Page 76: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 1994)

FASTSHIP — 40-Plus Knot Service Across The

Atlantic 0

NEW TECHNOLOGY

The Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) and two transportation executives have recently made moves which could eventually help the dream of a 40-plus-knot cargo ship plying the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans a reality. "The DRPA and two leading international transportation executives, Tom Holt, Sr. and

Dennis Colgan, Jr., have taken a major step toward making Philadelphia a leading port into the 21 Century," said Paul Drayton, execu- tive director of DRPA. "Our actions today are a clear signal of DRPA's mandate to aggressively promote and develop the Ports of Philadelphia and Camden."

DRPA is a bi-state agency of Pennsylvania and New Jersey charged with improving the

Ports of Philadelphia and Camden. Mr. Holt is the region's largest terminal operator and steve- dore, and Mr. Colgan is chairman of Barthco

Intl., the region's largest customhouse broker.

The steps taken, using Mr. Drayton's words, amount to a $7 million investment by DRPA and more than a $3 million investment by Mr. Holt

TG-770 FastShip ™ Specs

Length o.a 774 ft. (236 m)

Length (water line) 679 ft. (207 m)

Beam (molded) 116.5 ft. (35.5 m)

Beam (water line) 101.5 ft. (21.8 m)

Draft (full load) 34.3 ft. (10.4 m)

Displacement (full load) 30,480 tons

Avg. Service Speed 42 knots w/8 engines at 97% MCR 37.5 knots w/6 engines at 97% MCR

Endurance (w/10% fuel reserve)

At 37.5 knots 4,800 nm

At 42 knots 3,200 nm

Cargo Capacity

At 37.5 knots 9,760 tons

At 42 knots 8,070 tons

Hold Capacity Approx. 2 million cu. ft.

Engines (8) GE LM6000 Gas Turbines

Thrusters (3) KaMeWa Waterjet Propulsors (2) KaMeWa Maneuvering Waterjets

Gearboxes (4) GE Reduction Gears and Mr. Colgan in FastShip Atlantic. The investments ensure that Philadelphia will be- come the exclusive North Atlantic port for

FastShip Service.

What Is FastShip?

FastShip™ is the trademark for a vessel that, using a patented and innovative combination of existing technologies, is designed to revolution- ize the speed and reliability of shipping. The patented technology — the Semi-Planing

Monohull or "SPMH" — was developed by

Thornycroft, Giles & Co. Inc., a Virginia-based company which has invested 15 years in the testing and design of the FastShip hull design.

FastShip service promises to revolutionize trans-oceanic shipping for high value, time sen- sitive cargo (HVTS), which includes commodi- ties such as automobiles and automotive parts, pharmaceuticals, apparel and other consumer goods. Current plans call for a vessel of this design to leave Philadelphia fully loaded, cross the North Atlantic, deliver its cargo, load new cargo and return to Philadelphia in eight days.

FastShip Atlantic, Inc. (FSA) is a Virginia- based company which has exclusive licenses to operate a fleet of FastShips, a design for a new generation of high speed containerized cargo ship intended for service in both the Atlantic and

Pacific trade routes.

Ultimately, FSA envisions introducing a fleet of up to eight TG-770 FastShip vessels for the

North Atlantic route. Each 774-ft. (236-m) ves- sel, while substantially shorter than today's con- tainer ships, will compensate for its smaller stature by making up to five times the number of annual ocean crossings.

While a shipyard to build the vessel has yet to be selected, those involved have stated a prefer- ence to build in the U.S. provided that the yards can match international standards for price and timeliness. It is estimated that each TG-770 will cost between $130 and $150 million to build, and approximately $100 million annually to operate.

The Hull Dasiga

FastShip will use the patented SPMH design, which was created to allow the ship to travel at very high speeds by developing lift at the stern as additional thrust is applied. According to the designers, experience with smaller SPMH ves- sels and exhaustive testing with models in tanks and the open sea has demonstrated that FastShip is reliable in the most extreme sea conditions, up to and including waves 40 to 50 ft. (12.2 to 15.2 m) in height.

Current hull designs call for a vessel 774 ft. (236 m) long, with a 116.5-ft. (35.5-m) molded beam and a 34.3-ft. (10.4-m) draft, at full load.

Hold capacity is designed at two million cu. ft.

Th« Propulsion Pachago

On the North Atlantic, FastShip is designed to use eight General Electric gas turbines and five

KaMeWa waterjet propulsors, which will help propel the ship across the ocean in 3.5 days. The hull design, combined with this tremendous speed capability, is designed to either sail in seas that would delay conventional vessels, or outrun or circumvent weather that other freighters would have to endure.

An average service speed of 42 knots is plannec for the FastShip version with eight engines, at 91; percent MCR; 37.5 knots with six engines, at 9' percent MCR. Endurance at 37.5 knots would b< 4,800 nm; at 42 knots 3,200 nm.

Tho loading Systom

TM FastShip will use the Alicon loading sys tem, a new intermodal handling system whic' uses pallets supported by compressed air cusl ions to provide frictionless loading and unloadin of the vessel. Entire train loads of containers wi be simultaneously on- and off-loaded, as oppose to the conventional piece-by-piece removal < containers by dockside cranes. This will allow

FastShip to be completely unloaded and ha^ new cargo on-loaded in four to six hours. A patei application is pending for the Alicon system.

As a part of the agreement, DRPA has agre< to invest $50 to $75 million to build a new tem nal to service FastShip operations, an inves ment to be made once FastShip has demo strated to DRPA that it has obtained financing construct at least three 774-ft. FastShips. T\ preliminary sites being considered for the tern nal include Conrail's Greenwich railyard, whi is adjacent to Packer Avenue Marine Termin and property located on the northern part of t

Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, which the City

Philadelphia is currently negotiating to take o^ from the U.S. Navy.

COMPARE & CONTRAS

Here's how the FastShip stacks up against conventioi ships, according to the vessel's designers.

Parameter Conventional FastSh

Speed 18-24 kts 37.5

Capacity 3,500-4,500 TEU 1,360 T

Seatime 7-8 days 3.5 d.

Cargo Protection Uncovered Cove

No. of Ports 8-12 58 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News