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Foster Wheeler's association with
marine power dates back to the late nineteenth century. In its first months
of operation, Wheeler Condenser and Engineering Company, a Foster Wheeler
predecessor, supplied the U.S. Navy with a set of steam condensers. By
the turn of the century, Wheeler equipment was on board nearly 100 civilian
and naval vessels.
In 1904, Power Specialty Company, Foster Wheeler's other predecessor,
also began to produce marine superheaters and associated equipment. Both
companies continued to build their relationship with the maritime industries
over the years that followed. The 1927 merger that resulted in the formation
of Foster Wheeler further advanced this association.
 During
World War I, a Power Specialty marine steam generator design proved so
successful that it was accepted by the U.S. Shipping Board for manufacture
at plants around the country. Although shipbuilding ebbed after the war,
Power Specialty's marine activity continued. Indicative of the growing
acceptance of its units, monthly lists issued by the Shipping Board showed
that as many as three-quarters of U.S. vessels with the highest steam
plant efficiencies incorporated a company product. Foster Wheeler also
played a significant role on fresh water. A low-headroom steam generator,
originally designed for river boats, was especially successful. Hundreds
were installed on passenger steamers, ferries, dredges and tow boats.
 With
the emergence of America's "two ocean Navy" in the late 1930s, Foster
Wheeler strengthened old ties with the Bureau of Ships, and the impact
of Foster Wheeler's innovative and highly efficient designs for naval
and maritime steam generators and condensers can hardly be overstated.
We're proud to note that from 1935 to 1945, Foster Wheeler supplied to
the U.S. Navy 911 main boilers, 765 superheaters, 2669 economizers (e.g.,
the Intrepid),
and 618 main condensers. This equipment found application on battleships,
destroyers, destroyer escorts, Coast Guard Cutters, as well as hospital
ships, cargo ships, ammunition ships and tugs, and other support vessels.
In addition, Foster Wheeler furnished nearly 1000 main boilers to the
U. S. merchant ships.
Clearly, Foster Wheeler's products had become the standard of excellence
in marine construction.
In the early 1950s, Foster Wheeler boilers powered prestigious passenger
liners, such as the SS United States and the ill fated Italian liner Andrea
Doria. Small boilers for Norwegian whale catchers were also manufactured
during this period. As testimony to their enduring efficiency and ruggedness,
some of these exist in daily operation to this day, such as on the SS
Thorfinn which now serves as a pleasure vessel for deep sea divers
in the waters of the Federated States of Micronesia.
The post war period also saw the continued dominance of Foster Wheeler
power plants aboard many prominent British vessels, among them the Royal
Yacht Britannia, the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious, and in 1968 the
Queen Elizabeth 2.
[A special note which warrants inclusion in this prologue is the fact
that our previous Dumbarton Works in Scotland was once the renowned Denny's
Shipyard, historically remembered as the site where the famous clipper
Cutty Sark was launched in 1869.]
As late as the early 1970s, approximately 70% of all the world's ships
had power plants employing Foster Wheeler components. These vessels represented
a range of experience with fuels that encompassed coal, oil, the boil-off
from liquefied natural gas, and even nuclear energy.
Due to the decline of new marine
steam boiler installations, Foster Wheeler's primary day-to-day activity
is to support the operation and maintenance of our marine boilers still
in service. This support typically consists of the supply and servicing
of pressure part related items (headers, tubing, handhole plugs and plates,
gaskets, etc.), and we appreciate this opportunity to be of service to
our equipment owners. Should the need arise for a field service engineer
or an equipment assessment inspection, we can supply a Foster Wheeler
expert on board in hours, anywhere in the world.
As the OEM we are able to guarantee and certify that the correct dimensions,
tolerances and materials are being utilized for your replacement parts,
and this obviously has great benefit and value in terms of installation
ease, equipment efficiency and personnel safety. We look forward to being
your supplier of choice for these materials.
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