Evening star., 1942-01-18
7-Day Week Ordered
To Fulfill Contracts
For 632 More Ships
New Merchant Vessels
To Meet Presidents PIeu
For 10 Million Tons
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.


The shipbuilding industry has
been ordered into stride for a.
hour day, seven-day week schedule
to carry out . greatly expanded con-
struction program made necessary
by the outbreak Of the war, 1t was
said at the United States Maritime
Commission omces yesterday.
The new full-day. full-week pro-
gram was made known in connec-
ton with the announcement Of the
letting of contracts for 632 new ships,
Is of which are OF a new and bigger
type Of freighter than the Liberty
vessels. the others being Of the latter
type.
These, it said, would bring its pro-
gram up to President Roosevelt's re-
quest for 5000 900 lightweight tons
Of shipping this year and 10000, 900
deadweight tons next year.
Capt. Howard L. Vickery, a men,
Der of the commission. estimated the
632 vessels would cost about 81 no.
00.0OO.
All the vessels will be completed
by the end Of 1943, Capt. Vickery
said.
1890 Ships In 2 Years.
"This will mean" he explained,
american shipyards will turn out
over 1900 vessels In the next two
years, the greatest shipbuilding ef-
fort in history. The ships newly
contracted for represent over 5000,-
900 deadweight tons and will give
the United States q total Of 18500.-
600 tons Of new maritime construc-
ton"
Contracts for 10 Of the ships went
to the Bethlehem Fairfield shipyard
at Baltimore.
It was pointed out. however, that
the added program leans almost
entirely on an expanded personnel
and new facilities at the existing
yards. Capt. Vickery pointed out
in connection with the announce
ment of the new program, that
actual experience shows that few.
II any, deliveries of ships in 1912
could be expected from any yards
cally completed.
He added that the commissions
experience over the last year In
starting new yards has proved the
impracticability If not impossibility
Of obtaining proper machine tool
equipment. cranes. etc. in sufncient
time to permit the production OF
ships in new yards in less than a
year to Is months time unless some
Of the essentials are already avail
able.
For example. he asserted. there Is
still q shortage of some crane
equipment in some of the new yards
started nearly year ago This
has even delayed present construc-
ton schedules.
Parts Are Standardized.
Much of the success OF the rapidly
expanding shipbuilding program, it
was said, l.. due to- the fact that
the sllap parts Afe ,Skkndasdised. ana
are manufactured at hundreds of
plants In all parts Of the country,
the shipyards being merely the as
sembling points
1t was said that a number of the
shipyards will be able to 20 into
the fvll-day, full-week schedule inn
mediately, while At others It will be
q matter Of obtaining the necessary
construction personnel. The yards
under the Jurisdiction Of the COM
mission have been engaged for
months in training new personnel.
As soon as any yard has sufficient
personnel to keep the machinery
and work going for "a hours seven
days q week 1t has authority to
do 50.
1t was estimated that 1t would
require approximately one-third
more people than are presently en-
ployed in the shipyards. This will
total about CSC, 900 employees at the
end Of the current year, with an
increase to be expected in l943,
when the program will get into the
10 1000 900 tons Of shipping expected
tn 90 into commission at that time