Page 34: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 1993)

Endara's government is moving fast enough to prepare for operating the vital international waterway and to prevent the deterioration of canal facilities inherited by the country since the Panama Canal Treaty was signed in 1978. The subcommittee on Coast Guard and Navigation of the House Merchant Marine and

Fisheries Committee has jurisdic- tion over the Panama Canal Com- mission, the U.S. entity responsible for operating the waterway.

P O Box 13045, S-402 51 Goteborg, Sweden.

Tel +46 31 37 00 00. Fax +46 3 1 25 30 22. Telex 21652 saabra s.

I i • I would like your representative to visit me. ' • Please send me more information.

Name

Position

Company address

Telephone no

I Fax no

I

Circle 285 on Reader Service Card

Drawing of the new car ferry to 4ichols Brothers To Build zlliot Bay-Designed Ferries

For Pierce County, Wash.

Circle 1 on Reader Service Card

June, 1993 be built by Nichols Brothers.

A 213-foot, double-ended, steel car ferry will be built for Pierce

County Public Works Department by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders,

Inc., of Whidbey Island, Wash.

The 54-car ferry was designed by

Elliott Bay Design Group of Se- attle.

The ferry is expected to enter service in early 1994, serving Ander- son and Ketron Islands from the mainland terminal at Steilacoom.

Matt Nichols, president of the boat building firm, said that his company is looking forward to con- structing the auto ferry.

Nichols Brothers has built a num- ber of outstanding passenger ves- sels in recent years.

Pierce County, which initiated ferry service in 1938, is one of three

Washington State counties that operate their own vessels.

John Waterhouse, president of

Elliott Bay, said that the increasing service demands in recent years have outstripped the ability of the county's primary ferry, the M/V

Steilacoom, to provide adequate service. The 57-year-old ship has a 26-car capacity, while its backup boat, the wooden M/V Islander, is 12 years old and only carries 12 cars. Elliott Bay will act as the owner's agent during construction of the new ferry.

Mr. Waterhouse noted that "we were pleased to be selected to de- sign the vessel for Pierce County. It has been particularly gratifying to work with the Department of Pub- lic Works to develop a vessel to meet Pierce County needs and de- sign a vessel that meets United

States Coast Guard (USCG) require- ments for structural integrity, fire protection and life-saving provi- sions." The new ferry was designed to fix existing docking facilities.

The 92-gt vessel will have a beam of 66 feet and a draft of 10 feet.

Designed to operate with a crew of three, the Subchapter T vessel will be powered by a pair of 960-hp diesel engines rated at 348 shaft rpm and provide a service speed of 11 knots and a trial speed of 13 knots, according to designer esti- mates. The vessel will accommo- date 250 passengers.

For more information about

Nichols Brothers,

House Subcommittee To

Evaluate Canal Plan

In reaction to U.S. doubts over

Panama's readiness to take over administration of the Canal in the year 2000, a House maritime sub- committee will visit the country this year to study the Panamanian

Government's plans for the transi- tion. U.S. officials have questioned whether President Guillermo

The money your cargo earns depends on the efficiency of your cargo control system.

The Saab Cargo Control System is so efficient it' s like having money on tap!

Linked up with the MaC/501 work station the Saab Cargo Control

System is saving money and increasing earnings on tanker vessels from small f coastal tankers to VLCCs throughout the shipping world.