straat towa - Varen Is Fijner

•• •
A MONTHLY PUBL ICATION
FOR ALL PERSONNEL OF THE
Vol. XIII. No. 10 . October, 1966

WELCOME
"STRAAT TOWA"
"This Owl Watches Ahead" is the mnemonic of the
Towa, the 11,000 d .w.t. vessel which Royal Interocean
Lines have recently purchased from Messrs. N.V.
Maatschappij Vrachtvaart.
m.v. Towa was built in 1957 by P. Smit Jr .. Rotterdam.
She then entered the services ol the N.V. Havenlijn
183
operating between Bremen, Hamburg, Antwerp end
Rotterdam and ports on the East Coast ol South
America.
Her appearance is cha raderized by a well-raked bow,
streamlined amidships deckhouse end 3 masts. The
engine room is situated amiclships, end the vessel hes 2
continuous decks with a third deck fitted in the Nos. I,
2 and 3 holds.
The Towa has 5 cargo holds served by 5 hatchways,
with lour deep tanks in No. 3 hold. All cargo holds
are fitted for the carriage of grein ca rg o end all are
mechanically ventilated.
She is equipped with 19 derricks - +welve 6-ton derricks,
six I S-ton derricks end one heavy derrick with a hoisting
capacity ol 65 tons. The latter is litted to the loremast
and serves No. 2 hold. The derricks are served by
electric cargo winches.
There is accommodation for 12 passengers end all
accommodation, both for passengers, officers and crew ,
is fully air-conditioned.
m.v. Towa is powered by an 8-cylinder B. & W. engine
(type 874 VTBF-160). The maximum continuous output
ol the ma in engine is 10,000 s.h.p. at I 15 r.p.m .. which
gives the ship a speed ol 17 knots. Eleclricity lor power
and lighting is supplied by lour generator sets, each
consisting ol 5-cylinder. 4-slroke B. & W. engines (type
25 MTHUO - 250 HP) coupled to Thrige generators
supplying 165 KW O.C. at 220 volts.
It has been decided to rename the vessel 'Straat Towa',
in keepjng with the Company's policy of naming ships
af ter Straits in the area served by RIL vessels. T owa is
a small island in the Indonesian Archipelago near Ceram.
Her principal particulars are as follows:
L.O.A. -489'-9*,' 149.281 M.
L.B.P. -455'-0" 138.681 M.
Breadth - 63'-0" 19.202 M.
Depth to shelterdeck- 39'-10" 12.141 M.
Balespace - 591.291 cu. ft.
Deadweight at
Summerdraught - (27' -6t") - I 1,030 T @ 1016 kg.
Fuel Capacity - 1629.1 M' = 1394.2 tons (S.G. 0.87)
Gross Tonnage 6854.46 R.Ts.
Nett Tonnage 3769.62 R.Ts.

IN BLACK
THE 'WHITE SISTERS' BLACK; THE 'RUYS' WHITE.
Far a moment one wonders jf one's eyes are playing
tricks , but the camera does not lie.
The above picture ol the Tjiluwah and Tjiwangi at
Hong Kong was taken on June 27th, 1958 on the first
occasion when the sisterships were berthed simultaneously
in Hang Kong harbour. The vessels at that time we re
plying between Hong Kong and Indonesia in the Hong
Kong-Singapore-Indonesia Service (HSIS). It is also
interesting to note from this pho+ograph the sparselyscattered
buildings on Hang Kong Island and to realize
how much th is view has changed over the past 8 yea rs.
The Tjiwangi and Tjiluwah were built in 1950 and
1951 respedively at C. van der Giessen en Zonen's
Scheepswerven N.V" Krimpen a/ d Ijssel. Holland. The
Tjiwangi underwen+ her 'face lift' during drydock maintenance
in Hang Kong between December 1962 and
February 1963 end Tjiluwah between January and March
1963.
The naw 'White Sisters' are particularly famous in
Austra\ia. which they have been visiting monthly on the
AJHAS schedule service since its commencement in
1960.
184
The photograph ol the Ruys opposite also presents some·
thing ol a mystery. The ship was bui lt in 1938 at
N.V. Koninklijke Maatschappij, 'De Schelde', Vlissingen ,
Holland , a year af ter the Boissevain and the same year
as the Tegelberg, which were built at different shipyards.
Initially all three ships we re white. They were taken over
simultaneously from K.P.M. in 1947 when part ol the
K.P.M. fleet was incorporated in the J .C.J .L. to lorm
the Java-China-Paketvaart Lijnen . In December 1947,
Her Majesty Queen Wilhelmina bestowed on the Com·
pany the prelix 'Kon ink lijke' and shortly afterwards the
trade name 'Royal lnterocean Lines' was adopted. The
Ruys in th is photograph is still in K.P.M. colours.
We received this photograph ol the Ruys Irom Mr A.J.
Dijkstra in Johannesburg, who tells us that a Iramed
enlargement is hanging in the RIL office there. H ow+
ever, he does not know exactly when or where it was
taken .
Would anyone be kind enough to let us know?

