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seals of the pump. One shaft seal provides sealing against the oil in the intermediate pipe, and the other one against the cargo. The coffer- dam is equipped with a connection for air/nitrogen enabling purgings of the system by a simple and fixed rou- tine.

The company reports that the advantage of the pump design with two pipes in parallel is that support to bulkhead is not required. The shaft runs constantly in an oil bath and is thus lubricated by the sur- rounding oil, and will never be exposed to cargo.

For more information on Svanehoj

Circle 19 on Reader Service Card

AAPA Gives 104th Congress

High Marks

Public ports were pleased with actions of the 104th Congress that improved deep draft navigation needs, landside transportation and facilitated international trade. From passage of the National Highway

System Bill in 1995 to the Water

Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1996, U.S. members of the

American Association of Port

Authorities (AAPA) gave Congress high marks on advancing the ports' agenda. "Passing the Water Resources

Development Act of 1996 was the major priority for us this Congress," said Kurt J. Nagle, AAPA president. "We had four years between bills authorizing vital navigation and other water resource projects."

WRDA '96 provides for policy changes which enable the U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers to undertake its navigation mission more efficiently.

These include provisions long sup- ported by the port community that authorize equitable federal cost- sharing of dredged material disposal facilities; provide for prompt removal of obstruction to navigation; and cap the local cost-share during the feasi- bility stage of project development.

The bill includes authorization for commercial navigation projects in

Humboldt Bay, Calif.; Long Beach,

Calif.; Port Fourchon, La.; Cape

Fear, N.C.; Wilmington, N.C.;

Charleston, S.C.; and Houston-

Galveston, Texas; as well as a project for beneficial use of dredged materi- al at Poplar Island, Md. It also includes authorization of projects in

Cook Inlet, Alaska.; and the

Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, contingent upon approval by the

Corps of Engineers prior to

December 31.

VTIS Users Eligible For Los

Angeles/Long Beach

Rebate

The Board of Directors for the

Marine Exchange of Los Angeles-

Long Beach Harbor, Inc. announced their approval of a plan to offer all Vessel Traffic

Information Service (VTIS) users a 10 percent rebate. The total amount to be returned to VTIS users will be nearly $140,000, and the rebates will be issued in the form of credit memos to either the vessel owner/operators, or their agents, as originally billed by the

Marine Exchange for VTIS users fees over the past fiscal year. All

VTIS credit memos can be applied to any future vessel arrivals at the ports of Los Angeles and Long

Beach, and will be honored through June 30, 1997.

Since its inception in 1994, the

VTIS at the port has been recog- nized for its unique applications, as well as a model of partnership effort between state, federal and local government agencies and the private sector.

Uinancing's not right if it's not right for you. Which is why we at The C1T Group/

Capital Equipment Financing customize financing packages to meet our clients' individual situations.

We have funded companies in the intercoastal marine industry for over 30 years. So we understand the operational considerations of your business as well as the financial requirements. This dual background, combined with the flexibility of asset-based lending, allows us to create growth packages that work to your maximum advantage.

Our clients use funds to refinance existing debt, for new or used vessel acquisition, and generally to make investments toward ensuring profitability and competitiveness.

To find out how The CIT Group can help your operation, call Burt Feinberg,

Vice President at (212) 536-9338.

AMERICAS

MOST EXPERIENCED

ASSET-BASED

LENDER > 1996 The CIT Group, Inc. Circle 376 on Reader Service Card

November, 1996 25