Canaveral Upgrades Bulk Conveyor System
The new $1.5 million bulk conveyor system at Port Canaveral was utilized for the first time by Martin Marietta when the Bahamas Spirit discharged limestone at South Cargo Pier 4. The Canaveral Port Authority invested in the system with Martin Marietta to enhance terminal operational efficiencies and increase productivity. The new and improved conveyor system is now capable of offloading 2,000 tons per hour. Martin Marietta imports various aggregates and sells and distributes them from their Port Canaveral facility into the Central Florida region.
Regional Report: Pacific Coast
Seattle's MARCO shipyard has been completing a rush job for Great Lakes Towing affiliate TUGZ International and is expected to have three new tractor tugs ready for christening by February 13. At the same time, the yard has just started to cut steel for two slightly larger tractors being built for San Francisco-based BayDelta. The latter will measure 105 ft. and will be powered by twin Caterpillar diesels of 4,400 combined hp driving Ulstein Z-drive units fitted with high-performance Nautican nozzles. Towing winches and headline winches will be provided by Burrard Iron Works Ltd of Vancouver, B.C. The three TUGZ boats, to be christened Z-Three, Z-Four and Z-Five, are 95-ft., and will also make use of Caterpillars turning Ulstein z-drives.
UNO Researchers Develop Nontoxic Technology Against Corrosion
University of New Orleans (UNO) researcher Al Daech is afraid of heights; not a good phobia to have when your research involves space shuttles, fuel tanks, and other, big, space-age equipment. He's been trying to conquer his fears since 1981. That's when his work on corrosion fighting collided with his fear of heights. As a Martin Marietta (now called Lockheed Martin) consultant, Daech found himself on a narrow bit of scaffolding 450 ft. in the air, inspecting one of the external fuel tanks on STS-I Columbia, the first space shuttle. Three days before the launch, a pool table-size blister formed in the external tank of the STS-I. Daech's inspection showed an oily rag wiped across the tank caused the blister. He and a crew immediately went to work.
