Type 31

[James Curry]

I suspect they run on Marine Diesel oil or Gas Oil Tony. Gas Turbines were in fact homogenised aircraft engines. Did a bit more reading on this last night. Some sources say they are similar engines that were fitted to the Boeing 747 Jumbo jets.
Also I believe these ships were not permitted to go full ahead while in restricted waters due to the wake they produced. Leave Glasgow and clear the North Channel before they could wind them up.
Must have been interesting rattling along on one of these bad boys, believe they suffered stress cracking in the ballast tanks etc!!!

[John Arton]

James
Those asiafreghter and her sister suffered from horrendous cavitation problems t o such an extent that their propellor blades literally wore out. I attended a lecture by some guy f rom the british ship research group, they had there headquarters in wallsend and he was telling us how t hey were involved in designing alterations to the stern parts to prevent cavitation.
Rgds
J.A

[J Gowers]

James it was not HFO but a blended fuel (BFO) which was cheaper and heavier than the normal MGT 4 and 7 which they origionally ran on, we had to water wash the fuel bang it through numerous purifiers to get the water back out , homoginise it then add vanadium inhibitor as you say it still buggered the engines this was with J&J Denholm not Northern Marine, I did two years on them Euroliner and Eurofeighter and then went back a few years later to the Asialiner when using BFO it was a complete nightmare. I never heard anything about cracks in ballast tanks.

IMO 7033795 O.N. 341260
EUROLINER (1971 – 1979)
As built: 30,909g. 21,666n. 28,433d. 798’ 6” (BB) x 100’ 3” x 35’ 1¼ “
Post 1980: 30,411g. 11,859n. 31,820d. 243.42(BB) x 30.56 x 10.70 draught in metres

As built: Two, gas turbines by Pratt & Whitney, reduction geared to screw shaft. 58,600 shp
Post 1980: Two, 9-cyl. 4 SCSA (620 x 660mm) 9TM620 type by Stork-Werkspoor Diesel BV, Netherlands. 31,812bhp.

26.3.1970: Keel laid by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke GmbH, Emden (Yard No.419).
24.10.1970: Launched.
22.3.1971: Completed for Scarsdale Shipping Co Ltd (Denholm Ship Management Ltd, managers).
25.3.1971: Registered at London. (O.N. 341260).
1979: Sold to Navifonds Nr. 8 Seeschiffsanlegegesellschaft Engler Beteiligungs GmbH & Co KG, W.Germany.
1980: Re-engined.
1980: Renamed SEAPAC TRENTON
1981: Renamed ORIENTAL GOVERNOR, under Panama flag.
1986: Sold to South Wealth Shipping Ltd , Liberia and renamed YS ARGOSY.
1988: Renamed OOCL BRITAIN.
1988: Renamed OOCL DOMINANCE .
1990: Renamed ATLANTIC SENATOR.
1991: Renamed AL MUHARRAQ.
1993: Sold to Bright River Shipping Ltd, Liberia and renamed BRIGHT RIVER.
1995: Renamed RIGHT RIVER for voyage to breakers.
18.3.1995: Arrived at Alang for demolition.
17.4.1995: A G Scrap Corporation commenced work

[James Curry]

Thanks for your post. Good when someone actually sailed on these vessels can correct inaccuracies in my post. A lot of my info came from internet searches, also having a few cold beers with Rab Huston who at the time was engineering Super for Northern Marine. I was on the Stena RoRo's running out of Fort Lauderdale and Miami down through the Carribean Islands, happy days

[J Gowers]

I think you are getting confused with the arsine gas inccident on the Asiafreighter. Glass jars containing arsine glass broke in mid Atlantic and they were told to remove all restrictions on the engines and get to Falmouth ASAP I do not remember the details or was on it at the time but perhaps someone who was can give more info.

I joined the same RO-ROs after you but only stayed a few trips and was made redundant. Stena Hispania and Carrier. The reason I was made redundant was I ended up on the Stena Carrier and it was running cars from Gothenberg to Travamundra (spelling) but because it was running out of Sweden it had to have Sweddish crews pity the UK did not have the same policy.