# T2 tankers as power plant



## pwestdij (Jan 23, 2011)

Hi,

Found this photo, can somebody identify these T2 tankers from left to right.Also the other T2 tanker?

Photos taken at Cam Ranh 1966.

Greetings

Peter


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

I remember the T2's used as power plants but I have no pictures. I do have the attached base map which show 5 T2's.

Attached ports17.jpg (41.8 KB)

Greg Hayden


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

If my memory is correct they used a T-2 or a Liberty in OZ many, many years ago after a bad storm hit. I think it was Darwin..

Found this article while searching.

An enormous 'power ship' is helping to keep the lights on in Lebanon as the country's energy supply struggles to meet growing demand.

The Turkish-owned ship, named the Fatmagül Sultan, arrived off the coast of Beirut and was hooked up to the country's national grid earlier this year, as part of an innovative project aimed at tackling power shortages in developing countries.


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## LouisB (Dec 23, 2007)

(Scribe)


kewl dude said:


> I remember the T2's used as power plants but I have no pictures. I do have the attached base map which show 5 T2's.
> 
> Attached ports17.jpg (41.8 KB)
> 
> Greg Hayden


Would imagine that the output would be D.C. Most of industry and domestic electricity at that time would have been D.C. Easily controllable using shunt field excitation - many automatic systems for this. Hence its uses for ship propulsion - early bridge control was, I understand, used on some later T2's although, dyed in the wool Chief Engineers objected - probably the same as the introduction of UMS. Seemingly if it's not understood it's wrong - only when manning levels were enforced through overseas commercial competition were the naysayers removed or pensioned off and we moved into modernity. Too late unfortunately. Ask Mr. Maersk.


LouisB.


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## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

The single tanker in the first shot appears to be a stretched T2 alongside a cargo pier.

No idea what the other ones are but they had two at Vung Tau in 1970... medi moored with power pylon arrangements on their poops .. hope that makes sense.

They used T2s for power generation in Norway in the early 60's during a bad drought.


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## surfaceblow (Jan 16, 2008)

LouisB said:


> (Scribe)
> 
> Would imagine that the output would be D.C. Most of industry and domestic electricity at that time would have been D.C. Easily controllable using shunt field excitation - many automatic systems for this. Hence its uses for ship propulsion - early bridge control was, I understand, used on some later T2's although, dyed in the wool Chief Engineers objected - probably the same as the introduction of UMS. Seemingly if it's not understood it's wrong - only when manning levels were enforced through overseas commercial competition were the naysayers removed or pensioned off and we moved into modernity. Too late unfortunately. Ask Mr. Maersk.
> 
> ...


The original T-2's produced about 2300 volts A.C. Power from the Main Generator, the Auxiliaries where 440 volt A. C. Power. Power from the Main Propulsion Generator could also be used for the Cargo Pumps Motors when the Generator was on constant frequency. 

Has to the manning of the sea going T-2's during the 80's and early 90's there were only two on watch in the engineroom. 

Joe


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

re: Would imagine that the output would be D.C.

Negative the reason the T2's were used is that they were 3 phase A/C. Auxiliary generators produced 480 VAC 3 phase. Propulsion generator voltage varied with size of unit and manufacturer. Regardless there were three large transformers that reduced the main unit output to 480 VAC.

Greg Hayden


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## LouisB (Dec 23, 2007)

*I stand corrected* (Ouch) - just that in the sixties until the early eighties I worked on many D.C. vessels, both motor and steam powered - some being 110 volts. Of course this was not for main propulsion although all auxiliaries, both deck and engine room, galley etc were D.C.


LouisB. (Scribe)


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## Cwatcher (Dec 7, 2013)

One of BP's T2s, Red Bank, was sold to Christiania Portland Cementfabrik of Norway & used as an electricity generating station for a year in 1959 before being sold for demolition the following year in Spezia, Italy.


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## Samsette (Sep 3, 2005)

I recall seeing an ex USN Mission T2, at Yarrows yard Esquimalt, in the early Seventies. She was en-route to some up coast BC or Alaska location for the purpose of providing power to a town, or a mill or?

Yarrows folded shortly after, and I do not remember the name of the T2; Mission San (something.)


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## Bridie (Oct 9, 2006)

The NZ Ferry's "George H Evans" was used as a power supply for Dampier NW Austrtalia until they built a power station.

We (MT Salvonia) got the job of towing her from Dampier to HK for scrap in 1971.

There's a couple of pictures in the gallery of that trip posted by Jim Barnes.


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## Peter John Eastick (Dec 8, 2010)

Pete Eastick
.Seem to remember 3 x t2 lined up in Quynhon city Vietnam in the late sixtys
was there in shell tanker SS Axina they were being used as power plant ,I remember having a discussion with some Americans about it .


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Samsette said:


> I recall seeing an ex USN Mission T2, at Yarrows yard Esquimalt, in the early Seventies. She was en-route to some up coast BC or Alaska location for the purpose of providing power to a town, or a mill or?
> 
> Yarrows folded shortly after, and I do not remember the name of the T2; Mission San (something.)


I have seen a photograph some years ago of a stripped down T2 being used somewhere in Canada for power generation purposes for a Canning Plant.


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## Samsette (Sep 3, 2005)

chadburn said:


> I have seen a photograph some years ago of a stripped down T2 being used somewhere in Canada for power generation purposes for a Canning Plant.


Thanks Chadburn; there is more than a good chance we have seen the same ship. It was most likely a cannery that would need it, as some are (or were) quite isolated along the coast. The decline in the salmon fishery may have seen it scrapped a long time ago. My curiosity remains.


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## Wilco (Aug 12, 2005)

Back in the very early 50's whilst serving as 3rd mate on the ,then Anglo-Saxon T2 "Theobaldius" we spent three weeks tied up to a berth in Punta Cardon providing electrical power to run the Cardon refinery which had suffered an electrical breakdown. Great for us on deck as time was virtually our own but not so popular with the Engineers. Can recall the huge cables running ashore from the engine room. Wilco


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

re: not so popular with the Engineers.

Should be no different than discharging cargo except lasts three weeks instead of 24 hours? Have to work shifts but that is no different either?

Greg Hayden


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