Dutch cargo ship Kertosono (1918) 1921-1946

The order for her building given between 1 March and 1 August 1918 for account of the Dutch shipping company Rotterdamsche Lloyd was confirmed on 26 May 1919. She was to be used on a cargo line between Rotterdam and the Dutch East Indies. Laid down on the North slip (where just the steamship Edam of the HAL was launched) on 29 January 1921 with yard number 172, in the thrushes on 15 September, plating fitted on 30 November, launched by Bastiaan Leeuwenburg on 27 May 1922 (according to the newspaper Vlissingse Courant dated 12 May was first Saturday the 20^th planned), trial while berthed on 6 March, technical trials on 12-15 March, official trial on 19 March and delivered on 21 March. Built within 4 years and 8 months. Designed by engineer J. Blokland-Visser. Of the shelter-deck type. Steel built. Dimensions 136,39 (between perpendiculars)-142,79 (over all) x 19,05 x (outside thrushes) 9,45 metres and a hold of 9,91-12,34 (below shelter deck)-19,05 metres. Deadweight 13.206 ton. Displacement 3.219 (at launching) 18.917 ton. Gross tonnage 9.154,66 ton and net tonnage 5.710 ton. Five hatches. Eight watertight bulkheads. Eight cargo holds and 2 deep tanks, capacity 700.544 cubic feet grain or 598.860 cubic feet bales included 112.071 cubic feet capacity of the deep tanks. Fitted out with Parsons turbine and 8 cylindrical boilers (no. 891-895) supplying 4.500 ahp at 90 rpm driving a 4-blade screw. Boilers placed on 19-24 July 1922 and the funnel on 6 December 1922. Cabins for captain and officers in a deckhouse amidships and for the engineers was the accommodation in the bridge. Amidships were three cabins for passengers. Accommodation for a large number of so-called Hajji travelers. Fitted out with 18 steam winches working via Mannesmann-derricks with a lifting capacity of 2 and 6 tons.

Arrived on 3 April 1935 at the Dutch shipyard Ned. Dok. Mij. At Amsterdam where her fore ship was launched with 20’0”, finished on 16 August went she towards the shipyard De Schelde where a new steam engine (no. 460) was placed and a Scottish boiler replaced by a Sulzer one tube boiler (no. 215). Horsepower increased form 4.500 to 5.800 ahp allowing a speed of 15 knots. On 2 November to Rotterdam without steam engine, returned 27 February 1936 for placing steam engine, 10 March and 13-14 March trials and back to Rotterdam. Collided on 6 February 1937 with the British battleship HMS Malaya and heavy damaged. On 11  February temporarily made at Oporto with cement, departed on 24 February and arrived on 1 March at Rotterdam. She was on 1 July 1940 stopped by the German raider Thor (the name Frid was deleted), brought to Lorient, France and found in 1944 heavily damaged and abandoned. Apparently was she during the war used by the German navy as mother ship for the U-boats. On 3 May 1946 salvaged and afterwards broken up.

Sources

Order administration shipyard Kon.Mij. De Schelde 1875-1970 (Municipality Archive Flushing)

Vlissingse Courant