NASSCO benefits from TOTE?

National Steel & Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) on the US West Coast has received a $300 million order from Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) in Alaska for a pair of ice-strengthened, environmentally friendly roro newbuildings.

The order is expected to be the first of a growing number of Jone?s Act newbuildings awarded to American yards as the average age of dry cargo vessels and tankers in the US approaches 25 years.

Due to be delivered in April and September of 2002, the roros have a number of interesting features.

In excess of three quarters of the vehicles carried by the vessels will be fully protected from the elements, while sections of the ships? hulls will be ice-strengthened in order to protect against ice in the Cook Inlet in winter.

On completion, they will be the first such vessels in US domestic trades with separate holds for different vehicle types.

Another notable feature is the main machinery ? the roros will be diesel electric ships with two shaftlines, twin rudders and duplicate steering gear for redundancy and safety.

Designed to transport 600 FEU and 200 vehicles ? half as many vehicles again as the vessels they will replace ? they will be 256m long with a beam of 36m and have a service speed of 24 knots.