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101
Co
'titents
0f Tanker
B
ly Lieuti
ships and Tankermen
101
^ ter>ant Sidney W. Emery, Jr., U. S. Navy
g Navy s Continuing Commitment in Antarctica 104 plain Frank V. Rigler, U. S. Navy (Retired)
Tankerships and ankermen
Several
Golden p <a'S at sea on board the Navymn eavor may convince most tanleer c ° !^at on board a super- acc°rtirn'd C suPer_tedious. While crew inan has ,at*0ns are comfortable—each bead; i;v- *S 0Wn cabin, shower, and both offi °g SPaces include a lounge for Pcket ^.er^ and crew—the average blue- SQthe Gn ^ C ^*nd bimself yearning for to break ’ ?Un Sll00ts’ Re*Tras- or PMSs ^ess de k C rnonotony of movieless CrUises •pL an<^ seemingly endless SVm 0r , shiP has no pool, sauna, facb io Sed'drCUit TV- There is, in c>manSt not^ing for the off-watch ^°ned5Cat0 ^ut re^ax in aircondi- Ways t0 Petcd comfort and dream of c"arning Cn che small fortune he is
The r /
^bip of the ^ Endeavor is the second !)ttomecj an Clemente class of double- ^'§ned andSkSregated b,ahast tankers de- bipbtti]^- Udt National Steel and
le*d sh S ComPany (NASSCO). Like °ilotv-ond'C G°lden Dolphin and a f 's tanker Golden Monarch,
'trUction ,Was kuilt with federal conS? the Tj c'd' Tunds and, hence, will r's giant r ‘foreign trades. Although eet sh0rtanker measures about 150 the Kitty Hawk class carriers, she draws almost 15 feet more water when fully loaded. And yet, the tanker outweighs the carriers by over 20,000 displacement tons.1 (Comparisons of Golden Endeavor/USS Constellation general characteristics are summarized in Table 1.)
Because of her size, the Golden Endeavor is as difficult to handle as a carrier. With the bridge set well aft over the engineering spaces, her conning officer is almost a fifth of a mile from the jackstaff. While the tanker’s conning officer does have bridge control over the main propulsion plant, he has less than one-tenth the power that the carrier skipper enjoys. With her 49-foot draft a great deal of attention is paid to fathometer readings, charted depth indications, and the type of bottom over which she is transiting. The Golden Endeavor and ships of comparable size do
‘A tanker is normally categorized by its cargocarrying capacity in terms of deadweight tons (dwt.)— i.e. the total lifting capacity for cargo, crew, provisions, fuel, ballast, etc., in long tons— 89,700 dwt. in this case. For comparative purposes this is converted to displacement tonnage—the standard measurement of warships—which is defined as the number of long tons of water displayed by a fully loaded ship.
not have the problems that their halfmillion-ton sister supertankers have with their loaded drafts over 100 feet. But, then, how frequently must a naval skipper post a bottom-type watch?
The Golden Endeavor has accommodations for 30 persons—three of which (two cadets and an owner’s representative) are not part of the assigned crew. Licensed officers include the master, chief mate, a second and third mate, chief engineer, and a first, second, and third engineer. Of the officers, only the master and the chief engineer do not normally stand watches. This results in a one-in-three watch routine for virtually the entire time on board. The underway bridge watch consists of one licensed deck officer and one able seaman while the machinery space watch is manned by a licensed engineer and a qualified member of the engineering department (QMED)—normally an unlicensed sailor capable of standing all below-decks watches, e.g., machinist’s mate, reefer watch, and pumpman. The QMED is generally employed as a helper and assistant, and normally has the equivalent experience of a Navy chief petty officer. The licensed engineer on watch normally is involved in some
Table 1 Comparative Dimensions
| Golden Endeavor | USS Constellation |
Length (feet) | 894 | 1,046 |
Beam (feet) | 106 | 249 |
Draft (feet)—fully loaded | 49 | 35 |
Displacement (tons) | 106,600 | 80,800 |
Horsepower (s.h.p.) | 24,500 | 280,000 |
Speed (knots) | i<sy2 | 30 |
Complement | 27 | 4,500 |
accrue 18 paid vacation days per m°nt and must use this vacation to allow time for others. While ashore, relief officers receive their basic salaries an non-watchstanding equivalency P - however they cannot operate on ^ authority of their licenses. There are n® restrictions on taking any shore jobs a® most do secure employment in so®c aspect of operations or engineering-
minor maintenance on gear that does not interfere with the actual propulsion or keep him away from the central console and immediate access to the throttle. Together, the two engineers run the entire plant—made possible due to the design of machinery spaces and its automated operation.
