NEW KARAMEA

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 34, 3 November 1928, Page 23

NEW KARAMEA

ARRIVAL AT WELLINGTON

LAST CF A GREAT QUARTET

Last of • the four splendid motorships built for the , Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, the Karamea arrived at Wellington yesterday morning on her maiden voyage from London, via Auckland. Iler sister ships have already visited-Wellington at intervals during the last six months. The Karamea and Taranaki are products of the h’airfield Shipbuilding Company of Govan, on the Clyde, and the Zealandic and Coptic, of Swan, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson Ltd;, of Newcastle-on-Tyue. All four are practically identical in every particular, the Karamea embodying a few minor modifications and improvements. Like her sister, (he Knramea is a remarkably handsome ship, and her sea-going and manoeuvring qualities are very highly praised. She is 500 feet iu'length and 64-feet in breadth, and is propelled by two sets of Fairfield-Sulzer single-acting twostroke cycle six-cylinder Diesel engines, each designed to develop 3725 brake horse-poWer'at 115 revolutions per minute'. On the passage out from London the Karamea, with over 10.000 tons of cargo on board, averaged over 134 knots at 101 to 102 revolutions. At full power'and fully loaded the Kpramea is capable of- averaging 15 knots on a fuel-consumption of about 35 tons per day for all purposes, The four ships rank as the highest-powered motor cargo ships in the world. Th'e Karamea has six cargo holds, withi insulated space of 404/100 cubic feet,: the equivalent of 136,000 freight carcasses of mutton. Her general cargo space can stow the equivalent of 13,000 bales of wool. The six hatches are served by 20 electric winches and a complete installation of 7-ton and 10tou cargo derricks. The refrigerating machinery of the very latest type comprises two CO2 machines, each with a pair of compressors driven by electric motors of 140 horse-power. For the large amount of electric power needed in the ship there are four fourcycle single-acting Diesel engines, each of 400 brake horse-power, direct coupled to generators of 275 k.w. The whole, of the auxiliaries, winches, windlasses, pumps, etc., are electrically driven, and'the ship is steered and heated by electricity. Another feature of tlie Karamea is the excellent living accommodation for tlie ship’s company. Captain A. Mclntosh, formerly master of the Mahia and Kia Ora, is in command of the Karamea, and the chief engineer is Mr. J. G. Fergtysson, who. superintended the building of all four ships.