Review nr 1. 2003 - TTS Group ASA

One such vessel is
8,680grt ro-ro
Delta Mariner
built by Moss
Point yard of US
shipbuilder VT Halter (Hull No.
1835) for Seattle-based operator
Foss Maritime.The unusual
nature of this vessel is that she
was purpose-built to carry
Boeing’s new Delta IV rocket,
hence her ro-ro access demanded
somewhat specialised attention.
The 94.5m long ro-ro is
equipped with one large, single
TTS designed stern ramp door
over which the Delta IV rocket
is loaded via a Kamag
transporter. A special feature of
this vessel’s design is that TTS
was also responsible for
designing and supplying a special
frame/coaming to fit the aft end
of Delta Mariner.This frame/
coaming forms a watertight
closure together with the stern
ramp/door. All rubber seals and
packing channels, locking
devices and brackets for hinges
and cylinders are fitted to the
frame prior to shipment to the
shipyard, thereby reducing the
construction time of the vessel.
The frame is designed to fit the
clear opening of the stern door,
with approximately 900mm
steel structure around the
opening.
TTS is now supplying
specialised frame/coamings to
a number of ro-ro newbuilding
projects around the world,
thereby assisting both the shipyard
and the shipowner in saving time
during new construction.
Delta Mariner’s stern
ramp/door is operated by a
hydraulic cylinder arrangement,
with the ramp/door hinged to
the ship at main deck level.The
ramp/door has a length of
12.34m and a driveway breadth
of 19.5m and is rated for a
15.2 ton FLT, a 9.1 ton trailer
or a 12.6 ton Kamag
transporter.The latter is used
for the handling of the Boeing
rockets.
With the entering into service
of Delta Mariner, the US Air
Force is one step further closer
to launching its first West Coast
Evolved Expendable Launch
Vehicle (EELV) mission, using
the Delta IV rocket.The Delta
IV fairing and common booster
core (CBC), which includes the
Rocketdyne RS-68 main engine,
TTS Review June 2003 5
was recently transported aboard
the Foss Maritime owned ro-ro
from the Boeing rocket
manufacturing plant in Decatur,
Alabama to Space Launch
Complex 6 at Vandenberg Air
Force Base (VAFD) in California.
While at VAFB the CBC will
be mated with the second stage
and launch-mate unit at the
Horizontal Integration Facility,
in preparation for the launch of
a satellite for the USA’s National
Reconnaissance Office.The
mission, scheduled for the end
of this year (2003) will be
launched aboard a medium
configuration of the vehicle that
will include two solid rocket
motors to supplement the first
stage engine.
Boeing is currently the only
launch service provider that is
conducting EELV missions from
the US West Coast to meet US
Air Force requirements.