NASSCO can use “Asian angles” in Jones Act tankers

NASSCO PC-1 tanker

JUNE 2, 2014 — The USCG National Vessel Documentation Center (NMDC) has issued a determination letter stating that construction of eight 50,000 dwt product tankers at NASSCO’S San Diego shipyard with much of the equipment and material necessary to construct each vessel, with the exceptions of most steel plate, flat bar, weld rod and paint, coming from a Korean source, or that source’s suppliers, all of which are outside the United States, will not adversely affect the status of the vessels as having been built in the United States.

Among other things, the letter gives the shipbuilder the nod to use “certain metric-sized structural shapes … generally referred to as ‘Asian angles’ or as ‘unequal angles’ and ‘inverted angles.’ “

These are unavailable from U.S. sources and will be received at the shipyard as rolled raw stock from the supplier steel mills in standard mill shapes and sizes, All processes that create unique parts such as marking, cutting, drilling, beveling, bending or otherwise preparing the steel for use in the vessels will be performed at the shipyard.

Read the letter HERE