Wages for licensed personnel consist of a basic salary, plus overtime pay— at sea, any weekend watches count as overtime. Since the master and chief engineer do not normally stand watches, they are paid a basic salary and an additional non-watchstanders pay of approximately $600 per month. Should the tanker carry an on-board supernumerary who does not stand permanent watches, a non-watchstanders clause in his contract provides him with a monthly bonus, ranging from $400 for an acting chief mate or first engineer to $325 for the most junior licensee. For the upper ratings (first engineer and chief mate) overtime pay normally runs at 200% of base salary. Considering the basic wage for such officers averages $1,500 per month this means a normal monthly paycheck of $4,500. As a result, it is possible for men in the upper ratings to make more than the master.
Yet, for all the excellent pay, life at sea on board the Golden Endeavor is a monotonous cycle. During an officer’s normal four to six month tour on board, there is always a below decks watch because the plant is almost never secured. It is standard procedure for the NASSCO team to light fires in the boilers the day before turning a vessel over to its crew; these fires burn for two years. The majority of the Persian Gulf ports at which the Golden Endeavor will call are 12 to 18 miles at sea. Even if there were time, liberty in these ports would be limited because of the inaccessibility of the shoreside facilities. While stateside, and in relatively close proximity to an American port, the ship will stay for a maximum of 18 hours to unload. During unloading periods, the machinery spaces are manned and the deck officers operate the pumping control console and supervise the provision of stores for the next trip.
Since there is an increasing scarcity of seagoing billets, the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association requires that its officers be relieved every four to six months. The relieving process is done at a stateside port if possible. Officers
The cargo and ballast pumping s!s terns are two separate. non-<7°sS connected
fueling ships at sea. Pump turbines haust into the main condenser as the ship service turbo-generator (ss . This one-condenser scheme reClu ^ constant operation of the main c*r . tion pump since the vessel is not with a sea water scoop. . .
separate, arrangements.
is
CargV
loaded, or unloaded, at either side ot midship cargo station with additi°n^’
reduced-rate discharge facilities f°r
■ ■ -s£*' do*
The cargo system is capable ot « ^ or discharging, her 16 cargo oil simultaneously—all monitored fio<n
Professional Notes 103
respond 1 ne P ant can be set
singlet0 kr‘dge throttle control by 110,11 the SWltc^ without intervention frie Sytw°-man engine room watch.
from C°ntro* room on the main deck. ■tiaiT C^C carS° control console, one (h r°utes the movement of oil purn^ °Ut C^e vesseL starts and stops an^ mon‘tors tank gauges for car1 e carg° and ballast systems. Two in th SUPP'y mains are cross-connected thar/ ^UmP room! as are the two dis- tttidsvT' ma*ns r^at run on deck to the
C0mpliLSdk1On' Tank shiPPin§ is ac'
otvn K' a seParate system with its ra0£em ^P'.1^ PumP- The entire ar- canm •Cnt *S designed to unload a full g0 « 18 hours.
lngbel
e syste engine room waten.
^Portanf01 contlnu°usly monitors all jWs, and l temPeratures, pressures, afrrm and produces an audi-
°n fhe stan act‘vates a warning light V cat°S Panel should an unsatis- 3t Sea stej11 'h011 cxlst- During normal aut°niatirIT11l1^ C^e bridge controls the Cor>sole i ' r°ttle; the engine room tbfott]e y tted with a handwheel
Like m f ernergency control.
