THE S.S. WAIPORI

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19824, 29 December 1938, Page 14

THE S.S. WAIPORI

INTERCOLONIAL TRADER NEW UNION VESSEL The Union Steam Ship Company’s new steamer Waipori arrived at Auckland recently from Rotterdam, on her maiden voyage, bringing a cargo of asphalt. The Waipori made the passage from Rotterdam to Auckland m 42 days, at an average speed of more than 12 knots. The ship, which was designed in the head office of'the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, 'Limited, for the special requirements of the intercolonial trade, was biult by R. and W. Hawthorn. Leslie and Company, Limited, •at Hebburn-on-Tyne, in which yard was aiso constructed the company’s island trader Matua. The Waipori, which measures 4400 tons gross register, 371 ft. (Jin. in length (overall), 55ft. in breadth and 28ft. tiin. in depth to the upper deck, has a deadweight, carrying capacity of some 0000 tons. The ship’s hull is constructed to the a ref or in design, and the cellular double bottom is subdivided for the carriage of oil fuel, watei; ballast, feed-water and fresh water, and water ballast can also be carried in the fore and after peak tanks. Up-to-date Cargo Carrier » The Waipori is exceptionally well equipped as a cargo carrier. ihe cargo-handling appliances include i2 steam winches and 13 steel derricks, one of which, for 25-ton lifts, is fittcci on the mainmast. There are three insulated compartments for perishable cargo in the after ’tween decks, and insulated provision rooms are also fitted. 'The height of the cargo spaces ’tween decks is eight feet. The ship is propelled by a singlescrew driven by a triple-expansion steam engine of the latest type, steam being supplied by three single-ended mulutubular boilers, which can be adapted for burning either oil or coal. The Waipori was launched on July 2d and ran li'er trials in October, when she attained an average speed of more than 15 knots, giving her an ample margin of power for an aveiage scivice speed of 12J knots when i uliy loaded. Good Accommodation for Crew A feature of. the Wqiporj is the excellent accommodation provided for the master, officers, engineers and other members of the crew. Ihe former are- accommodated on the upper decks amidships and the seamen, 1 engine-room hands, cooks and stewards on the bridge deck. The Waipori is the eleventh new ship built for the Union Steam Ship Company during the last three years and the eighth of the. new cargo ships. The ' other ships are the passenger liners Awatea, • Matua, and Taroona, and the cargo vessels Kauri (motor), Karu (motor), Waiana • (motor), Kakapo (steam), Wanaka (motor), Kahika (motor), ahd.Kofowai (steam). Following the Waipori, there are still three more new ships to be delivered to the Union Company during the next few ’ months, these being the sister steamers, Komata and Kurow, and the motor-ship Karitane.