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EXX-MOR-002068 EEWpmTNmstory Autumn 1969 Volume 2, Number 1 The NEWPORT NEWSTORY is published quarter ly by the Public Relations Department of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Com pany, a major component of Tenneco Inc., New port News* Virginia 23607. Newport News Ship building is an equal opportunity employer. Per mission to reprint or reproduce any portion of the magazine will be given on receipt of written request to the editor. Printed in the U. S. A. EDITOR: Michael J. Molloy SUPERVISOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: v 1: Lloyd S. Everton When you move, please send both the old ad dress .(complete as imprinted on the envelope label) and new address with ZIP code to Public Information Assistant, Newport News Shipbuild ing and Dry Dock Company* Newport News, Vir ginia 23607. : . IN THIS issue the do-anything yard ......................... 1 shave and a hai reut . *,.......4 blasting and coating ............. .7 just a little thing ..... 10 the ship stretchers ............ ........ ........ 11 the special conversions ..................... 14 bow thrusters....................................... 17 damage repairs 18/ the good ship Esso Houston......20 newport newstory in pictures ............ 22 Dateline: Newport News Shipbuilding................. . 24 ON THE COVER: . The silhouette of a ship at a repair pier at Newport News dominates the fore : ground of this view of the waterfront as the sun sets across the James River (Photo by L. S. Everton). / from the president Newport News Shipbuilding has always en joyed an outstanding reputation for quality ship construction. Within the industry, we have also maintained a leading position in ship repairs and conversion. ; . The competitive edge the company holds in repairs is a direct result of our new construc tion capability: we build the most sophisticated ships afloat, and we therefore can perform re pairs other yards are not equipped to handle. With the unique resources and facilities available here, and the full support of our par ent organization, Tenneco Inc., Newport News Shipbuilding is in a position to provide its cust omers unmatched service. EXX-MOR- 0 0 2 0 6 9 EXX-MOR-002069 t the ship Houston The Esso Houston runs on a five day schedule from Gulf port refineries to Atlantic Coast cities. The officers and men of Humble Oil & Refining Company's Esso Fleet gawked in shocked surprise when the Esso Houston was delivered five years ago. The absence of the traditionai midship house was what made them sit up and look twice. : The striking new design brought such spontaneous remarks as: "She looks sorta naked without her midships." "Looks like a lady without a bust." . "Looks like an oversized barge to me." Indeed, the Esso Houston repre sented a new look. She was radically different from the ships Esso fleet crews had been sailing. Moreover, de sign changes seen in the Houston have become widely accepted in the marine industry! Her keel was laid at Newport News Shipbuilding in January, 1964, and nine months later the Esso Houston went down the ways. Five months later a sister ship, the Esso New Or leans, followed in her wake. The Houston's somewhat Spartan as a result of the one-boiler design," appearance was only the first indica he reported. .. tion of far-reaching design innova The engine room itself is laid out . something like an efficiency bachelor tions that Humble crews found in her. apartment. Gauges, instruments and power plant, cargo handling system power components are arranged in and lift capability. . close quarters in a cluster around a Economy, and efficiency were the platform where an engineer can ob driving forces behind new engineer serve the entire operation. ing features, that cut costs in con "Everything is centrally located in struction, operation and mainten the same area as opposed to the ance. For instance, a simplified ship three separate compartments found propulsion plant in the 800-foot-Iohg in most conventionai engine rooms," tanker was a first in the marine observed Fellows, who is a former industry. chief engineer in the New Orleans as Some power plant features in the well as the Houston. "An engineer ship representing departures from conventionai designs include the use of one main boiler, one generator, one condenser, one air ejector--- ail of which usually come in pairs. "The one-for-two components idea, has worked well," said Albert T. Fellows, assistant port engineer for Humble's Esso Fleet. . can stand in one place on the opera tion platform and see the workings of the entire plant system. It sure saves a lot of steps and makes your watch a lot easier." . . The single boiler produces 19,000 shaft horsepower that turns a 23-foot, four-bladed bronze propeller weigh ing 70,750 pounds. Steve English, the fleet's repair su One of the biggest pius marks for perintendent, agrees. "The Houston economy is the Esso Houston's huge is a good ship, and she's lost no time cargo-carrying capability. Loaded to EXX-MOR- 0 0 2 0 7 0 EXX-MOR-002070 Sister ships EsSo New Orleans and Esso Houston are tied up at Humble's Baytown, Texas, refinery. the gills, her 21 cargo tanks :-- each pumps and tanks," Bade said. Tajlerthan a five-story building--can The Esso Houston and the Esso lift 582,000 barrels of petroleum prod . ucts. Measured another way, she can transport up to 24,480,000 gallons, equivalent to the cargo capacity of 2,448 railroad tank cars. New Orleans sail in.what tanker crews call "clean service." It means a ship hauls such relatively clean products as gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, diesel oil and heating oil .as opposed to the : What's more, with adequate shore "dirty duty" of lifting crude oil and facilities, the 71,540 deadweight ton ship bunkers. The two ships also ship can load or discharge her entire . move solvents such as tofvol, xylol, cargo in less than one day, which paraxyleneand a wide variety of other makes for quick turn around at ports. products with similar tongue-twisting "Turn around time is vital, of course, names. to any ship because they don't make money m port," said Luddy Bade, head of the ship allocation and dis patch section in Humble's marine de partment. Both ships trade from Gulf ports to the Atlantic Coast cities of Paulsboro, New Jersey, and Boston. The twin tankers sail out of Baytown, Texas, near Houston and Baton Rouge, Lou Modern engineering improvements isiana,where Humble.operates large that help step up turn-around time in refineries. Running time from either clude the use of deep well pumps for Gulf port to Boston is just over five cargo handling that eliminated the days. conventional pump room, usually Today, some five years later, Hum found in an out-of-the-way cranny ble Oil is convinced that the Esso below deck. "These deep-well deck pumps not only make the pumpmen's job easier but also further reduce the possibility of pipeline leaks between Houston and her sister have lived up to expectations from start to finish. "A very important part of the. Esso Houston and the Esso New Orleans . is the high grade of workmanship that Newport News Shipbuilding employ ees put into both tankers," said T. J. McTaggert, port engineer for Humble ships, which comprise the largest pri vately owned fleet flying the Ameri can flag. "It was equal to the excel lent cooperation that developed be tween Humble and Newport News during the construction of the two ships." The Esso Houston has not only lived up to expectations, but her new look is no longer so strange and un ladylike as Humble crews once thought. "The Houston is clean, at tractive, efficient, and she's making money," said Third Mate Michael Sharik 111. "Admittedly, the absence of the midship house was startling at first sight. Today, all but the die-hards have accepted the Houston for what she is." And she is a very good ship accord ing to the opinions of Humble marine department professionals. EXX - MOR - 0 0 2 6*71 EXX-MOR-002071