NEW CHAPTER IN OUR SHIPPING HISTORY

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3614, 15 September 1927, Page 8

NEW CHAPTER IN OUR SHIPPING HISTORY

OIL TANKER ARRIVES. In a howling gale, and with,a cold driving rain, the British Imperial Oil Company's new coastal tanker Paua arrved at Bluff on Sunday afternoon from England, via Suez* and Singapore. Bluff was the first port of call In New Zealand: but she Is to run on various routes along the coast .of New Zealand, carrying supplies of oil from Miramar, the main base in the Dominion .to the smaller ports. .The Paua,) which is Maori for shell, left Southampton on 9th July on her maiden voyage to. New Zealand, and during her 13,000 mile trip called only at two ports—Suez, where she stayed six hours,. and Singapore, where she remained thlry-six hours, and took in 800 tons of motor spirit, the little vessel"averagedh9;l. '.knots on the journey out and not once (ltd she give any trouble. This, for an almost continuous trip,. speaks i ve.ry hell for the new engines. . .. - v ‘j The Paua is the first, vessel fiyinjg the New Zealand flag to carry oil in bulk on the New Zealand : coast, , and she marks a new, chapter in the history of the Dominion’s shipping. Built by Messrs Harland and Wolff. Ltd., of Govan, Glasgow, on .the combined transverse and longitudinal system of framing. . with , ef.ralgltt stem and raised quarter-deck, this vessel is fitted with two, twin, masts, and Is propelled through' a ' single screw by Diesel machinery. The Diesel machinery consists of a Burmelster and Wain engine, built by Messrs Harland and Wolff. Limited, and is of the four-stroke ' singleacting type’ coupled direct to the propeller. The engine has six cylinders of 500 mm. diameter with, a stroke of 900 mm. designed to develop 700 B.H.P. at ISO revolutions per minute. Tl>e guaranteed speed of the vessel Is 9J knot* on a consumption of 3J tons of Dies”! fuel per 21 hours. An SO B.H.P. auxiliary engine is provided for driving the cargo pumps and winches, and a donkey boiler supplies steam to accommodation heating. r leering gear. auxiliary

pumps, etc. ; . After unloading at Bluff, she is to complete discharge at Timaru. She will then come on to Wellington where she is expected on Friday. W-ll’ngton will form her main port, and from tttere she will load for other depots in the Dominion.