Kapal T.S.S. Kedah/Kedmah – 1930an & 1946

Deskripsi :

Sekeping foto kapal T.S.S.Kedah. Ianya merupakan salah sebuah kapal milik Straits Steamship Company Limited  di Singapura yang dirakam sekitar 1930an. Kapal TSS Kedah di kenali sebagai “Little Queen of Malacca Straits” kerana  seringkali menawarkan perkhidmatan dari Pulau Pinang ke Singapura.

Ada Sejarah kurang menarik pasal kapal TSS Kedah ini selepas tamat Perang Dunia ke-2. Akibat mengalami kerosakan ketika di gunakan sebagai kapal perang, ianya telah di masukkan ke dermaga bagi kerja baikpulih dan pengubahsuaian sebagai kapal penumpang.Ketika dalam proses ini, ianya dijual kepada Harris and Dixon of London yang mewakili sebuah syarikat pekapalan dari Palestin dengan harga £75,000 UK pounds. Kapal ini dinamakan sebagai SS Kedmah yang mana menjadi "Israel’s first very own passenger liner’s"

Ship Information :
The SS Kedah had her beginnings back in 1926, when the Straits Steamship Company, being an associate of the famed Blue Funnel Line, decided to build a ship designed especially for the express tropical service, sailing between Singapore and Penang. Until then the company had operated various smaller vessels which were their main, if not their only connection, between the many small ports in the region.

The specifications put down by the company were quite a challenge to marine architects and only three firms offered tenders for her construction. The contract to build her was placed with Vickers shipyards, of Barrow. She was launched by Lady Maxwell on July, 16, 1927, and named Kedah after the Malaysian province in which she was meant to operate. Her specifications were 2,499 gross tons.

SS Kedah had two passenger decks, three holds and hatchways and 6 steam-driven cranes and a double bottom that extended the entire length of the ship. She was powered by two single turbine steam engines, and with her twin screws this gave her a respectable speed of 18 knots.

The Kedah commenced service in 1927 and she quickly became a popular ship in the region and was nicknamed the “Little Queen of Malacca Straits,” and there a special anchorage was marked on charts of Singapore as “Kedah’s anchorage.” Painted all white, with just four mahogany coloured lifeboats, she was an impressive looking small ship. Amidships she accommodated 80 first-class passengers, as well as up to 960 deck passengers.

SS Kedah / Kedmah Specifications:

Built at :               Vickers Shipbuilding Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness, UK in 1927 as the SS Kedah.
Launched:           July, 16, 1927 by Lady Maxwell.
Tonnage:             2,499 GRT (Gross Registered Tons).
Length:               100.6m - 330ft.
Breadth:              15.24m - 50ft.
Draught:             4.7m - 15.5ft.
Propulsion:         Parsons single-reduction steam turbines. 6,200 S.H.P.
Screws:               Twin.
Speed:                18 knots.
Passengers:         Kedah had 80 First class passengers & up to 960 deck Passengers.

A  Kedmah
Owners:   Straits Steamship Company 1927 - 1947.
                 Kedem Israel Line Ltd (ZIM) - Harris and Dixon -  1947 - 1952.
                  Harris and Dixon – 1952 - 1956.

Port of Registry:  London 1927 to 1948,
                           Haifa in 1948 to 1952 
                           and London 1952 to 1957.

Sumber/Rujukan :
1.Arkib Negara Singapura.
2 Spesifikasi Kapal -  SS Maritime Website.
3.Worth Point.
4.FB. Izmal Karim