Page 109: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 1996)

For more information on the Web sites mentioned in this article, visit

Maritime Reporter's new Web site at http://www.marinelink.com and look for the online version of this article in our June 1996 sec- tion. offers a short presentation of the company, with company news updates and information on the company's research and develop- ment activities. It also offers infor- mation on its line of products and services, including descriptions of its marine diesel engines, grouped by kW range. • Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) has a site that offers an overview of NNS, a brief history, as well as information about employ- ment opportunities and a photo gallery of distinctive ships deliv- ered by the yard. • Norshipco's site gives detailed information about its repair facili- ties, including the geographical distance of those facilities from prime points in the U.S. • C-Map's Web site offers refer- ence charts of certain areas, and has incorporated a library of elec- tronic charting reports for the lat- est developments in the electronic charting world. • As is the case with a great many

Web sites, Radio Holland's was "under construction" at press time; but plans include incorporating product information about its offerings in GMDSS communica- tions, integrated bridges, as well as engine room and cargo control and monitoring equipment. • Also under construction at press time, Leica Navigation and Po- sitioning Division's Web site offers specifications and even pic- tures of its lines of equipment, bro- ken down by product category and sub-category. For example, under the Marine Navigation menu, users can choose from DGPS sys- tems, hydrographic survey prod- ucts, commercial marine and plea- sure boat products.

This is only a tiny subset of the companies currently taking advan- tage of the Web's potential for dis- seminating information. One ad- vantage of electronic publishing over traditional printing is that the cost of revisions and updates is negligible — not at all like the printed product and service infor- mation all companies must have, which cannot be revised once printed, and which are worth no more than the paper they are printed on once they become out- dated. Also postage, which can be a significant expense, does not apply. Electronic documents are not static like paper, but dynamic.

And they can be as dynamic as you need them to be: with a little pro- gramming, HTML documents can be created to actually "rewrite" themselves as time goes on. For example, it is now possible to cre- ate a document with an ever- changing table reflecting current stock prices for maritime compa- nies, or even with an embedded weather map that reflects the movement of weather systems in a given area. The potential, espe- cially with the developments in

Web-based programming (notable among which is the creation of Sun

Microsystems' multi-platform pro- gramming language, Java) is grow- ing ever closer to limitless.

Of course, not all — perhaps not even most — of your prospective customers will have Internet access. That may be true today, but there are definite indications that computers are heading toward becoming the universal appliance of the near future, combining the uses of television and telephone with the accepted uses of a PC. A reasonable argument can be made that getting your company in- volved in the Internet may not be a vital part of its strategy today; but an even more reasonable argument can be made that those who ignore the Internet today will be playing catch-up with their competitors tomorrow.

Total Reliability with the Complete KOBELCO

Compact Seal System

KOBELCO

KOBELCO's Net Protector and Net Stopper

The Net Protector prevents nets and ropes from passing through the clearance between the rope guard and propeller boss. In the unlikely event that anything passes through, it is completely blocked from entering the seal box with the Net Stopper.

Double Security Compact

Seal with Net Protector &

Net Stopper

KOBELCO's New Double Security' COMPACT SEAL

During normal operation, the #3S sealing ring is kept in a no-load condition as the pressure between the #3/3S seal chamber and the stern tube is equalized. If a leak occurs in the #3 sealing ring, the #3S sealing ring can immediately be engaged by closing #3/3S outlet and inlet valves.

Gravity Tank for Stern Tube

Near Port (Harbor Speed)

The Port Anti-Pollution (P.A.P.) System to Prevent Any Oil Leakage, Especially in Harbors

When the shaft rotation has decreased under the rotation set by the control panel, solenoid valves (A) and (B) close, while valve (C) opens, and the oil level in the chamber between sealing ring #2 and #3 lowers to the level of (C) on the shaft line.

U.S.A. Exclusive Agent

Roland Marine Inc. 90 Broad Steet, New York, NY 10004 U.S.A. TEL: 212-269-1075 TELEX: 222197 FAX: 212-943-4346 <$> KDBELTD MRRIHE EflOinEERinG CDMD. 6F Tatsunuma Bldg., 3-19, Yaesu 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 105 JAPAN TEL: 03-3218-6695 FAX: 03-3218-6698

Manufacturer of Stern Tube Sealing, Stern Tube Bearings and Intermediate Shaft Bearings

Circle 295 on Reader Service Card

June, 1996 95