Page 63: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 1993)

lias Minehunting System asses RAN Sea Trials

The new Minehunting Weapons ystem (MWS) 80-5 from Atlas llektronik, of Bremen, Germany, ecently passed its sea acceptance rials aboard the Australian ainehunting catamaran HMAS tushcutter. According to the con- ract, Atlas will now be delivering hree systems to the Royal Austra- ian Navy (RAN) by 1993.

The German Navy will be using i total of ten systems of type MWS 30-4, the version from which the

RAN's MWS 80-5 was derived, on their new MJ 332 minehunting vessels.

Atlas reports that it is the first supplier to offer a software-based minehunting sonar for computer- aided detection and classification of mines, making the MWS a com- pletely new sonar concept that can be specifically adjusted to suit pre- vailing environmental conditions.

Some special features of Atlas's

MWS are: minimized personnel re- quirements; use of pull-down menus for easy operator interface; reduced logistics; and an enlarged sonar search area to reduce search times.

For more information about At- las Elektronik's MWS 80-4 or -5,

Analysts believe that the majority of ships will be built in China, the

Dalian Shipyard being one of the newbuilding program's major ben- eficiaries, but with the assistance of foreign shipyards. The country will also receive assistance from the

United Nations in the areas of vessel design, training and technological development.

A U.N. report stated that the Chi- nese will require the following size- ranges of newbuildings: four 12,000- dwt vessels; three of 27,000 dwt; 34 ships of 35,000 dwt; one 60,000-dwt vessel and one of 100,000 dwt.

China's booming economy has in- creased its volume of coal produc- tion by 15 to 20 million tons each year, outrunning the ability of the country's transportation network to meet demand.

China's coal is produced in the northern part of the country and shipped from its Qinhuangdao ter- minal to a number of power stations located in the south.

The new bulk ships will therefore be designed to operate in the shallow waters off the coast of China.

According to the report, the ma- jority of the country's existing tanker fleet amounts to less than 500,000 dwt and consists of vessels in the 15,000- to 24,000-dwt range with an average age of 15 years. The ships are unable to comply with IMO regu- lations and shipboard explosions and fires are common.

The RAN's inshore minehunting (MHI) catamaran equipped with Atlas Elektronik's new Minehunting

Warfare System 80-5.

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Shipping sources in Hong Kong have reported that China is devel- oping a newbuilding program of more than 40 specialized bulk car- riers of up to 100,000 dwt in size over the next seven years.

The new vessels will help the country keep pace with its increas- ing demand for coal.

Another long-term, Chinese ship construction project entails a se- ries of enormous tankers and gas carriers to transport oil from

China's northeastern fields to the south for refining and processing.

February, 1993

Chinese Plan To Build

Over 40 Bulk Ships

During Next Seven Years

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