NEW VESSELS FOR ICE NAVIGATION IN CANADA

A number of additionshave been Northumberland Strait and which some- made, or are aboutto be made, to the times reaches a thickness of thirty feet. vessels employed in ice-filled seas around 3. To provide maximum propeller thrust Canada. The following notes have been with the vessel stationary. 4. To enable compiled to supplement the photographs powerto be transferredrapidly from published on pages 120-1 z I. the bow to the stern propellers and vice Abegweit versa. Experiencewithtwin-screw The first dependableservice by train Canadian icebreakers in the St. Lawrence ferry across NorthumberlandStrait Riverhad shown that they were often whichseparates PrinceEdward Island more efficient whengoing astern than fromthe Canadianmainland was pro- whengoing ahead. This, together with vided in 1915 by a triple-screw vessel of earlier experience on the Prince Edward Island route with bow propellers, led the 2,795 gross tons, the PrinceEdward Is- land. A larger and more powerful vessel designers to fit two of these in place of of5,889 gross tons, the Charlottetown the former single propeller. In the first was added in 1931 andserved success- season undercomparatively difficult fullyuntil her loss in 1941. In August conditions, Abegweit was never stopped 1947 SS Abegweit theworld’s largest by ice. Her speednormally 6-10 knots ice-breakingtrain ferry, having a gross was on occasionreduced to 1-3 knots. When this happeneda sudden increase tonnage of about 7,000 andpowered of power on the two forward propellers with IZ,OOO b.h.p. engines began operat- ing. Abegweit is quadruple-screwed and produced a powerful rush of water along poweredby 8 sets of Sulzer diesel- the ship’s side and quickly washed away electric engines. Two of the propellers the ice hindrance and increased the speed. are fore and two aft, to increase Abegweit is ownedby the Canadian manoeuvrability.Length of the vessel Government and operated by Canadian overall is372’ 6” with an extreme draft NationalRailways. It was designed by of 19’ 0’’. She can carry nineteen railway German andMilne of Montrealand cars, sixty automobilesand 950 passen- builtbyMarine Industries Limited, gers. Iceconditions vary greatly from Sorel, Quebec, Canada. place _to place in Canada. The particular For a technicaldescription of the problems needing to be met by the de- vessel andcomparison withten other signers of Abegweit were I. To be able modern ice-breakers see:-H. H. German to manoeuvre into wharves at either end “M.V. Abegweit, Prince Edward Island of the crossing. z. To operatein the Car Ferry”, The EngineeringJournal, broken ice which is sweptthrough January, 1948, pp. 3-11.

. MACHINERY ARRANOEMENl

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of iceconditions during the navigation season, but because there are no facilities in the area for removing the vessel from the water, so that she will need to remain inthe ice all winter. Whenthe vessel leaves the builder’s yard in 1949 she will commence the long voyage to the west- ern Arctic by way of the Panama Canal. Eastern Arctic PatrolVessel. The annualpatrol of theCanadian The new Hudson’sBay Com- pany supply vessel Rupertsland Eastern Arctic carried out regularly for waslaunched inScotland in more than a quarter of a century by the November 1948. It should be Administration of the Northwest Terri- ready for serviceinCanada tories, willsoon use a new vessel now during the 1949 summer. underconstruction atSorel, Quebec. The new ship was designed by German Hudson’sBay Company Vessels and Milne of Montreal. She will not be The Hudson’s BayCompany’s new an ice-breaker in the usual sense of the Eastern Arctic vessel-the Rupertsland- term,but an ocean-going steam vessel, which will be in service in 1949, will be strengthenedfor gse in ice. She is .de- called uponto do only a part of the signed to carry 1000 tons of cargoand work of the Nascopie. Much smaller in 88 passengers and to haveacruising size hercarrying capacity is 500 tons, range of 10,000 miles. When not in use exactly half of that of her famous pre- by the Eastern Arctic Patrol, the vessel decessor. The new ship isof themost willservice aids to navigation inthe modern all-steel construction,entirely lower St. Lawrenceand Atlantic coast welded,and will be powered by two region. Important dimensions are: - dieselengines developing 300 h.p. each Length between perpendiculars: 276‘ O”. andpropelled by twin screws. An un- Draft: 18’ O”. usual feature is thepropeller-housing Speed: 134 knots. known as Kort nozzles. These are steel Deadweighttonnage: 2615. tubes of a special design to increase the Engines: Two Uniflowsteam engines, thrust of the vessel when steaming for- oil-fired, each of 2000 I.H.P. wardat slow speed in heavy seas or The hull is to‘be of metallicarc- largeice fields. Atthe sametime the weldedconstruction throughout with tubes protect the propellers against ice. special attention to scantlings and fram- Comfortableaccommodation will be ings towithstand crushing by ice. In provided for twelve Fur Trade person- addition to the usual passenger and crew nel, and ample refrigeration for carrying quartersthere will be a hospital, mail fresh foods into the far north. Like the room,laundries and refrigerated space. I Nascopie, she will be fitted with all the Specialventilation hasbeen planned to latestnavigational aids, such as radar, eliminatecondensation, and particular echosounder, gyro compass, etc., and attention has been given to heating. her colouring will also be similar-black hull, white deck houses, and buff funnel. With a crew of sixteen, M.V. Huperts- The Canadian government is building this re-inforced ocean- land will be ready for her transatlantic going steam vessel for use with voyage fromGlasgow, Scotland, early the Eastern Arctic Patrol. in 1949. Another vessel is at mesent under con- struction at Shelburn:, Nova Scotia, for use in the western Arctic. Posts in that area are at present served by MV Fort t Ross andthe small schooner Nigalik. The new vessel is to be 140’ long with a 28’ beam and will be able to carry 400 tons of cargo. Power will be supplied by .- a 450 h.p. dieselengine. The hull is to be exceptionally strong not only because