# Gas Turbines



## wl745 (Jun 15, 2014)

Have there ever been any ships other than RN fitted with a gas turbine /generator and motor drive system?Exhaust gas feeding a boiler driving a steam turbine.Power stations of this type get efficiencies of 55% or more?


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## henry1 (Mar 25, 2015)

There were some box boats with jumbo jet gas turbines, When I was 2/E I sailed with a chief who had been on them. The fuel crisis in early 70's did for them, they tried blending the parafin with other fuel but it did not work and in the end they were re engined with medium speeds.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

The SeaTrain Euro and Asia class. Former fitted with Pratt and Whitney FT4A (707 Aero derivative) and the latter built ready for the FT4C (fan-jet, not sure if a la Jumbo or some other. Fan omitted in 'free' turbine configuration). I think only the AsiaFreighter ever had the C gas generator employed. The Jones Act had messed the original plan of the two Euro class doing the Atlantic and the two Asia class doing the Pacific (Hawaii is US and therefore couldn't carry cargo there 'interstate'). The didn't then need the more powerful engines. Do you remember who was that Chief?


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

The four Celebrity Millennium class ships are all powered by a pair of GE gas turbines. 
Propulsion then by two RR azimuth thrusters.
Exhaust heat used to generate steam for steam turbines.


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## henry1 (Mar 25, 2015)

Do not remember the chief's name but he was a big guy from Malta living in the UK, good to talk to, I do remember his nickname was the Maltese falcon becase he had a large hooked nose.
He talked a lot about the Asia liner and Asia freighter and the problems trying the blended fuel. I sailed with him in about 1980 in CP ships on a product tanker.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Chiefs: 
T. Corteen
Connell
Greenow
A. Young
Wigham
D. Hogg

There were Chiefs in 1972


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## Shilo (Mar 31, 2020)

BHP in Australia had Iron Monarch (?) & a sister ship. Both re-engined with Wartsila. They also had a FPSO with gas turbines too.
Stay safe


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## onestar (Apr 12, 2008)

The Shell Tanker Auris was fitted initially with a diesel electric combination, having a British Thompson-Houston gas turbine fitted in 1951. John Lamb was the guiding engineer. It worked well but high fuel consumption and cost, ruled it out at that stage, as a viable operational system.


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## Tony Morris (Oct 7, 2006)

Early 80's on the Alva Maersk which had been converted from steam to motor the original gas turbine port gennys were left onboard one as emergency genny and the other for spare parts. During a safety survey the Lloyds surveyor wanted to see the emergency running, he thought it was strange when I told him to wait out on deck while I started it, he understood when I flew out of the room and slammed the door shut when the bugger took off. Luckily it could be stopped remotely so it was not required to go back in the room.


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## John Cassels (Sep 29, 2005)

Stephen J. Card said:


> Chiefs:
> T. Corteen
> Connell
> Greenow
> ...


And later there was Sandy Gray, Niel.MacMahon , Ian Ross , Dick Stevenette, Archie Robertson , Tom O'Donovan , Ron Paxton , Willie Purnell , Alan Blackwood to name but a few.

Davie Hogg was super when I was on them as mate.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Thanks John,

Tom O'Donovan was 2/E in '72?

I wonder what happened with Doug Naismith? Bob Sharpe?

Stephen


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Bob or Alan, Stephen?

Alan went to either Northern Marine or Northern Coasters (much the same depending on how much the ships was valued at the time). A great Chief.

I am sure I sailed with Dougie Naismith I can't remember where.

We have missed the free piston jobs. Ours, Morar (but I regret before my time on the books), and Rembrandt.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Bob Sharpe Robert S. Sharpe. Euroliner 1972/73 Master.

I was in ASIAFREIGTER as extra 3/M, for one week. Greenock to NY. Naismith was master.


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## ross backhouse (Nov 20, 2010)

There were four built at Whyalla shipyards in Australia. Seaway Prince & Princess for Union Steamship Co. and two for BHP, Iron Monarch And I think Knob. Except for Iron Monarch which was reengined the others disappeared from the Aussie coast quite quickly. Regards, Ross


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## guy freeman (Sep 16, 2005)

Whyalla also built the Union Rotorua and Union Rotoiti (Both gas turbine electric vessels) for the Union Steam Ship Co. Both launched in 1976


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## loco (Dec 10, 2010)

The Stena Line HSS ferries each had four 'jumbo jet' engines driving water jets.

Capable of over 40kts, but had high fuel consumption.

Remarkable ships when built and in service.

martyn


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## John Cassels (Sep 29, 2005)

Stephen J. Card said:


> Thanks John,
> 
> Tom O'Donovan was 2/E in '72?
> 
> ...


Sailed with D Naismith quite a few times and not only on the Seatrain
ships. He was from Dunblane but I'm pretty sure I saw a post on SN
a long time ago now that he had passed away.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

John Cassels said:


> Sailed with D Naismith quite a few times and not only on the Seatrain
> ships. He was from Dunblane but I'm pretty sure I saw a post on SN
> a long time ago now that he had passed away.


Thanks John.


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## dannic (Mar 10, 2013)

QM 2 has a pair if they need max speed but expensive to run!
Dannic.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

dannic said:


> QM 2 has a pair if they need max speed but expensive to run!
> Dannic.


As her usual 'service speed' on the 7 day runs to NY, she definitely won't the turbine.


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## doncontrols (Feb 17, 2007)

QM2 required to run at least one GT whilst vessel is on Standby for entering / leaving port. It was to do with the way the switchgear was laid out, as far as I recall. They each gobble 5t of fuel per hour when running.

