In the wake of the $300 million, two-ship order by Totem Ocean Trailer Express last December, comes another Jones Act-trade vessel order for a large ship. In late May, Halter Marine, Inc., a division of Freide Goldman Halter, announced it will be build a $70 million car carrier for Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines. The 579-foot Pure Truck Car Carrier will transport more than 4,000 automobiles between destinations on the Pacific coast. Delivery is slated for Spring 2002 with construction taking place at Halter's Pascagoula, Miss. shipyard.
Loan guarantees for the vessel's construction have been provided by the U.S. Maritime Administration. Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines is a joint venture between The Pasha Group and Van Ommeren Shipping USA, which will operate the vessel. The vessel's design is modeled after a European prototype, of which two have already been built at a shipyard in Croatia.
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