Walter A Sterling

The American Ship Building Company has received a group of contracts totaling approximately $20 million for the conversion of a Great Lakes bulk carrier and construction of several types of barges.

First of the contracts is with Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Company for the conversion of its 826-foot bulk carrier Walter A.

Sterling — fifth largest vessel on the Great Lakes — to a selfunloader at the Lorain, Ohio, yard of American Ship Building's AmShip Division. Also scheduled for the division are major cargo hold modifications on two other Lake carriers.

Another contract was signed by Missouri Portland Cement and American Ship Building's Nabrico Division in Nashville, Tenn., for the construction of 10 cement barges that will be put in service on the inland river system. Additional agreements for four oil barges were also received. These contracts will extend the division's backlog at its Ashland, Tenn., facility through September.

The Nashville plant's backlog extends through the year.

In another contract, Florida Power Company has awarded the construction of a 13,500-deadweight- ton coal barge to American Ship Building's Tampa Ship Repair and Dry Dock Co., Inc.

subsidiary. The barge is designed to transport Western coal from New Orleans, La., to the utility's Florida Power Station at Crystal City, Fla.

The American Ship Building Company is a leading independent ship construction, conversion and repair firm on the Great Lakes.

It has construction facilities in Chicago, 111.; Toledo and Lorain, Ohio; Nashville and Ashland City, Tenn.; and Tampa, Fla. Its Building Products Division, with main operational bases in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Omaha, Neb., produces farm roofing, siding and rain goods.