September 15, 1981

Table of Contents

1. 55th Annual Propeller Club Convention

   The 55th Annual Convention of The Propeller Club of the United States and the 1981 American Merchant Marine Conference will be held in Baltimore October 14-16 under the theme 'The American Merchant Marine—An Imperiled Lifeline.' The article lists the ten positions to be voted on and the full conference program.

   p. 26

2. Record Attendance Expected At Oceans '81

   Oceans '81, sponsored by the IEEE Council of Oceanic Engineering and the Marine Technology Society, will be held September 16-18 at the Sheraton Hotel, Boston, with a record 300 technical presentations and 85 exhibits. The article includes the exhibitor list and full calendar of events.

   p. 12

3. Vancouver Shipyards Launches Log Barge On A Film Of Water

   Vancouver Shipyards Co., Ltd. uses Aero-Go water bearings to float launch-ready hulls across land on a .005-inch film of water, most recently moving the 3,000-ton log barge Seaspan Rigger 150 feet to its launch sleds.

   p. 41

4. $270-Million Expansion Is Proposed For Port Of Portland

   The Port of Portland Commission accepted a master development plan projecting cargo volume tripling to 22.8 million tons by 2000, requiring 18 new berths and $270 million in facilities. The plan details renovation of Terminals 1, 2 and 4 and expansion at Terminal 6.

   p. 66

5. Marathon's Vicksburg Yard Refines 'Walking' Process For Jackups

   Marathon LeTourneau's Vicksburg yard has launched 68 jackup rigs without launchways by 'walking' them into the Mississippi. With Hull No. 155, a Class 116-C jackup for the Rowan Companies, engineers refined the walking pad system to handle extra bow weight.

   p. 63

6. Griffin-Alexander III Commissioned At Beth Baltimore

   Griffin-Alexander Drilling Company and Bethlehem Steel's Sparrows Point yard commissioned the self-elevating mobile offshore drilling rig Griffin-Alexander III, which will drill in the Gulf of Mexico for Cities Service.

   p. 20

7. 'Petromar Bravo' Delivered By Halter—Third Of Six Ordered

   The Petromar Bravo, third of six 192-foot tug/supply boats being built by Halter Marine for Petromar Corporation, was christened at Corpus Christi and has been chartered by Texaco for work out of Warri, Nigeria.

   p. 52

8. Two Vessels Trucked To 'Sea'

   Two newly delivered vessels — the truckable towboat Arctic Falcon and the vehicle ferry Columbian Princess — made difficult overland journeys by truck to reach their service areas in Alaska and eastern Washington.

   p. 5

9. New Towboat Design At St. Louis Ship Results From Two-Year Research Program

   St. Louis Ship unveiled the Super Hydrodyne, an improved towboat design developed through a $500,000, two-year research program including model tests at MARIN in the Netherlands. Three 6,000-hp Super Hydrodyne towboats are already in service.

   p. 60

10. $30-Million, Eight Vessel Contract Signed By Halter And Tidewater Marine

    Halter Marine and Tidewater Marine Service signed contracts for eight tug supply vessels totaling $30.8 million — four of the new 200-foot Sea Master class and four standard 192-foot vessels. The first Sea Master is Halter's hull number 1,000.

    p. 64