Nella dan - 5248762

[Roedspaetten]

NELLA DAN – 1961 – ESBJERG – IMO: 5248762 – OZKC – A/242 – Aalborg Yard # 109

Contract: 20-05-1960 - Keel: 14-11-1960 - Launched: 13-06-1961 – Sea-trials: 01-10-1961 Delivered: 04-10-1961
LD as JETTA DAN
Initially the vessel was intended for the name “Jetta Dan”, however this was, as we know amended to NELLA DAN in honor of Phil Law, AAD Director of the time. Nella Dan was named after his wife Nel Law.

L: 75,24 m – LPP: 69,14 m - B: 14,3 m – D: 6,57 m
L: 246,10 - LPP: 226,8 - BEAM: 47,2 - DRAFT: 21,0 - DEPTH: 21,7
BRT: 2206 – NRT: 1060 - TDW: 2200
Polar and expedition-ship + refrigerated dry cargo and passenger-ship – Ice-class: 1A – 2 Decks - 3Ho/3Ha – G: 83.700 B: 75.870 IN:3390 Cbf.
Crew: 33 persons
Passengers: Originally 34 persons – later 42 and 46 persons
Engine 8 cyl. 2SA (350 x 620), B&W-Diesel type 835VTBF62 – 2240 Bhp. - 2540 Ihp – Single screw – control. pitch propeller - 13 knots
Owner: D/S-Vesterhavet, J. Lauritzen, København
29-07-1968: Company changed name to Rederiet Vesterhavet-A/S, København
XX-10-1971: Rebuilt with more accommodation for scientists. Passengers: 42 persons. BRT: 2158-NRT: 1061-TDW: 2200
XX-XX-1976: Company-changed name to J. Lauritzen A/S, København
XX-XX-1980: Rebuilt at Aalborg Yard
11-04-1980: Company changed name to J. Lauritzen Holding A/S
XX-07-1980: BRT: 2186 – NRT: 1073 – TDW: 2150
18-01-1981: Sold to J. Lauritzen-A/S, København
03-12-1987: Blown aground after dragging her anchors in heavy weather in Buckles Bay. She stranded on some rocks on a sandbank off Macquarie Island, Antarctic. In the Engine room sprang a leak and it was flooded. Declared a CTL
21-12-1987: Refloated and examined.
She was reported having holes in number 2 fuel tank and number 3 cargo hold. Also the engine-room had holes and was flooded and all engines and generators were damaged and unusable due to the incoming water.
23-12-1987: She developed a list.
24-12-1987: A fire broke out onboard the ship. It was decided to tow her out to sea on deep waters. She was towed 4 nautical miles off the coast and the ship was then scuttled and sank on the position Lat. 54°37’ S – Long. 159°13’ E. Here the depth was 2.000 meters.

[Roedspaetten]

Photos from 1975 where she was dry-docked at the building-yard in Aalborg in late summer/beginning of the autumn, (August/September).

[grahme]

Copy of ANRE information "Nella Dan 1962-1987"

Nella Dan, Southern Ocean 1984
Nella Dan, Southern Ocean 1984 (Photo: Martin Betts)
Departure of Nella Dan from Princess Wharf, Hobart 1972Voyage 5, Nella Dan beset near Bunger Hills 1987Nella Dan aground, Buckles Bay Macquarie Island, December 1987View from salvage vessel Lady Lorraine. Nella Dan on fire and sinking.
Without doubt, the most famous of the Lauritzen’s Dan ships to serve ANARE was the Nella Dan.

Commissioned by Lauritzen with considerable input from the Antarctic Division, Nella Dan was named in honour of Nel Law, wife of the AAD Director of the time, Phil Law.

Built by the Aarlborg Shipyard Pty Ltd in 1961, she incorporated all the features of her older sisters, the Thala Dan, Kista Dan and Magga Dan. An ice breaker stern, ice fins and ice knife were becoming regular features, but a novel addition was the double hull in the engine room and part of the holds.

The ascent to the crow’s nest was through the interior of the mast, and the ship supplied its own fresh water with an Atlas generator. At the time of her construction, the Nella Dan was regarded as setting the standard for polar vessels. Her specifications included:

main engine turbo charged Burmeister & Wain diesel, with an output of 2500 IHP (Indicated Horse Power) at 300 rpm. The propeller blades were reversible.
length overall 75.5 metres
breadth moulded 14.3 metres
draft fully loaded 6.268 metres
speed 12.5 knots
bunker capacity 736.2 tons
fuel consumption approximately 8 tons per day
passenger capacity originally 34 in one two-berth and ten four-berth cabins, most of which were wood paneled
permanent helicopter deck of about 100 square metres on the aft deck
a special built-in shaft extended from the promenade deck to the bottom of the ship for use in hydrographic surveys. The shaft was also designed to facilitate the installation of special echo sounders.
A novel addition to shipboard domestic operations was the installation of a dishwasher.

Nella Dan sailed to the Antarctic every year of the 26 years she was charted by ANARE.