All through the summer the vines are tested, sprayed
end prepared for the picking season which commences
in February. With the arrival ol the lirst trucks bearing
barrel-Ioads ol grapes, nature bows out, end all the skill
ol the wine-grower is ca lied into play. The lirst stage
of the winemaking process is pressing. Nobody now
uses the ancient bareloot method, but Keith Tulloch, a
Hunter Velley expert, hes a German-designed pneumatic
press which he says is every bit as good. Pu lp end skins
coma away unbruised end seeds remDÎn intact.
It is important to treat grapes gently, otherwise flavour
may be impaired and much of the flavour end colour
of red wine is derived from the skin . "In producing
white wines" . Tu lloch eXplained, "the grapes dre pressed
within en hour of picking to extract the juice as quickly
as possible. The skins are ploughed back into the soil.
The reds we treat differently, skins accompanying the
juice into the fermentation vats",
Wine does. in a sense, make itself. If you simply press
the grapes end let the juice stand , its sugars will do
the rest. Frequently, it does a creditable job, but there
are times when the result can be only described, and
not without a shudder, as a deplorable example ol
unskilled labour. Over the centuries, the process has
been refined until it has become high art.
Fermentation poses another problem; it creates heat
which, il aggravated by hot summer weather, is likely
to upset the process, and result in poor quality wine.
50 a close watch must be kept on temperature. For
some of the valley's do-it-yourself winemakers, this is a
crucial period.
Temperature is difficult to control in on open vat when
you have hundreds ol gallons bubbling and churning.
One way of doing it is to drop ice into the vats; but
the development of stainless steel has made workable
a more scientific method.
189
ViQneron Keith Tulloch kups " constant check on the fl,,\lour. cotour oIInd
rate of ageing of his win". Here he draws off some ne ... wine with a · ... ine
Ihief' from Ihe top of ol! 500 gation \lal .
Af ter the bubbles cease , the 'must' is run off into storage
where fermentation is completed. Some white wines go
into casks to gain flavour, others into steel containers
which preserve their freshness and bouquet. The reds,
needing long life in the wood to mature in flavour and
bouquet, repose in huge 500-gallon casks lor upwards
ol I 8 months.
Finally, the wine is bottled and removed to the cellars.
And now, all that remains is to put the wine to the
test - Pokolbin Dry Red and Pokolbin Riesling. Ah ,
yes! It's a happy product they make in Hunter Valley.
(By kind perm issio n of 'Wo lkobout', Austr"I;,, )
Th. \linlaQe is 0\1", the ne ...... ine h made. Some ol der bolll" are pulled
out of d"rk corners "nd the new \linlage is celebrated.

