Panama Canal Commission, Marine Bureau, Unit 2300, APO, AA 34011-2300

99 -- UNDERWAY DRAFT MEASURING DEVICE POC Vicente A. Shields, Industrial Engineer, (507) 272-4531 The Panama Canal Commission is conducting a market survey to gather information on design, equipment, applications, and technologies that can be used in the development of Draft Measuring Device. This device, preferably off-the shelf, would be placed or installed at the Northern and Southern entrances of the Canal. Information provided will help us identify technical specifications, operations characteristics, availability, and pricing data. The information, provided, will be done at no expense to the Commission. This request for information does not express or infer an intent to buy any product or service or enter into any contractual agreement. Mr. Vicente Shields (I.E.), may be contacted (in Panama) by all interested firms at 011 (507) 272-4531, 0715 or 1615, Monday through Friday. Our Facsimile number is 011 (507) 272-3692 and our mailing address is Panama Canal Commission, Mail Stop: MRXI, Unit 2300, APO AA 34011-2300. The Panama Canal Commission transits ships between the Caribbean Sea and the Bay of Panama in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 80.5 km or 50 miles apart. The system shall use the surface of the water, null for current conditions, as its reference point. It shall scan along the entire lenght of passing vessels and send a continuous data stream to a central controller that represents the draft of the vessel to more or less five centimeters (+ or - 5.0 cm.). The central processor shall display the points of maximum draft. Panama Canal maximum draft in Tropical Fresh water, is 12.04 meters (39.5 feet). The system should be capable of calculating the vessel's tropical salt water draft for tropical fresh water, including making allowances for sagging, hogging, list, squat, and various conditions of trim. Vessels underway would be traveling at speeds no less than six (6) knots. The scanning device will be immersed in tropical salt water for long periods and must withstand marine growths, tidal forces, turbidity, silting, and other natural conditions for an inservice reliability of 95% or greater. Time and effort to repair will be major selection points. The Panama Canal has three floating cranes with lifting capacities of 350, 254, & 79 Metric Tons. The Commission envisions the installation of a vertical or horizontal array of underwater type transducers. The vertical transducers will direct their beams towards the center of the 152.4 meters (500 feet) wide channel at the Atlantic entrance and 213.4 meters (700 feet) on the Pacific entrance. The horizontal arrangement would direct their beams from the sea plane (approximately 13.72 meters (45 feet) deep) toward the water surface. Note that the horizontal array of transducers could be affected sedimentation or dredging or ships dragging anchors. Tentative locations are: A. Atlantic Side: Somewhere between sea buoys 1 & 2. B. Pacific Side: Somewhere between sea buoys 7 & 8. Designs shall address signs and protection of transducers from dredging equipment. Each system or transducer device should be capable of remotely displaying draft readings, calculations output, and allowances, using the industry standard communication protocol. Building 910, La Boca (MTCC & MRCO) on the Pacific and Building 1000, Cristobal Signal Station on the Atlantic will be on the receiving of this display. When requesting or providing information, state name, address, and title of announcement. Information on sources are required before June 14, 1996. (0144)

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