^ 0tber commercial vessels,
?Ut°tnatir ,^ai'or is fitted with an
• Cl*sman j* 0t' "f'bis device frees the *nL one _ Uring long periods of steer-
rl^^sitivh?6' Her gyr° Pilot has sev- esP°nse rr» 1 COntro^s to govern rudder
., 'lmden be gyro pilot can be e belm anually by simply moving ■ °nttol as j1 ere st'H remains as much esired. Such a device has
reducing fuel consumption and the required numbers of watchstanders. The Golden Endeavor is also equipped with a doppler-sonar speed log, a collision- avoidance system, and a satellite navigation system.
All of these automatic features were demonstrated during the ship s sea trials, however, the most impressive test was the crash astern from the bridge. Having built up speed to the full ahead position (92 rpm) the helmsman slammed the throttle (the bridge console has both a throttle and a conventional engine-order telegraph) through the stop position to crash astern (62 rpm). The result was a smooth deceleration, all done automatically without manual intervention. Within three minutes the ship was stopped and easing into astern movement. Other than preliminary announcement of the test there
was no verbal bridge communication with engine room personnel—a key factor when both conning officer and helmsman may be critically involved in external communications to avoid a collision.
Because the Golden Endeavor was built under a federal subsidy program, plans for her construction were reviewed by the Navy for speedy conversion to government use in times of emergency. Four areas were considered applicable in the Navy review.
► It was necessary that she have the capability to carry two liquid cargoes simultaneously. No modification was required to fulfill this requisite.
► A limited, emergency fueling at sea installation was required: four fueling stations, two on each side spaced approximately 175 feet apart. The designed amidships kingposts were outfitted for
item1
two of the stations while a tripod arrangement forward of the superstructure was installed on either side along with the supply piping to provide the other two stations.
► Highline transfer stations were required. This requirement was accommodated by installation of ladders, foot rungs, padeyes, and hand rails on both sides of the forward area of the deck
fication necessary to meet the standards.
In summary, the tankermen s
are indeed long and their pay >s
but in the end they are sailors as ^ J ■ rhe fOT as, it not more than, we in tnc
are. It is a man’s world and one ot ^
periods of boredom spiced with 5
unexpected moments of frenzied a<7
Life at sea is pretty much the sairie(, ^
everyone whether sailing for Un«
or Aeron Marine.
hoitf
For more than three decades the Navy has been actively involved in advancing scientific knowledge in Antarctica and in representing U. S. national interests there. In 1939, President Roosevelt created the U. S. Antarctic Service, a joint undertaking of the State, War, and Interior Departments. Although the U. S. Antarctic Service was designed to commence permanent occupation and scientific exploration of Antarctica, Congress failed to appropriate additional funds for antarctic operations in anticipation of the approaching war. The expedition which had been sent to Antarctica returned in 1941, after collecting more scientific data than had been assembled by any previous excursion into the polar area. Following the war, the Navy furthered the research and development of the continent by establishing the U. S. Antarctic Development Project 1946-1947. In late 1946, a 13-ship force (Task Force 68), under the operational command of Rear Ad
miral R. H. Cruzen, deployed to Antarctica. Known as Operation Highjump, this expedition was the largest antarctic exploratory effort in history. Successive expeditions in which the Navy has had a role include Second Antarctic Development Project (Operation Windmill, 1947-1948), Antarctic Expedition (on board the USS Atka [AGB-3], 19541955), Operation Deep Freeze I through IV (1955-1956 through 1958-1959), and Operation Deep Freeze 60 through 75 (1959-1960 through 1974-1975).
The International Geophysical Year (IGY), sponsored by the International Council of Scientific Unions, began in 1957 with significant emphasis on Antarctica. Twelve nations involved in the IGY effort offered to provide research stations for antarctic research. The United States made an ambitious commitment to establish a number of these observation stations in Antarctica. The Department of Defense was charged with planning and carrying out opera-
J.s.
