FLOATING DOCK

Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1928, Page 4

FLOATING DOCK

JOURNEY TO SINGAPORE. VOYAGE TO OCCUPY FOUR MONTHS. RUGBY, April 28. In six weeks the world’s biggest floating dock will leave* the Tyne on a four months’ voyage of 8000 miles to Singapore. When this huge floating workshop, which was built in ten months at tbo AVallsend yard of Messrs Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson, reaches its dcstination it will represent a magnificent 'achievement, for the task of towing will almost equal that of construction. For towing, the dock will he split into two parts. The division will he made thus: The three centre sections which contain the heaviest machinery will fie fitted with a hulk-head at each end, making one craft. The two ends will then he fitted to each other, making another craft. Ahead of each section, two huge tugs will pull, while behind another two will guide. AY he n the two portions arrive at the Suez Canal that waterway will he closed to all traffic for the whole week-end. while the dock, with a margin of about three feet at either side, is navigated through. When the dock arrives at Singapore and is put together it will require a depth of seventy foot of water, and will ho capable of holding easily ship*, of the size of the Mauretania, which, when in the dock, would have thirty fret to spare at the how and stern. (The Mauretania has a tonnage of 30. 600 and is 702 ft. in length). The dock has a lifting capacity < AO.OOO tons. It is Sou feet long. 172 foot wide and 7A feet deep. The pumping nlant can deal with 30.000 tons of water an hour.