Uraga Heavy Industries, Ltd. has laid the keel for the first of two 43,000-dwt LASH ships (Lighter Aboard Ship) on order with the shipyard at Uraga's yard in Yokosuka. The vessel was ordered by A/S Moslash Shipping Co. of Norway in January 1968, and will be delivered in September 1969.
The vessel will be operated by Central Gulf Steamship Corporation on a long-term charter basis when completed. It will shuttle between ports on the Gulf of Mexico and in Europe on a 30-day run, mainly in the transportation of the products of International Paper Company.
Uraga Heavy Industries, Ltd. will successively lay down the keel of the second LASH ship of the same type for A/S Mosvold Shipping Co. of Norway in December 1969, and complete it in mid-1970.
This LASH system, developed by Lash System Inc., shipbuilding consultants, consists of a LASH ship, a giant gantry crane and a series of lighters, and will provide door to door service by means of the lighters utilizing the highly developed inland waterways. The ship can carry 73 lighters.
The 768-foot vessel will be powered by a Uraga-Sulzer diesel engine, Type 9RND90, developing 26,000 bhp at 122 rpm. This power will give a speed of about 20 knots.