Page 27: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 2000)

ing repairs on its sewage holding tank diverter valves and pumps, weapons elevators and mandatory and safety inconsistencies in necessary firefighting repairs.

Is there relief in sight?

When judgment day arrives — one of two things are likely to occur. Either it will be full speed ahead for the yards to begin whipping the fleet back into shape — providing that Congress and the

Department of Defense work everything out. If it is vetoed, then as Krekich puts it, "we'll be going back to square one — but worse."

He continued: "Sailors will get even more frustrated and there will be signif- icant problems with ships."

Whether or not Congress provides a saving grace for shipyards, the Navy, who is probably seen by some as leav- ing the yards high-and-dry, is in actuali- ty, trying to plead its case at the Capitol

Building. "The Navy is trying to make a case to

Congress by carrying out its duty to its citizens," Krekich said. "Sometimes the

Navy needs help and Congress is the place to get that help." — Regina P. Ciardiello

Ailsa-Troon

Continues To

Climb

Ailsa-Troon is in the midst of its win- ter refit season, having recently com- pleted work on Saturn and Loch Buie - two ferries operated by Caledonian

MacBrayne. The yard is also working on Juno - another vessel for Caledon- ian, before beginning work on Loch

Alainn, Loch Tarbert, Loch Dunvegan,

Loch Fyne and Jupiter.

Recently, the yard has filled up with various commercial and government owned vessels, including range safety vessel, Petard, and Ixworth, a diving support vessel - both owned by MoD - as well as Salmaster - a mooring and salvage vessel managed by Serco Den- holm. Ailsa-Troon also performed work on a 112 ft. (34 m) cutter named Sen- tinel owned by H.M. Customs &

Excise.

Maintenance and repair work per- formed on Jean Riton, Jean LeClarc and Mariette Le Roch that occurred during the summer and fall, was the result of a negotiated maintenance arrangement with Petrel Sparfel, the

French fishing company, which oper- ates trawlers from the West Coast of

Scotland.

The yard's most significant job of late, and the reflection of its steady increase in volume of repair work, is the refit of Ability, a 2,550-dwt product tanker owned by F.T. Everard, which is one of the largest vessels to drydock at the yard in recent years.

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