For Immediate Release
BETHLEHEM, Pa., February 6, 2002 - Bethlehem Steel Corporation has been awarded a major contract to supply steel plate for the construction of five vessels at the Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard.
Bethlehem will supply 40,000 tons of steel plate over the next three years, with shipments beginning in February. The plates will be supplied by Bethlehem's plate mills in Coatesville and Conshohocken, Pa., and Burns Harbor, Ind.
"Bethlehem is North America's largest and most versatile plate producer. Our steel plate products have been used by shipbuilders for well over a century. This contract demonstrates Kvaerner's confidence in Bethlehem's ability to continue to serve the needs of the world's shipbuilders on a long-term basis," said Daniel G. Mull, Bethlehem's vice president, commercial, and chief commercial officer.
As part of the three-year contract, Bethlehem will supply steel plates for the construction of five ships. Bethlehem also provided more than 9,000 tons of steel plate in 2000 and 2001 for the fabrication of a container ship currently in construction at Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard. This Philadelphia-Class CV2600 Containership will be launched in late 2002. It is the first ship constructed in the city in more than 30 years.
Plate steel will be delivered on a just-in-time basis by Prime Plate Industries, an independent company, operating adjacent to the Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard. Prime Plate will shot blast, shop prime and deliver the plates for fabrication at the Yard.
Bethlehem formed a partnership with Prime Plate to provide the services that support Kvaerner's European vendor philosophy. These services enable Kvaerner to concentrate on its core competency of building the hull structure of the ship.
"Kvaerner's stated concentration on medium and large-sized ocean-going vessels for the U.S. domestic trade is an ideal application for Bethlehem plate products. Bethlehem and Kvaerner are each regarded as having superior technology in their respective businesses, and we, individually and collectively, will bring our best talents to these projects," said Bethlehem's Mr. Mull.
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Media Contact:
Bette Kovach
610-694-6308
Public Affairs Department
Bethlehem Steel Corporation
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