FAST STEAMING

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 70, 15 December 1933, Page 10

FAST STEAMING

Sultan Star’s Passage

LARGE CARGO-CARRIER

The Blue Star Line steamer Sultan Star, the second vessel in the company’s New Zealand-England service, reached Wellington yesterday, afternoon from Napier and berthed at the Plpitea Wharf ■to' continue her loading. One of the fastest vessels in the Blue Star Line fleet, the Sultan Star made a record trip from London to Napier, via Curacao and the Panama Canal, taking 30 days 8 hours. Her actual steaming time was 29 days 20 minutes, and her average speed 16.31 knots. Though it was a record, the Sultan Star was not steaming “all out,” having a fully loaded service speed of 164 knots, while she came out in ballast. Built in 1930, by Cammell, Laird, and Co., Ltd., Birkenhead, the Sultan Star is a fine type of modern cargo carrier. With a* length of 486 ft. and a beam of 70.2 feet, she has a gross tonnage of 42,306, being one of the biggest cargo vessels in the world. \She has nine hatches, and is fitted with refrigerating gear throughout. The vessel has the latest equipment for handling all classes of frozen and chilled cargo, the total capacity of her refrigerated chambers being 680,000 cubic feet, ranking her as second only in refrigerated space to the Avelona Star, which is now en route to New’ Zealand in ballast. Like the Tuscan Star, the Sultan Star has accommodation for 12 passengers. There are four large staterooms, containing twin beds, and four roomy single-berth cabins. , A bathroom is provided for every two cabins. The Sultan Star is to leave here again to-morrow for Timaru, Port Chalmers, and Auckland to complete loading, and clears Auckland on January 5 for London, via'jthe Panama Canal.