Past Times: North Company order new ship
From The Shetland Times, Friday 21st November, 1958
North Company order new ship
The North of Scotland & Orkney & Shetland Shipping Co. Ltd., have placed an order with the Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Troon, for the construction of a single-screw, diesel-driven, passenger cargo and livestock carrying ship, for the regular service between Aberdeen and Shetland. It is hoped that delivery will be effected early in July, 1960, in time to overtake the heavy passenger commitments.
The principal dimensions of the vessel are – Length (between perpendiculars), 270 feet; beam (moulded), 49 feet; depth (moulded), 27 feet. At a draft of 15 feet a total deadweight of 1,000 tons will be carried at 16½ knots.
In addition to general cargo and live stock, provision is made for the transport of fresh fish in chilled holds and frozen fish in deep freeze chambers. One five-ton and two three-ton cranes will be fitted for handling cargo.
In well-appointed passenger accommodation, 180 first-class passengers will be carried in two-berth cabins, and 120 second-class passengers in four-berth convertible to six-berth cabins. Provision will also be made for a minimum of 50 deck passengers. A large observation lounge, with comfortable seating for sixty persons, will be a feature of the new ship.
The vessel will be equipped with the latest life-saving appliances to meet the Ministry of Transport regulations, and a careful study of the design has been made to combine maximum comfort and safety for passengers. The usual navigation aids will be provided, viz., echo sounder, direction finder, radar and radio telephone, and serious consideration is being given to the fitting of stabilisers. All in the interests of passengers.
Propulsion will be by a 10TAD48 Sulzer diesel engine, capable of developing 3750 B.H.P. at 225 revolutions per minute, and electric power will be provided by one fifty-kilowatt and four ninety-kilowatt generators.
The introduction of this new ship to the fleet of the company is with a view to replacing the S.S. St. Magnus, now over thirty years old, and becoming an uneconomic proposition to run in view of existing costs. The financial problem involved in the building of such a vessel will be apparent when it is realised that the present-day cost is thirteen times greater than the price of the ship it is being built to replace. It takes a great deal of courage for any company to embark on such a project, which can only succeed if the maximum support is given to the regular service on which it is intended to operate.