program. As a result of IGY an Antarctic Conference was
ifie
tions in support of the U. -- . ieS
ictl z
suhsC in ^
quently held in Washington ^
eg.-,
Belg|U^
1959. At the conference, the g°
ments of Argentina, Australia,
Chile, France, Japan, New ^ (|,t
Norway, South Africa, the U.S- ^
United Kingdom, and the Unite
hicb ^
formed the Antarctic Treaty 3Jv0e
ratified, and became effective, on ^ 1961. Later signers of the tre^f Czechoslovakia (1962), ^£p0lj^
(1965), the Netherlands (1967)’ ^ qcY (1961), Romania (1971) and ^gDs many (1974). The major pr°vlS1 the treaty:
, fof I
► Established Antarctica as a reg scientific research and other Y
purposes
► Placed all territorial and s0'e
rreig'
fltf
claims in status quo for 30 yc*rS jiit*tf ► Barred the development £3!pK
bases and fortifications, nu<de3r
sions o j
tvastes ip C^C ^'sPosa^ °f radioactive atom:' j eaceful and scientific use of
'aS”"1!”-”1-)
tionarv „i °f “ exchange of expedi- ► Prov-f jns ana scientific information, fore,,,' C ^or a system to inspect all g research facilities.
the Un nSrithe 1960s and int0 the 1970s’ Sc'entifite ^tates continued a dedicated s'Rnifir C researc*1 effort in Antarctica. A eration!*nt Change in U. S. antarctic op- for plannCCUrre^ When rhe responsibility
3nd fUndIinng’uC°0rdinating’ managing> ^ transfrf^ rU' S' antarctic program Offense Cd ^rom ^e Department of dation tl dlC National Science Foun- rftainccj , e department of Defense and t.Xtce responsibility for planning P- S. antUtln^ 0Perataons in support of arctic programs. The Secretary of Defense, in turn, assigned these duties to the Navy, which has accomplished them in an outstanding manner.
The current locations of the antarctic stations are shown on the accompanying map. Under the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty, a U. S. inspection team commenced a review of foreign research facilities in early 1975, following an established pattern of carrying out such inspections approximately every three or four years. (Previous U. S. inspections were conducted in 1964, 1967, and 1971.) In the past years inspections have been made by Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom; these inspection parties have included U. S. facilities on their tours. The U.S.S.R. and the Warsaw Pact countries of Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, and East Germany have not carried out any on-site inspections. However, exchange scientists traditionally participate in joint foreign antarctic expeditions. Since IGY, many U. S. scientists have worked at foreign stations. The most recent example of this program occurred this year when U. S. and Soviet scientists participated in an exchange for both the summer and winter seasons.
The current U. S. inspection team consists of five men from the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the State Department. These U. S. officials plan to inspect stations in the Palmer Peninsula area where the United Kingdom, Chile, and Argentina maintain research stations, and also inland Soviet facilities. Although the primary purpose of the inspection is to insure compliance with the Antarctic Treaty, Guy Halverson, writing in The Christian
N
,6r <USA)
a1 . Be|l'ngauzen (USSR)
JACapitan Arturo Prat (Chile)
deception island
Argentine Islands (UK)
WEDDELL SEA
i Halley Bay (UK)
^ Novolazarevskaya
,USSR' S'stfR
RONDANE
Showa (Japan)
Molodezhnaya (USSR)
'A0,
MOUNTAINS
LASs
C0 General Belgrano (Argentina);- "
ST
RONNE
ICE
SHELF
tl_l-
SHACKLETON RANGE
Mawson (Australia) • ^ Plateau (USA; closed)
Amundsen-Scott
- & £ ? Siple (USA) | THIEL | South Pole (USA) | ||
9T 2 * | MOUNTAINS 1 | QUEEN MAUD / MOUNTAINS | Mirnyy (USSR) L • • Vostok (USSR) JTO | 9U E |
% •
^ Byrd (USA)
(summer)
QUEEN ALEXANDRA 'RANGE
ROSS ICE SHELF
0
__ Scott Base (NZI , McMurdo (USA)
1 Casey (Australia)
<*L
■>>
1000
ROSS ISLAND
ROSS SEA
Hallett (USA and NZ) j (closed)
VICTORIA LAND
Dumont d'Urville (France) Leningradskaya (USSR)
■ DRY VALLEYS
F°UNDatIOn