Stena HSS had 2 x LM2500 and 2 x LM1600, but frequently sailed on only the 1600s. The scheduled turnaround time was 30 mins, but it was normal to arrive 5 mins late, turnaround in 20 mins and depart 5 mins early, allowing slower steaming. Engines were changed en route. Unbolted and prepared for lifting before last docking of the day. Engine hoisted out through inlet trunking to car deck and replacement dropped in during the short overnight stop. Complete the installation during following crossings and return engine to service.


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## dannic (Mar 10, 2013)

doncontrols said:


> QM2 required to run at least one GT whilst vessel is on Standby for entering / leaving port. It was to do with the way the switchgear was laid out, as far as I recall. They each gobble 5t of fuel per hour when running.
> 
> Stena HSS had 2 x LM2500 and 2 x LM1600, but frequently sailed on only the 1600s. The scheduled turnaround time was 30 mins, but it was normal to arrive 5 mins late, turnaround in 20 mins and depart 5 mins early, allowing slower steaming. Engines were changed en route. Unbolted and prepared for lifting before last docking of the day. Engine hoisted out through inlet trunking to car deck and replacement dropped in during the short overnight stop. Complete the installation during following crossings and return engine to service.



Wasn't usual a few years ago, know guy who was second engineer and when they did need to run them up it took a lot of time and effort as had been so long since they had ha d had company ok to run them!
Dannic


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## doncontrols (Feb 17, 2007)

dannic said:


> Wasn't usual a few years ago, know guy who was second engineer and when they did need to run them up it took a lot of time and effort as had been so long since they had ha d had company ok to run them!
> Dannic


Maybe it's changed - was 2014 when I visited as Manufacturers Rep. They didn't dare stop one in case it wouldn't re-start, and the other wouldn't run. Hence, visiting to fix their starting issues on both units.


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## backsplice (May 23, 2005)

I,m not an engineer but was on the Rembrandt(Bolton SS Co ) she was gas Turbine powered ...for ever breaking down 1962


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## hudsj (Oct 3, 2005)

Shilo said:


> BHP in Australia had Iron Monarch (?) & a sister ship. Both re-engined with Wartsila. They also had a FPSO with gas turbines too.
> Stay safe


BHP had Iron Monarch, Iron Duke, both RO/RO plus Iron Carpenteria and Iron Curtis, both handy size bulkers. I sailed on Iron Monarch when she was a gas turbine and later after she had been re-engined with Wartsillas. A great ship very well built in Whyalla, as they all were. There also two gas turbine ships built for Union company in NZ.


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## shearforce (Jul 20, 2016)

There were the 4 BHP ships mentioned above and the Union Rotorua and Union Rotoiti. All were built in the 70s. I surveyed them all many times.


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## MTraynor (May 15, 2020)

Yes the Iron Monarch and iron Duke were 2 Roll On Roll off ships built in Whyalla for the Australian coastal steel trade in the 1970s. The Gas Turbines burned waxy oil from Bass Strait, because it was cheap, but they were never very successful, and so the ships were re-engined with diesels.


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## Gordon Waller (Jan 31, 2007)

*Australian Built Gas Turbined Ships*

The G.T engined ships built in Whyalla were originally intended to run on Bass Strait Crude fuel but apparently this led to excessive build up on the rotors and the fuel was very high in Vanadium. Consequently they ran on diesel fuel which led to very high running costs, so they were either converted or sold off, after a relatively short time.


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## Tim Gibbs (Apr 4, 2012)

backsplice said:


> I,m not an engineer but was on the Rembrandt(Bolton SS Co ) she was gas Turbine powered ...for ever breaking down 1962


She had free piston gasifiers supplying a turbine. As you indicated, not a great success.


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## Tim Gibbs (Apr 4, 2012)

Gordon Waller said:


> The G.T engined ships built in Whyalla were originally intended to run on Bass Strait Crude fuel but apparently this led to excessive build up on the rotors and the fuel was very high in Vanadium. Consequently they ran on diesel fuel which led to very high running costs, so they were either converted or sold off, after a relatively short time.


It was bad enough trying to burn that stuff in F.W. ESD III boilers so GTs stood no chance!


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## vickentallen (Oct 12, 2007)

GTV Morar, Comes to mind J J Denholms, circa BV (before Varley)


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Indeed (see #12 ) but I wish she hadn't been!

(Not quite before me just before boiler suited me)


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## vickentallen (Oct 12, 2007)

Sorry Varley, I sailed as Lecky with Denholms 1964 MV Morven after leaving RN. What a shock to the system.


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## Chillytoes (Dec 9, 2006)

I sailed on the two Union Steamship Co built for Australian coastal service. They were Seaway Prince and Seaway Princess, were fitted with Frame 3 GE industrial gas turbines, made under licence by John Brown and if I remember, were 12.5 Mw. The other two USSCo. gas turbines were Union Rotorua and Union Rotoiti, larger vessels with Frame 5 turbines built by Thomasson. Prince and Princess were ac/dc propulsion and the other two were ac/ac.
Inexplicably, USSCo. did not provide any training whatever for any of their engineers. Nor were any useful manuals provided. They moved from traditional watchkeeping to total UMS in one leap. 
When the ships were being built, those standing by received little or no instruction on the plant operation. They were not even allowed in the control room without the attendance of a dockyard official. It was all 'secret squirrel'.
One story relating to the first ship, Seaway Prince, was that after the hand over on a Saturday morning, they were finally let into the control room without supervision, the plant running and ready for sea. They all stood around thinking "What won't we touch first?" when there was an ominous sound and everybody jumped. Turned out to be only the clock ticking over!
I could go on forever......


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

vickentallen said:


> Sorry Varley, I sailed as Lecky with Denholms 1964 MV Morven after leaving RN. What a shock to the system.


I think that makes you rather more BV than Morar!


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