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The journey:
10,450 nautical miles
(19,750 km).
‘The ship’s rolling meant the diesel had dissolved the bitumen’
In 1954, marine engineer Jillis van Duuren (92) sailed on the Kais, a ship of the Netherlands New Guinea Petroleum Company (NNGPM). The landing vessel was being taken from Rotterdam to Sorong in New Guinea.
‘The ship had two Kromhout diesel engines, each generating 270 hp, directly reversible and each with its own coupled propeller. We cast off, and fired up the engines. That went really smoothly, and they ran like clockwork. Our voyage started out calmly, but the wind got stronger and stronger. The noise of the waves was like thunder, as they slammed against the loading ramp – fortunately it had been welded shut. At one point, we were even blown backwards. We changed course and headed for Dover. After two days in port, there was a smooth sea waiting for us, as if nothing had happened. Dense fog in the Mediterranean caused us to get a bit off course, but we then sailed happily towards Port Said and through the Suez Canal.’ Clogged up ‘Our original fuel tanks were empty, so we switched to fuel from the ballast tanks. We then noticed that the fuel filters were getting clogged up faster than usual. The fuel was also not a nice blue colour, but black and opaque. We discovered that the ballast tanks had been treated with bitumen to prevent them being rusted by seawater. The ship’s rolling meant the diesel had dissolved the bitumen, so we needed new filter elements. We could pick them up in Colombo, but getting there wasn't so easy. The engines had to be stopped one at a time so we could clean the filters. In Colombo, all the spare parts came on board, so we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. Four days later, we bid a cheerful farewell to Colombo.’
![](https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/de-uploads-7e3kk3/2944/kais_materialen_gelost_om_weg_te_maken.83b43aea3eff.jpg?)
The KAIS unloading materials for new roads.
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![](https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/de-uploads-7e3kk3/2944/deze_mensen_zijn_nieuwe_arbeidskrachten_en_gaan_naar_sorong.a4cc1102420f.jpg?)
New workers heading for Sorong.
![](https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/de-uploads-7e3kk3/2944/kampong_van_de_arbeidskrachten.a07b608b5b33.jpg?)
Workers’ compound.
![](https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/de-uploads-7e3kk3/2944/sorong_bij_avond_met_op_de_achtergrond_eiland_doom.4dbab028e56d.jpg?)
Evening in Sorong with Doom Island in the background.
Test landing ‘Via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, we arrived at Sorong, where we were met by representatives of the NNGPM. They wanted to carry out a test landing immediately the next day, but the loading ramp was still welded shut. Besides, none of us knew how you were supposed to beach a landing vessel. The commander of a Royal Navy landing vessel explained it to us: don't sail full speed ahead onto the beach – you'll never get off – but come in slowly, then full speed astern five metres before the beach, and then lower the loading ramp.’ Surging wave ‘Two days later we were ready to try it. We slowly approached the beach, but even before we reached it, the vessel already ran aground. Our captain gave a bit more power and ordered the ramp to be lowered slowly, to above the waterline. But when the ramp passed the dead centre point, it couldn't be stopped. It crashed down on the water, causing a huge surging wave. A few days later we modified the loading ramp. That made a big difference, because the next landing went off without a hitch. ←