SHIPS FOR JAPAN

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 138, 14 June 1938, Page 10

SHIPS FOR JAPAN

NEW MERCHANT NAVY

MANY ROUTES EXPLOITED

HUGE PROGRAMME ON HAND. While the Governments and private organisations of several countries wrangle over subsidies, mail contracts, operating differentials and so on, the Japanese forge ahead with a major ship construction programme which will give them a powerful place in the competition of the maritime world. One company, the well-known Nippon Syosen Kaisya, alone is building 21 ships aggregating 221,G00 tons gross register, and of them more than 90 ner cent are for delivery within two years. Impetus to the construction 'scheme was given by the fact that the Japanese hope to tap a good measure of the anticipated rich passenger traffic flow there for the 1940 Olympic Games.

The N.Y.K., it must be remembered, is one company. Other of the important Japanese shipping enterprises, and they are several and powerful, have embarked on progressive replacement and build-ing-up schemes, so that. the nests of Japanese shipyards are witnessing what may be described as the evolution of a merchant navy fit to compete in speed, comfort and efficiency with the commercial fleets of any other sea power. Orient to California. To maintain a fortnightly service in the remunerative Orient-California run, the N.Y.K. is providing "two 26,000-ton super liners, the largest, fastest and finest ever to be built in Japan." The date of their completion has not yet been announced, but the three 10,500ton 17-knotters to ply fortnightly in the Japan-Suez-Europe passenger trade are

timed for completion and delivery in February, May and September of 1940 respectively. These three will have accommodation for 123 first-class and SO each second and third-class passengers, and will be propelled by twin double reduction geared turbine engines. They are to be air conditioned throughout.

Two. liners of 11,400 tons and capable of 17 knots, with tourist and third-class space for 235 travellers, are estimated to provide relatively cheap contact of a good standard between the Far East and Vancouver. With double Diesel engines, the first vessel is to leave the Nagasaki Dockyard of Mitubisi Heavy Industries Company, Limited, in the middle of August, 1040, and the second two months later. Two slightly larger ships of the same speed are intended to operate monthly between Japan and Australia. They, however, will take three classes and will be ready for taking over early in 1941. "Rapid Express" to China. Registering 7-JO3 tons, a "rapid express" liner to ply between Japan and China will be delivered at the end of August, 1940. Her machinery is designed to give her the very high average service speed of 15.5 knots, and slie will take 590 passengers in first and third classes. Still smaller, but mainly for freight transport between Yokohama and Shanghai, are the four 4000-ton medium-sized freighters which will make 13 knots at sea. With a cargo capacity of 6500 tons, they are to carry only four first-class passengers. Delivery dates are September 30 and December 20, 1935, and March and April, 1939.

Last on the list are- seven" 7100-ton 16-knot freighters for services unspecified. They are to have the same microscopic passenger accommodation, are to be Diesel operated and have internal space allocated, 13,500 tons for cargo, 150 tons for refrigerated commodities. 450 tons for silk, 50 tons for mail, 1300 tons for oil cargo and 1700 tons for fuel oil. Completion and delivery dates are January, April, June and December, 1939, and March, April and August, 1940.