STX develops on-land construction – ndh

STX Shipbuilding has developed a ?Skid Launching System? involving building ships in two sections on land. After each section has been constructed, the two are joined in a floating dock.

STX recently moved half of a 47,000DWT product carrier ?High Courage? onto a floating ?skid barge? and will move the remaining section onto a barge and complete the vessel. The company expects that the new construction method will give it the ability to take on more orders without having to build a new building dock.