PD-133 PACER CLASS COMMERCIAL CARGO SHIP

The ship design described herein proceeded from the assumption that low cost, general cargo ships of moderate size, simplified and capable of being built in quantity would prove useful in the commercial and military posture of the United States. The design is not put forth as a finished product ready for construction; but rather as a preliminary design devoid of sophisticated features normally found in modern cargo liners. It is presented to the industry for its critique and for possible use as a point of departure for further development. Many items for lowering first costs were advanced, most of which were explored for potential implementation. Some of these are described in detail herein. The total construction cost reduction, the ultimate goal of this design, amounts to 20-25% of the usual cost of a modern cargo liner and was achieved by an across-the-board approach to the problem.