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~ A $300,000,000 Program in Sight for Shipbuilders By A. H. Jansson shipbuilding under construction in the principal maritime countries of the world as of Dec. 31, 1930 was lower than at any time since the end of 1926, the shipyards of the United States were building nearly 85,000 tons more than they were before the war; while for the quarter ended Dec. 31, last, American shipyards show a gain in work on hand of about 20,000 gross tons. The volume for the same pe- riod for Great Britain and Ireland alone shows a decrease of 207,000 tons. In this quarter Great Britain and Ire- land were building 39 per cent of world construction as against more than one-half at the end of 1929. On the other hand the United States share in world shipbuilding advanced from 8.3 per cent at the end of last September to practically 10 per cent at the end of the year. These statistics clearly show the effect of the revival in shipbuilding which has come about in the United States principally through the direct effect of+the merchant marine act of 1928. In awarding mail contracts un- der this law stipulations have been made for the building of new ships within specified periods of time. This program is now well under way. We have published from time to time complete summaries of mail con- tracts awarded. The last summary up to Oct. 15, 1930 will be found in the last November issue page 76. To make clear what this shipbuilding program really amounts to we have tabulated the shipbuilding now going on leaving out work which is prac- tically completed. The work may be divided into four separate categories. 1. That which has been definitely contracted for and on which the ship- yards have commenced work or about to commence work. 2. A list of new ships on which bids have been received or asked for and others which must be contracted for in due course. 3. A list of vessels, construction of which is likely to be called for within the period of the mail contracts. 4. A tabulation of recently let con- tracts which have nothing whatever to do with mail contracts. These results are noted in Tables 1 to 4 inclusive. All of the above is based on actual work or definite pros- pects and represents a large volume of shipbuilding. It is clear, however, that in addition to this definite work the need for replacements and ex- pansion of existing fleets in domestic Teniooas the volume of merchant 20 and foreign service must in the nature of things soon call for still more snip- building. The large war fleet is age- ing and is obsolescent. Vessels in the fleets of our domestic coastwise trade are of a high average age. It is sig- nificant that no freight ships as such are included in the shipbuilding now under way nor has there been any building recently of this type of yes. sel. Since the average life of a ship is perhaps not much over 20 years, re. placements of the existing fleet cannot long be deferred. Present shipbuild. ing facilities in the United States may therefore look forward with optimism to the years to come. A total of over $300,000,000 in shipbuilding is now in hand and in sight. This involves at least 87 steel powered ships ranging in size all the way from the new - United States liners of over 700 feet in length to a fireboat for the City of Table I Merchant Shipbuilding Ships Under Construction and Contracts Let on Mail Awards as of Jan. 5, 1931 MARINE REVIEw—February, 1931 Gr Owner Builder Cost Details Tonnese Export S. S. Co. New York S. B. $3,000,000 Str. Exeter— 8,700 Co. Keel Aug. 11, 1930 Export S. S. Co. New York S. B. 3,000,000 Str. Excambion— 8,700 Co. Keel Oct. 25, 1930 United States Lines New York S. B. 11,000,000 Keel Dec. 6, 1930— 30,000 ‘ Co. Delivery July, 1932 United States Lines New York S. B. 11,000,000 Keel in March 1931— 30,000 : Co; Delivery Nov. 1932 Dollar S. S. Lines Newport News 8,000,000 Str. Pres. Hoover, 23,000 6c: D.-D: Co; Launched Dec. 9, ’30 : Delivery July, 1931 Dollar S. S. Lines Newport News 8,000,000 Delivery Oct. or 23,000 : : S; Bos D. -D. Co. Nov., 19% United Mail S. S. Co. Newport News 3,500,000 Keel laid—Delivery 7,500 (United Fruit Co.) S. B. & D. D. Co. Dec., 1931 United Mail S. S. Co. Newport News 3,500,000 Delivery Feb., 1932 7,500 (United Fruit Co.) S.Bi& Ds. D.-Co: United Mail S. S. Co. Newport News 3,500,000 Delivery April 7,500 (United Fruit Co.) S:-B.& D.. D:Co, 1932 Oceanic S. S. Co. Bethlehem S. B. 7,500,000 Str. Monterey, Keel 17,500 (Matson Line) Corp., Fore River ueay ee: delivery é beek9 Oceanic S. S. Co. Bethlehem S. B. 7,500,000 Ber. Mariposa— 17,500 : (Matson Line) Corp., Fore River Delivery June, 1932 United Mail S. S. Co. Bethlehem S. B. 3,500,000 = Keel laid 7,500 (United Fruit Co.) Corp., Fore River United Mail S. S. Co. Bethlehem S. B 3,500,000 Contract Placed 7,500 (United Fruit Co.) Corp., Fore River United Mail S. S. Co. Bethlehem S. B. 3,500,000 = Contract placed 7,500 (United Fruit Co.) Corp., Fore River Panama Mail S.§. Co. _—_ Federal S. B. Co. 4,250,000 Contract placed 9,500 Panama Mail 8. S. Co. Federal S. B. Co. 4,250,000 Contract placed 9,500 Panama Mail S. S. Co. Federal S. B. Co. 4,250,000 Contract placed 9,500 Panama Mail S. S. Co. Federal S. B. Co. 4,250,000 Contract placed 9,500 Grand Total—18 ships $97,000,000 241,400 Compiled by Marine Review Table II Merchant Shipbuilding Assured Future Contracts Based on Mail Awards Made to Date—Jan. 5, 1931 Lowest No.of Gross Owner Bid Ships Tonnage Export Steamship Corp. Class 5, 14- i 2 16,000 American-South African Line Class 5, ane eel 1 8,272 sGrace Steamship Co. Class 4, 16-knot ship 1 3.5) tlantic ar t a : , Nav. Co. (Rel as eam Class 5, 14-knot ship $1,095,000 1 ie ollar Steamship Lines Cl S218- i 2 23, *States Steamship Co. Class 5, ibe ae ah 20,000 *States Steamship Co. Class 5, 14-knot ship 1 10,000 Colombian Steamship Co. Class 4, 16-knot ships $7,500,000 3 15,000 *Grace Steamship Co. Class 3 ship 1 500 United Fruit Co. Class 4 ships 2 14,000 United States Lines Class 1, 28-knot ships (32 knots?) 2 100,000 Oceanic & Oriental Nav. Co. Class 5, 13-knot ships 2 16,000 Oceanic & Oriental Nav. Co. Class 5, 13-knot ships 2 16,000 Tampa Interocean S. S. Co. Class 5, 13-knot ships 2 10,000 Eastern S. S. Co. Class 3, 19-knot ships Approx. 3 15,000 $9,600,000 Total oF 290,272 *Bids called for. Compiled by Marine Review Se