning, calculate the best course for the ves- sel to steer and display the course on the CRT screen. While calculating the new course, the system is also checking the depth of the water to prevent strandings or groundings.

For free literature containing complete information on Super

Bridge,

Circle 107 on Reader Service Card

Industry Joint Project To

Study Vertically Loaded

Anchoring Systems

A joint industry study has been initiated to investigate the techni- cal feasibility and cost requirements for vertically loaded anchoring sys- tems for floating production platforms and other short scope mooring applications in deep water situations.

The joint project is being under- taken by Aker Omega Inc., of

Houston, Stewart Technology Asso- ciates and Marine Soil Consultants to study alternative concepts to con- ventional pile anchors requiring expensive derrick barges for instal- lation.

Confirmed sponsors of the project are: Amoco Production Company;

Elf Petroleum, Inc.; Exxon Produc- tion Research Company; Mobil

Research and Development Corp.;

Norwegian Contractors and Shell

Oil Company.

If any other groups or organiza- tions are interested in joining this project, they may contact Peter

Dove at (713) 870-1111 or by telefax at (713) 870-8008 for further infor- mation. 8 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News