The most commonly seen tanker in use by the various oil companies 

 today is the Class T-2, a ship with beautiful lines that offers great comfort 

 to its crew and provides every known up-to-date facility, not only for 

 safety but for loading and discharging its valuable cargo. There are more 

 than 525 T-2's in service. They have an overall length of 523 feet 6 inches, 

 and a beam of 68 feet. When loaded, they draw 29 feet 11% inches of 

 water, and they have a cruising radius of 12,600 miles. They are propelled 

 by single-screw engines, have a dead weight of 16,460 tons and a capacity 

 of 138,000 barrels. 



Another tanker, the T-3, of which about sixty have been built, is simi- 

 lar to the T-2, except that its length and capacity are slightly less. 



Many persons do not realize that tankers are equipped with large heat- 

 ing coils to maintain a constant temperature. Asphalt shipped up from the 

 Caribbean must be carried at a temperature of between 200 and 275 de- 

 grees to prevent it from solidifying. Tar and creosote are other cargoes 

 that must be kept at high temperature during the voyage. Molasses is also 

 shipped by tanker, and to facilitate its discharge it is heated a day or two 

 before the vessel reaches port. 



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