MS Belpamela
History | |
---|---|
Name | Belpamela |
Owner |
|
Operator | Christen Smith, Oslo |
Builder | Armstrong Whitworth, High Walker |
Yard number | 1028 |
Identification | Call sign LGMK |
Fate | Sank in storm, 13 April 1947 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Heavy lift ship |
Tonnage | 3,215 GT |
Length | 329 ft 6 in (100.43 m) |
Beam | 49 ft 2 in (14.99 m) |
Depth | 21 ft 2 in (6.45 m) |
Installed power | 1 Sulzer 4C60 diesel engine (four cylinder single acting diesel, 23+5⁄8 by 41+3⁄4 inches (600 mm × 1,060 mm), 1,350 hp (1,010 kW) at 110 rpm) |
Propulsion | One screw propeller |
Speed | 11 knots |
The MS Belpamela was a heavy-lift ship of the Norwegian shipping company Belships. The ship sank on 11 April 1947 off Newfoundland while on passage from New York to Cherbourg, after the cargo of 17 locomotives shifted during a storm.
Description
The Belpamela was a heavy lift motor cargo ship with two thirds of the superstructure in the front and an engine located aft. She had two large holds with particularly large hatches. The ship, with a load capacity of around 4,500 tons, was prepared for the transport of extremely heavy or particularly bulky loads on deck. The loading gear accordingly consisted of six 5-tonne loading beams, one 30-tonne heavy-lift loading boom and one 100-tonne heavy-lift boom. For moving and stowing the
History
Pre-war
The Belpamela was built by
World War II
In early March 1940, the Belpamela was ordered together with the Swedish steamer SS Lagaholm from Baltimore to Malmö by the Royal Navy trawlers HMT Northern Sky and HMT Northern Princess to Kirkwall to search for contraband. In the early morning of March 2, the Belpamela was fired at by U 32 with three torpedoes, all of which detonated prematurely. In a second attack at 7.15 a.m., U 32 stopped the Lagaholm and sank it with gunfire after its crew had abandoned ship and were sitting in the lifeboats. They was picked up by the Belpamela and taken to Kirkwall and North Ronaldsay. On 12 July 1940, the Belpamela came under German control.
On 2 April 1945, Scottish-based De Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers attacked ships awaiting repairs at the Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted shipyard in Sandefjord. The MV Concordia and SS William Blumer were sunk, while the Belpamela, Hektor, Shios Espana and Kattegat were damaged. The Belpamela was towed to Oslo for repairs, where its completion was delayed until the end of the war due to sabotage by Odd Isøy, a member of the Norwegian resistance.
Post-war
After the end of the war, the ship was repaired and continued its worldwide heavy lift journey. A large order from
References
Citations
- ^ Hudson & Atkins (2007), p. 18.
- ^ Rowledge (1987), p. 80.
- ^ "Meldung über den Verlust der 17 Maschinen der Belpamela". Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ "141R 1 à 1340". Retrieved 2020-07-19.
Bibliography
- Hudson, Mike; Atkins, Philip (September 2007). "Locos lost at sea: the all-time definitive record". The Railway Magazine. No. 1277.
- Rowledge, J.W.P. (1987). The LMS Pacifics. Newton Abbot: ISBN 0-7153-8776-6.
- "Belmoira, Belpamela". derbysulzers.com. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- "Lloyds Register 1930–31" (PDF). Southampton City Library Service. p. BEL. Retrieved 22 February 2021.