MS BESSEGGEN (4)

Read copy of note from "Merchant Ships 1963":

"BESSEGGEN.
         Built to the order of Chr. Østberg, of Oslo, by Kaldnes Mek. Verksted, this carrier is specially designed and constructed for the carriage of newsprint in bulk.
         The vessel is of the single-deck type with machinery and accommodation aft.
         In order to facilitate the carriage of deck cargo, the six hatches are fitted with covers of special design, made by MacGregor International, and when closed they present a flat and unbroken surface, which extends practically the whole breadth of the ship between Nos. 2 and 6 hatches. The width of these hatches is 46 ft. The cargo handling equipment consists of three Munck rolling gantry cranes, travelling fore and aft on rails mounted on the deck. The cranes are equipped with hydraulically operated hinged extension arms, which give a long reach over the ship's sides when loading or discharging.The lifting part of the crane comprises a hoist operating from a trolley running on rails along the main girders and hinged extension pieces of the gantry. The three cranes give a total working capacity of more than 1,000 tons per hour. By means of a special yoke eight reels of newsprint can be handled simultaneously by each crane in one operation. To handle 9,000 tons of newsprint loading or discharging would normally take three days and employ 60 men, but with these cranes it is expected that 10 men will be able to accomplish the task in 10 hours."