Page 19: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 1999)

C & G BOAT WORKS, INC

NEW CONSTRUCTION 401 Cochran Bridge • Causeway, Hwy. 98

Mobile, Alabama 36603

Phone: (334) 694-1 300 • Fax: (334) 694-1306

AND 8685 Davenport St. • P. O. Box 309

Bayou La Batre, Alabama 36509

Phone: (334) 824-2170 • Fax: (334) 824-3115

Contact: Mickey Cook or Gayla Graham

Fabrication, Construction, Repairs, and Conversions for the Inland and Offshore Marine Industry

REPAIRS AND

CONVERSIONS DRYDOCKS ing the vessel traffic management sys- tem (VTS), the enhanced version went into effect this past July. More than 50 electronic boxes have already been implemented and are up and running in the Commission's floating equipment and shore sites.

Tolls, which were last increased on

January 1, 1998, will remain the same after the handing-over. Vessel rates con- tinue at $2.57 per PC. Net Ton, Laden; and $2.04 per PC. Net Ton, Ballast.

Measured by the

Panama Canal

Universal Manage- ment System (PC/UMS), which was put into effect by the Commis- sion on October 1, 1994; total long tons of cargo that passed through, based on 12,924 transits stood at 192,091,107, gar- nering a toll rev- enue of $543,036,483.

According to Panama's President

Mireya Moscoso, the Panama Canal will be operated as a non-political state entity once it is handed over from the

U.S. President Moscoso also reassured that Panamanian politics will not inter- fere with the Canal and that the Repub- lic is ready to gain control on the 31st.

There have been some recent, publi- cized concerns that China will try to gain command of the canal based on a

D A

The Signing of the Panama Canal Treaty CTorri- jos-Carter Treaty) by General Omar Torrijos and President Jimmy Carter occurred on Sep- tember 7, 1977.

A change in course

September 7, 1977 was an instrumen- tal day for both the Panamanian and

U.S. Governments as it markes the first the signing of the Panama Canal Treaty, first step taken by both nations in Pana- ma's quest to take back control of the

Canal.

Known as the Torrijos-Carter Treaty, the document stated that on December 31, 1999, the Republic of Panama would be permitted to take control of the canal — disbanding all U.S. opera- tions. Set into force on October 1, 1979, the treaty provided the Republic of

Panama with a 20-year transition period — allowing the nation to prepare itself for its role .

The treaty also called for the estab- lishment of a new agency of the U.S.

Government - the Panama Canal Com- mission - abolishing the former Panama

Canal Company. The purpose of this organization was to take action in the improvement, upgrading and mainte- nance of the canal until the transition date. In addition, the treaty also set forth a toll rate increase of 29.3 percent in order to provide Panama with canal rev- enues. A slew of improvements, in addition to the Galliard Cut widening encompass new locks towing locomo- tives, locks machinery and equipment upgrade, as well as enhanced vessel traf- fic management system. According to the Commission, the first two units of the new locks are currently in place, having already performed successful factory tests. Eighteen production units are expected by February 2002. Regard-

December, 1999 Circle 296 on Reader Service Card 21 Circle 215 on Reader Service Card 19 *

Smart Radar Level

Sensor with Generic

RS485 Output

The first flat array antenna for liquid tank gauging.

This software driven array allows for each sensor to remotely configure itself for the type of product as well as the structural characteristics within each tank. It is completely self-diagnostic and is factory calibrated using a laser interferometer to ,1mm. It is designed for the harshest environments and can be provided in a high temperature version to 385°F. It is intrinsically safe with Class 1, Div. 1,

Group D & C approvals. As a smart sensor, all processing calculations and software are resident in the device itself, only a high level generic data output, i.e., RS485 (or others on request) is sent to the cargo control area.

Options: • Multiple alarm set-points • Temperature • PV Pressure • I.G. Pressure • Tank Management Software • Automated draft and trim

ELECTRONIC MARINE

SYSTEMS, INC. 800 Ferndale Place

Rahway, NJ 07065

Call today for more information! 732.382.4344 732.388.5111 fax [email protected] e-mail http://www.emsmarcon.com