MAIDEN VOYAGE OF IBERIA

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27470, 2 October 1954, Page 3

MAIDEN VOYAGE OF IBERIA

MODERN P. AND O. LINER

t re Wilcox and Anderson started N o ,„? . ninsu J. ar and Oriental Steam atlon Con ?P an y in 1837 they acquired a number of small paddle steamers from other lines, but the first vessel ordered lo their own requirethe Iberi a. which was built on the Thames at Limehouse in 1836. °(r leS ? A h ? n 600 tons - and Her 190 horse-power engines ga^®.her a speed of nine knots. This week the company’s second Iberia left the Pool of London on her maiden voyage to Australia. A twins * re «Xf^« turbine passenger liner of 29,600 tons, she was built at the Belfast yard of Harland and Wolff. Her main machinery, which will develop 42,000 horse-power, will give her a service speed of 22 knots. Her cost is about £5,940,000. The Iberia is principally a passenger ship with accommodation for 1407 persons (674 first class and 733 tourist class passengers), but she is also e freight carrier of considerable capacity. She has space for 304,931 cubic feet of cargo, including 147,75 f cubic feet of insulated space for re frigerated goods. On her maiden voyage the ship is carrying machinery, textiles, china and glassware, electrical goods and cable, and periodicals. Her cold room cargo includes a large amount of fish and English cheeses. The Iberia is designed on modern lines,, with a curved, rounded stem and cruiser stern, two masts, a single, elliptical funnel, and rounded bridge front erections. The funnel is designed to throw smoke clear of the upperworks.

A large evaporating and distilling plank has been installed. The evaporators produce 550 tons of water a day for the ship’s domestic services and boiler make-up feed. The water is filtered and conditioned before it is used by passengers. The master of the Iberia is Captain C. E. Pollitt, who joined the company in 1919. Mr C. J. H. Goatley is chief engineer. He also joined the company in 1919.