CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Ltd has placed an order with Litton Marine Systems for 14 fiber-optic gyrocompasses, which will be fitted on seven LNG carriers trading between Brunei and Japan.

Each of the ships will be fitted with two Sperry Marine SR2100 fiber-optic gyros, plus a switchover unit, repeater and printer. The order was placed by Shell following successful sea trials of the system on the 75,000 cu. m. SS Bekulan. The equipment will be installed on the remaining six ships over the next two years during their normal overhaul periods in Japan.

The seven "B-Series" LNG carriers (Bebatik, Bekalang, Bekulan, Belais, Belanak, Bilis and Bubuk), originally built in the early 1970s, are registered in Brunei and managed by Shell.

The fiber-optic gyro technology, which was developed by C. Plath, another Litton Marine Systems business unit, offers substantial benefits over traditional mechanical gyrocompasses. With no moving parts, the all solid-state fiber-optic units are virtually maintenance free and inherently more reliable than spinning mass gyros.

Litton Marine Systems Inc. (LMS) is a subsidiary of Litton Industries Inc. LMS was formed from the consolidation of Sperry Marine (Charlottesville, Virginia, USA), Decca Marine (New Malden, UK) and C. Plath (Hamburg, Germany). LMS manufactures and markets products under the Sperry, Decca and C. Plath brand names. With offices in 19 countries and authorized service depots in more than 300 locations worldwide, LMS provides "One Source" for marine navigation, communication and information systems, products and service.

Litton is the nation's largest builder of non-nuclear ships for the U.S. Navy and designs, builds, and overhauls surface ships for government and commercial customers worldwide. The company is a leading information technology (IT) contractor to the U.S. government and provides specialized IT services to commercial customers and government customers in local/foreign jurisdictions. Litton is a leading provider of defense and commercial electronics technology, components and materials for customers worldwide. Headquartered in Woodland Hills, California, Litton has more than 40,000 employees and $5 billion in annual revenue. For more information, visit Litton's Web site at www.litton.com