The Maritime Administration (MarAd) has awarded three research contracts relating to the use of coal as a marine fuel. The total cost of the research will be $280,000.
The largest contract, for $116,000, was awarded to ECON, Inc., Princeton, N.J., and Parsons-Brinckerhoff, New York, N.Y., to investigate alternatives for providing coal bunkers in various U.S. ports. The study will evaluate factors such as the cost of capital, real estate, operations, and taxes.
Santa Fe Corp., Alexandria, Va., was awarded a $91,000 contract to analyze the maintenance and repair requirements of coal-fired steam-turbine propulsion systems. The study is expected to cover spare parts requirements, failure rates for major components, the shipboard man-hours required for routine and preventive maintenance, and other elements affecting the in-service performance of these systems.
A $73,000 contract was awarded to VERSAR, Inc., Springfield, Va., to assess environmental factors influencing the use of coal as a marine boiler fuel. The study will examine the effects of stack gas emissions and ash discharge from coal-fired ships on the environment. It will be based on a selected scenario and profile of vessels servicing ports and international trade routes.
All three studies are scheduled to be completed in early 1982.