Page 39: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 1993)

apanese Shipyards Stress duality Over Quantity

Quality, not quantity, will be the ew tack in the Japanese shipbuild- lg industry.

Japan has reportedly held the top osition in quantity since 1956 when le Japanese overtook England in aipbuilding. Yotaro Iida, chair- lan of the Shipbuilders' Associa- on of Japan, says, "From now on, r e intend to build very sophisti- ited, high-tech vessels that cannot e matched by other countries."

As a testament to this claim,'Ming /ah Shipping Co. of Hong Kong )ok delivery of a Japanese-made

TjCC done largely by robots. Re- sarch and development to help en- ironmental conservation as well as tiipbuilding technology will be the >cus of the members of the Ship- uilders' Association, according to

Ir. Iida. Automation, reportedly ^ell-advanced in Japanese yards, all be furthered. hipping Industry Improves

Vith Higher Rates In '93

The maritime industry has re- ortedly emerged from deep crisis i 1992 to higher freight rates, ac- ording to brokerage firm H. !larkson & Co.

In its six-month review, H.

Ilarkson & Co. claims that in the irst four months of 1993, earnings i the dry bulk carrier market for aw materials were 20-25 percent igher than the average a year ago.

Earnings for Panamaxes and

Japes were well up on 1992 how- ver the average daily hire of $9,000 nd $10,500 compared unfavorably /ith smaller sizes.

The report claims that in the pe- iod from January to April, VLCCs arned $16,800 a day, up 37 percent n 1992 averages. Suezmax tankers stched $15,600, up 31 percent, and tframaxes earned $13,800, up 38 lercent.

The report says the maritime narket's outlook for 1993 is better han it was for 1992, and 1994 looks promising."

Clarkson wrote, "With more tank- rs due for delivery in 1993, any udgment on freight rates must de- lend on the view taken on future crapping." slorth Atlantic Marine

Announces Contract With

Vashburn & Doughty

Diana D. Artiaga, president of 'forth Atlantic Marine, Inc., in Port- and, Me., announced that the com- >any has signed a contract with

Vashburn & Doughty Assoc. of East ioothbay, Me. to install the entire slectrical and electronic systems on in 85-foot passenger ferry boat for ]asco Bay Island Transit District in 3 ortland, Me.

The ferry is a diesel-propelledboat :apable of accomodating a minimum uly, 1993 of350 passengers on two decks - one for freight and the other for cars.

The ferry has a breadth of 30 feet and a depth of 10.5 feet.

The vessel will be built in accor- dance with Coast Guard Sub chap- ter T. The hull is of steel single chine construction with a transom stern, using twin screw propulsion.

For more information on North

Atlantic Marine, Inc.

Circle 98 on Reader Service Card

New FM Radio System To

Conquer Sound Problems

On Tour Boats

The new Antenna Listening Sys- tem is a personal FM radio receiver system that allows ship tour guides to be heard clearly by all passengers on board.

Guides wear Antenna's small, portable transmitter and speak into a hands-free microphone. Each lis- tener wears headphones and a pocket-sized radio receiver.

This system, the manufacturer claims, allows everyone in the group to hear even with the interference of engine and wind noise.

The Listening System is cur- rently being used by the Red and

White Fleet for multilingual tours of San Francisco Bay. For more information from Antenna,

Circle 17 on Reader Service Car

For the protection of life, ma- terial and environment!

J.M. Voith GmbH

Ship Technical Division

Postfach 1940, D-7920 Heidenheim

Tel. (0 73 21) 37-0

Fax (0 73 21) 37 71 05

Voith Schneider America Inc. 121 Susquehanna Avenue

Great Neck, N.Y. 11021

Tel. (516) 466 5755

Fax (516) 466 5380

VOITH g Circle 235 on Reader Service Card s We create new dimensions.

Safety for Dangerous

Can si Iff

The answer to the demand for greater safety in the transport of dangerous cargoes, in port or in difficult waters, is the

Voith Water Tractor

World-wide experience and extensive series of tests have confirmed that the Voith Wa- ter Tractor is a prerequisite for: • safe line connection to the tow at all operational speeds • supplement to or substitu- tion of the ship's rudder immediately after contact is made • effective braking aid • dynamic fire-fighting.

Towing force example: 50 t static 100 t dynamic