LATEST MOTOR LINER

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 7, 3 October 1927, Page 6

LATEST MOTOR LINER

* PORT GISBORNE ARRIVES LAST WORD IN CARGOCARRIERS OIL AND ELECTRICITY ONLY The Fort Gisborne, the fifth motorship built for tho Commonwealth and Dominion Line, arrived at Wellington Into on Saturday night from London via the Panama Canal and Suva on her maiden voyage. This handsome and splendidly appointed ship is, without doubt, one of the finest cargo liners ever built, and is a very important addition to the C. and D. Line and to tho trade between New Zealand and Great Britain. In view of the success of the first C. and D. motor-liners, the Port Dunedin and Port Hobart, in the New Zealand trade—tho latter ship holds the record for tho passage between New Zealand and London with a run of 31 days—it was but natural that additions to the fleet should be motorships. The Port Gisborne, a sister ship to tho Port Fremantle and Port Bunn, recently placed in the Australian trade, is 500* feet in length and 63 foot in breadth, with a gross register of 8509 tons. The Port Gisborne attracted much attention when she wns berthed at the Pipitea Wharf yesterday. Tho I’ort Gisborne, which brought a number of passengers from London, spent five and a half days at Suva (Fiji) on her passage to Wellington, which was entirely uneventful. Tho ship's actual time at sea was barely 37 days, and tho run was remarkably free from engine-room trouble for a maiden passage. Powerful Oil Engines. Tho Port Gisborne is a twin-screw ship propelled by two Doxford opposed piston, four-cylinder, two-cycle Diesel oil engines of 7100 indicated horse-power, giving her a sea speed of 14J knots. Tho oil is supplied to *ho engines on the mechanical injection system. The ship's total daily consumption of oil for her main engines and auxiliary machinery is about 27 tons. As compared with a coal-burning steamer of similar size and power, tho fuel consumption of the Port Gisborne is in tho ratio of 27 to 106. In other words, sho uses 27 tons of oil per day, as against 100 tons of coal lenuired for a steamship, or 65 tons of oil for a steamer of the same sizo mid wwer burning oil in her boilers. The *<>tal engine-room staff of the Port Gisborne is only IS, ns against 40 in a coalburning steamer of tho same power and speed. Steam is almost unknown In the Port Gisborne. Sho Imp the familiar red and black funnel of the C. find D Line, but it never smokes, and is provider! only for tho oil engine exhausts, and, to a certain extent, for tho sake of appearance. . Great Frozen Product Carrier.* Thre of the ship’s five holds arc insulated for the carriage of frozen meat, dairy produce, and fruit. The insulates cargo space amounts to 330.000 cubic feet, which is sufficient to carry 165,000 freight carcasses of lamb or mutton, 6300 tone of butter, or 5300 tons of cheese. m addition, there is space for tho carriage of chilled meat. Tho Port Gisborne ranks as one of tho largest frozen produce carriers in tho world. One of the notable features of this remarkable ship is her refrigerating plant, which comprises two C. 0.2 compressors, each driven by a direct-coupled electric motor of 120 brake horse.-power. Tho refrigerating plant was supplied by Messrs. J. and E. Hall, Ltd., of Dartford. London.

In addition to the insulated space, the Fort Gisborne has two holds Tor the carriage of general cargo. Her total deadweight carrying capacity is 11,350 tons. Tho ship has bunker space sufficient for oil supplies to carry her round tho world. For the rapid handling of cargo she is equipped with the very latest appliances. ’There are fourteen long steel cargo derricks to work the five holds, and a "heavy lift” derrick on tho foremast capable of handling 50 tons. The whole of tho cargo winches are electrically operated, as are also the powerful windlass and tho steering gear. Oil and Electricity Only.

Apart from her main oil engines the Port Gisborne may be described as an "all-electric” ship. Oil is employed to generate the electric power, and in the ship’s engine-room there is an electric power "station” of sufficient capacity to servo tho needs of a small town. There arc three generating sets, of a total capacity of 795 kilowatts. In each set a Diesel engine of the Burmester and Wain typo is direct-coupled to an electric generator of 260 kw The whole of tho auxiliary machinery in tho engineroom, including tho pumps, is electrically driven, and in addition to lighting, cargo-wording steering, and wireless installation, electricity is used largely in the ship’s galley for baking and in the living quarters for radiators, in which electric elements heat the water circulating through them. Another interesting feature of the ship is the commodious and beautifully appointed culinary department, the galley being fitted with the most up-to-date cooking appliances. The ranges are oil-fired. Coal is unknown on board the Port Gisborne, in which steam plays a very minor part. There is one small oil-burning vertical boiler which supplies steam only for domest’c purposes such as in the galley and for the baths. Passenger Accommodation. The Port Gisborne has accommodation for a limited number of passengers, the state rooms being finished in whito with mahogany furniture, the dining saloon and other apartments being carried out in oak. The accommodation for the ship’s officers, engineers, and crew is on a very generous scale, and is well appointed throughout.