Kawaski Delivers Cargo Ship Equipped With Derrick Capable Of Lifting 600 Tons

The Malacca Maru, a heavy cargo carrier employing the world's largest (600-ton) heavy derrick, has been delivered by Kawasaki Heavy Industries to its owners, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. and Nippon Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

In addition to general cargo, the Malacca Maru can transport various types of industrial plants, small vessels, vehicles, other large and lengthy heavy cargo, steel, iron ores, cottons and grains, and a variety of other cargoes.

To assist in loading this variety of cargoes, the oil hydraulic-driven derrick serves No. 2 and 3 hatches, and can rotate 360 degrees while handling a load of 600 tons.

The massive derrick installed on the Malacca Maru was manufactured at Kawasaki's Harima Works in Hyogo Prefecture. It is called the Kawasaki guyless omnirange rotary-type heavy derrick. It is the fifth of its type that Kawasaki has constructed and the second 600-ton class derrick to be mounted on a ship.

The hoisting, topping and slewing of the derrick is controlled by handles on a remote control unit provided at the No. 1 winch platform. One man can operate the derrick.

To counteract heeling of the hull when the derrick is handling heavy loads, three heeling tanks, each capable of holding 500 tons of seawater, are provided on each side of the vessel. When necessary, the tanks are filled by two heeling pumps that are situated in the ship's engine room and operated through a control unit on the wall of the winch room. The panel indicates the level of the water in the heeling tanks and the heeling angle of the hull.

Strong steel hatch covers are provided on the upper deck of the vessel so that they can be hoisted by the vessel's deck crane and common derrick. Side-folding type steel hatch covers are provided for the No. 2 deck. These are opened or closed by the deck crane and common derrick. The hatch covers of the No. 2 deck can also be used as grain feeders.

The 515-foot Malacca Maru, powered by a Kawasaki-M.A.N. K7Z 70/120 EK-type diesel, has a service speed of 15.5 knots, an NK classification, and a complement of 35.

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