LONELY VOYAGING

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 106, 1 November 1933, Page 12

LONELY VOYAGING

NORWEGIAN TANKER

MONTHS AT SEA

There are many lonely occupations to be found ono way. and another, but it is doubtful if there are any more lonely seafarers in the Pacific' Ocean than the company of the -Norwegian motor-tanker O. A. Knudsen, which periodically brings supplies of fuel' oil from San Pedro, California, to Wellington under charter to the Union Steam Ship Company. Since the beginning of last year this vessel has been trading between the. two ports, making a round voyage of nearly 12,000 miles in an average of ' under eight weeks. "% . During the present year the O. A. Knudsen, which arrived- at Wellington this morning on another of her voyages, has been just over two weeks in port. During the year between January 1 and December 31, 1932, the vessel was at sea for just over 336 days, travelling 81,800 miles. During ,1932 the O: A. Knudsen was in port only thirty days, loading; and discharging, and ■ undergoing overhaul. The tanker, which is running under time charter to the Union Company, delivered seven cargoes of fuel oil at Wellington last year. Her present cargo is the sixth brought by her from San Pedro this year, making thirteen shipments totalling well over 160,000 tons of oil in twenty-two months. Since the beginning of the year the O. A. Knudsen has covered over 65,000 miles. She has two more voyages to make before her charter expires. Tho last time the tanker was here i was oil September 6. 'After discharg-| ing she left on September 8. That, was fifty-five days ago, and she is back again. Her performance is . a really remarkable one, and is a tribute to the excellence of her machinery. She carries about 13,000 tons of fuel oil, and her twin sets of six-cylinder Diesel engines give her a. speed of about 10 knots. Between February, 1927, and January, 1929, the O. A. Knudsen was running on time charter to the Union Company, and. during that time she delivered thirteen cargoes at Wellington. Several of the officers, including the master, Captain Bringdahl, have served on the ship ever since she was commissioned in 1925. During the last twentytwo months they have been 'in port only forty-six days. It is nearly four years since some of the complement saw their homes iv Norway.