DOT/Industry Partnership Results In $37 Million In Cooperative Agreements
Secretary of Transportation F e d e r i c o Pena an nounced $36.9 million in cooperative research agreements designed to strengthen the competitiveness of American shipyards. He made the announcement at the opening ceremony of "Transfuture '94," a free, three-day transportation technology fair on the national mall in Washington, D.C. "These agreements are part of a publicprivate partnership to enhance American shipbuilding technology," Mr. Pena said. "It is one element of t h e President's plan to strengthen America's shipbuilding industry as it reenters the international commercial marketplace." The agreements were awarded under the MARITECH program. The agreements were awarded to: • Modular Tanker Consortium, Inc., of Annapolis, Md.
(which includes BethShip and McDermott Shipbuilding, Inc., and three major suppliers of machinery systems) was awarded an agreement to develop an internationally competitive, technologically advanced tanker. Of the $4.7 million, $2.25 million will be provided by the government, with the consortium contributing $2.4 million in cash and in-kind services. The consortium includes BethShip, Sparrows Point, Md.; McDermott Shipbuilding, Inc., Amelia, La.; Wartsila Diesel, Kvaerner Masa Marine, and SPAR - Systems Programming, Analysis and Research, all of Annapolis, Md.; ABB, Helsinki, Finland; Bird- Johnson, Walpole, Mass.; Seaworthy Systems, Barnegate Light, N.J., Wilson, Gillette & Co. , Arlington, Va.; Maritrans Inland Division, Philadelphia, Pa.; COSCOL Marine Corp., Houston, and ARCO Marine, Inc., Long Beach, Calif. The project teams two shipyards and three major suppliers of machinery systems to design 40,000 to 125,000 dwt tankers for operation in international trades.
The consortium's goal is to develop designs for these vessels and to share equally any risks involved in the construction project.
• Alabama Shipyard, Inc. of Mobile, Ala., to design a double-hull tank ship. The 12-month agreement has a total value of $6.5 million, with the government contributing $3.2 million and Alabama Shipyard contributing $3.35 million in cash and inkind services. The yard plans to use its current facilities which will permit construction of vessels of this size. The new designs, production and processing techniques will permit orders for construction of quality, state-of-the-art ships at competitive prices in the international market.
• Avondale Industries of New Orleans will design a 40,000-dwt double-hull product carrier under an 18-month, $13.7 million agreement. The government will provide $6.8 million, with Avondale contributing $6.9 million in cash and inkind services. Other project participants are John J. McMullen Associates, Inc., New York, N.Y., and MCA Associates, Inc., Greenwich, Conn.
• Halter Marine, Inc., Gulfport, Miss., is participating in three cooperative agreements. Halter, with Pacific Marine Leasing Inc., of Portland, Ore., will cooperatively develop a design for a multipurpose, medium- sized ship under a two-year, $2,146,212 agreement. The government will provide up to $1,073,106 and Halter will contribute an equal amount in cash and in-kind services. Halter also will develop a 23,000- ton container/bulk carrier to assist the American shipbuilding industry in competing with foreign shipbuilders in the medium-size bulk/carrier market under a $5,875,722 agreement. The government will contribute $2,937,861 and Halter is providing the same amount in cash and inkind services.
Under a third agreement, Halter will design U.S.-made, low-wake, high-speed efficient catamaran (ECAT) ferries which can be marketed competitively for both domestic and i n t e r n a t i o n a l markets. Of the $4,127,502, the government and Halter each will provide $2,063,751 over a two-year period.
