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Tuesday 4 January 2011
Refrigerated motor ships (Dutch Built)
Three refrigerated motor ships “S.A. Langkloof “, “S.A. Zebediela”, and “S.A.Hexrivier” were built for the export of frozen fruit from South Africa to the UK and Europe. They were built in Dutch yards and entered service in early to the mid 1960s. This class of ships were the first to powered by diesel engines, fitted with an eight cylinder M.A.N K8Z70/120 low speed two stroke diesel engine developing aprox 9,600 BHP and a speed of 17 knots. For electrical power four MAN diesel engines drove AC alternators.
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Thanks for this, as all my photos were destroyed.
ReplyDeleteI sailed as 2nd Fridge Engineer and Jnr Eng on the Langkloof.
Pity you dont have any pix of her being repaired in Antwerp after her collision.
We had the 'Langy' for only a few hours when due to Capt Trickey`s impatience [pressure from HO?] he ran down the River Scheldt with the strong current forcing the ship to go too fast in the heavy fog to maintain steerage. There was a small coaster too close ahead of us which unexpectedly dropped anchor and in doing so swung broadside to us and we hit her fair and square riding up and over her, and sinking her immediately. If I recall 3 men on her were lost during impact whilst in a dramatic rescue operation we managed to save the rest from the freezing water. One man - the cook - was only in his underwear and was hyperthermic.