" I am still fit lor a bit ol wo rk" - Mr de Haan quoted
Mr Jeremiasse's own words as he addressed a luncheon
party at HK HO on August 19th. After a grand total
of over 36 years. Mr C.W. Jeremiass9, Superintendent
Engineer since 1957. hos retired Irom Ihe Company.
Mr de Haan continued by saying that although il
was a pity to say goodbye to a person with 50 much
experience, nowadays it is no langer necessary for a
man to "die in his working harness" , end Mr Jeremiasse
could look lorword to an enjoyable private lile.
He arrived in Indonesia in 1930 to join KPM as a 5th
Engineer. 1937 brought him promotion to 4th Engineer
end during the war years he served on the troopship
Boissevain . 1+ was then that Mr Jeremiasse met his wife
Margaret end they married in Glasgow in 1943. Her
nationality later made her a graat help to him as
Superintendent Engineer, as a great proportion of paaple
on the Hang Kong Dockyard scene are Scottish.
In 1946, newly promoted 3rd Engineer Jeremiasse went
on home leave and returned to serve on mv. Tegelberg,
ss. Karsik and mv. Straat Malakka. His study leave in
Holland in 1948 was lollowed shortly alterwards by
lurther promotion 10 2nd Engineer and in July 1954 to
Chief Engineer. The same year Mr Jeremiasse was
posted Irom ship 10 shore. to the position ol Adj. Chel
in the Technical Deparlmenl at HK HO and in 1958,
to Chef van Dienst.
During his years as Superintendent he maintained a
keen interest in the maintenance of our ships. He was
renowned throughout the f1eet for his tremendous knowledge
and experience and was said to know every inch
GOODBYE " UNCL.E KEES"
194
of every engine room in every ship. He could track
down any technical faults or selve technical diffjculties
with amazing aptitude. Newly built ships were always
improved through quick application of his years of
experience.
The speaker concluded by wishing Mr Jeremi.asse, his
wifs and family every happiness and success for thei r
retirement in Australia.
In reply, Mr Jeremiasse thanked Mr de Haan lor his
appreciative words, adding that hè had loved his work
both at sea and ashore . While it is painful to say
goodbye 10 something one loves, he will slill be ab Ie
to make use of his trade, end was looking forward to
being re-united with his wife and family.
He Ihen proposed a toa si 10 all R.I.L. personnel wherever
Ihey may beo wishing Ihem all the best lor the luture.
The engineering stall ol the RIL Fleet bade their larewell
to Mr Jeremiasse at a cocktail party held on mv Tjiluwah
on 17th August.
On th is occasion, Chief Engineer G.H. Menses recalled
the good understanding between shore and sea-going
slall which had always been promoted by Mr Jeremiasse
ond expressed the appreciation ol the fleet lor the
generous hospitality which had always been exlended
to the ships' engineers whenever they were in Hong
Kong. In this connection he mentioned particularly Mrs
Jeremiasse and thanked her on behall ol the fleet lor
her kindness and interest.
He then made a presentation to Mr Jeremiasse on
behall ol the Engineering Stall of Ihe RIL Fleel and
concluded by expressing the hope that he and his lamily
might enjoy these presents for a long time and by
wishing them a happy retirement.
Presentations were also made by the senior staff of HK
HO and by the slall of the Technical Department.
On board m.v. Tjiluwah , ehief Engineer G.H. Menses makes a
presentation to M r Jeremiosse on behaH of all the Eng ineering
Staff of the R.I.L· Fleet.

Nigerian N ational Shipping Line Ltd . was recently
appointed the R.I.L. Agent lor Lagosj Apapa.
A cocktail party was held on July ISth at the Federal
Palace Hotel, Lagos to ma rk the occasion. The Holland
West-Afrika Li in N.V. also t ransferred their Agency to
the Nigerian National Shipping Line Ltd. on the same
date.
Pidured above, Irom I. to r.: Mr. van der Goes (Ading
General Manager for West Afriea ol H.W.A.L.), Mr.
Oloriokuma (Chai rman N.N.S.L.), Mrs. Sinninghe Damsté,
Mrs. van der G oes, Mr. Omenai (Permanent Secretary of
the Ministry ol Transport), Mr. Oyesiku (General Manager
N.N.5.L.).
Right, I. to r.: Mr. Oloriokuma . Mr. Chukwurah (Assistant
Manager (Steil) ol N.N.S.L.). Mr. Oyesiku.
OPEN LETTER Ta ALL SEAGOING ENGINEERS OF R.I.L.
Gentleme n,
August 17th 1966 will "Iw"ys re m" in " memor"ble d"y for me,
b e c"use on that day t w"s inv ited on board our ms. TJILUWAH
to receive same beaut iful presenh from you, th e seagoing staff
of Royal Interoce"n Lines, on the occasion of my re tire me nt from
the Comp"ny.
Needleu to say I was deeply touche d and I wish to express my
heartfelt thanh to everybody concern e d for this spontllne o us token
o f lIpprecilltion for my work as Supe rinte nde nt Enginee r of our
Company.
I know that I shall get loh of p leasure out of th e T.V. se t, golf
clubs. fishing geM and jade ornament and th ese presents will lllw" ys
re mind me of th e p re" sent rel"tionship between us , end th e good
yea rs in Hang Kong .
It seems only fitti ng that my family - especially my wifc (who ioins
me in thanking you all) - wiU share in th is pleasure since she has
shared the ye"rs in Hang Kong ..... ith me as a tru e companion.
195
LAGOSJAPAPA
TRANSFER OF AGENCY
N ow th at th e t ime has come for me to hand over my work to a
younger man it g ives me great sat isfaction to know t hat, as Chief
Eng ineer Me nses p ut it, "the Eng ineers o n board our ships think
sa weil of me".
I wish to thank you all for your co-ope ration and help without
which, o f course, I could not have done my jo b in " satisfactory
manner.
I hope thllt, ..... it h my successar "t th e helm of th e Eng ineering
De partment , th e friendly relationshi p between th e Techn ical staR'
ashore and o n board wilt be ma intained and t hat all shi ps wiJl run
froublefree in th e yeMs to come .
I tr ust 1 will see many of you again "down under" and wish you
all "behouden vaart en goe de wacht" .
August 1966
C. w. IrremiolSe