LONELY VOYAGER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 259, 2 November 1933, Page 10

LONELY VOYAGER.

NORWEGIAN OIL TANKER.

330 DAYS AT SEA IN 1932,

There arc many lonely occupations to be found one way and another, but it is doubtful if there are any more lonely seafarers in the Pacific Ocean than the company of the Norwegian motor tanker *0. A. Knudsen, which periodically brings supplies ' of- fuel oil from San Pedro, California, to Wellington, under charter to the Union Steam Ship Company (says the "Evening Post"). Since the beginning of last year this vessel has.been trading between the two ports, making a round voyage of nearly 12,000 miles in an average of . under eight weeks. During the present year the 0. A. Knudsen, which arrived at Wellington yesterday on another of her voyages, has been just over two weeks in port. During the year between January 1 and December 31, 1932, the vessel, was at sea for just over 336 days, travelling 81,800 miles. During 1032 the O. A. Knudsen was in port only 30 days, loading and discharging and undergoing overhaul. The tanker, which is running under time/ charter to the Union Company, delivered seven cargoes of fuel oil at Wellington last year. Her present cargo is the 6ixth brought by her from San Pedro this .year, making 13 shipments, totalling well over 160,000 tons of oil, in 22 months. Since the beginning of the year the O. A. Knudsen has covered over 65,000 miles. She has two more voyages to make before her charter expires. The last time the tanker wa3 in Wellington was on September 6. After discharging she left on September 8. That was 55 days ago, and she is back again. Her performance is a really remarkable one, and is a tribute to the excellence of her machinery. She carries about 13,000 tons of fuel oil, and her twin sets of six-cylinder Diesel engines gives her a speed of about 10 knots. Between February, 1927, and January, 1929, the O. A. Knudsen was running on time charter to the Union Company, and during that time he delivered 13 cargoes at Wellington. Several of the officers, including the master, Captain Bringdahl, have sevrved on the ship ever since she was commissioned in 1925. During the last 22 months they have been in port only 40 days. It is nearly four years since some of the .complement saw their homes in Norway. i