Page 53: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 1992)

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The Kaimikai-O-Kanaloa following christening ceremonies at Bender Shipbuilding.

Bender Shipbuilding Christens

Converted Research Vessel For Hawaii

Undersea Research Laboratory

Bender Shipbuilding & RePair Co.,

Inc., recently joined the University of Hawaii's Hawaii Undersea Re- search Laboratory (HURL) in chris- tening the 220-foot oceanography research ship Kaimikai-O-Kanaloa at Bender's yard in Mobile, Ala.

HURL has been designated as the National Oceanic and Atmo- spheric Administration's (NOAA)

National Undersea Research Cen- ter at the University of Hawaii. The

Kaimikai-O-Kanaloa will be used for research programs on ocean re- sources, ocean chemistry and cli- mate within the economic zone of the United States and elsewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Through these programs NOAA will be able to de- termine the distribution of poten- tially valuable mineral resources on the sea floor and fisheries on sea- mounts.

Dr. Alexander Malahoff, di- rector of HURL, and Thomas B.

Bender, Jr., president of Bender, spoke at the christening ceremony.

Beverley M. Malahoff, the vessel's sponsor, christened the vessel

Kaimikai-O-Kanaloa, which means "heavenly searcher of the sea" in the

Hawaiian language. Dr. Malahoff praised NOAA and the U.S. Con- gress for providing the funds to con- vert the vessel, as well as commend- ing Bender and American shipbuild- ers in general for keeping the price of converting these vessels down.

The base contract amount for the conversion work performed by

Bender was $4 million.

The vessel reportedly combines the use of a remotely operated ocean bottom survey camera system; and undersea robot or remotely oper- ated vehicle (ROV); and a manned submersible, the Pisces V. All of these systems are operated from the stern of the ship using an A-frame crane for launching and recovery operations. According to reports the

Kaimikai-O-Kanaloa is the only U.S. university vessel specifically de- signed to support a research sub- mersible.

The vessel was converted from the former Western Strait, which was an inactive research vessel.

According to sources at Bender the conversion basically involved recon- structing the entire vessel from the hull up and adding a 30-foot mid- body to extend the vessel from 185 feet to its present length. A raised deck and submersible hanger were added to allow for the submersible and ROV to be brought on deck for maintenance. Work on the ship began in mid-September 1991.

Founded in 1919, Bender Ship- building & Repair Co., Inc. is a full-service shipyard that builds, converts and repairs vessels for both commercial and government owners and operators.

For further information about the services and facilities provided by Bender Shipbuilding,

Circle 26 on Reader Service Card

Maritime Bills Cleared By

House Of Representatives

Among more than thirty bills approved by the House, several directly affect the maritime com- munity. The House passed by voice vote H.R. 5674, a bill which includes clarification of tax treat- ment of intermodal containers.

The bill allows U.S. companies to claim investment tax credit and accelerated depreciation on the intermodal cargo containers which they lease to shipping companies and businesses.

Also approved were H.R. 5661, a bill to amend the Internal Rev- enue Code of1986 to exempt trans- portation on certain ferries from the excise tax on transportation of passengers by water, and H.R. 5397, a bill to amend Title 46, U.S.

Code, to prohibit abandonment of barges.

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