New-York tribune., 1921-02-05
~ DAYS Lost
On One Voyage
Waiting for Oil
american Ships Trip Turned
tnlo Losing One Because
ef Delays Due TO Lack of
Adequate Fuel Supplies
Government Action Urged
shipping Board Slaould Sell
TO Private Owners of
rs. Vessels, Ii lis Claimed


ia declaration that the Shipping
p.srs seeks to secure supplies of oil
sns;eiene to meet the requirements of
,r;vate American tonnage SIS we'll as
sst ewned by the government is re-
ssrded BY many shipping men as "a
zen toward the solution of a difficulty
.sst has hampered the profitable oper-
stion Of American vessels.
VITA nearly q thousand of the Ship
,;nr Boards steel ocesngoing vessels
rs;ne oil fuel and the great bulk of
~ construction for private American
,ceount since the close of the war
s.;nc devoted TO oil burners. difficulty
Sss been met in the past in maintain
nc adequate and easily accessible sup
Lies Of oil. Under the present condi-
s;ops Of greatly reduced shipping ae-
fiyity the difficulty has not been pro-
ro,rsed. as il was comparatively few
,aonths ago, but with a revival of trade
snS the consequent increased employ
mort Of ships the oil problem is likely
+, "a be renewed.
How delay in securing oil can turn
srroftable voyage into q losing one is
frustrated by the recent experience Of
an American shipping company,
Fueling Delay Costly
On one voyage of vessel of about
anO0 tons deadweight operated by this
company in the foreign trade the
avenue was $S25,00Q. Against this
there were operating expenses aggre-
eating S272, ,000, leaving q gross profit
Of $4,000. Even placing the value of
The vessel as low as Ste0 per ton, how
ever. the allowance for depreciation,
insurance and interest on investment
for the voyage came to about $61,000.
The net result of the voyage, therefore,
was a loss of about $4,000.
If the vessel, however, had been able
to secure supplies of fuel oil in normal
time the voyage, instead of showing q
loss, would have been profitable one.
OF the 1876 days elapsing between
the departure of the ship and her re-
urn twenty-eight days were spent at
Norfolk and fourteen at Bizerta wait
ing for oil fuel, which, If available at
the time of the vessels arrival at
these ports, could have been taken on
in few hours. Over 20 per cent of
the voyage therefore was occupied in
waiting for fuel, with the operating
expenses, excluding fuel, going on at
Of $4,000, which would have been
saved if there had been no delay. The
fuel actually used during this period
Is put at about S5,400.
Forty-two Days Waiting for Oil
In addition to these charges of $1s,-
600 against the voyage there is also
to be considered the proportionate
allowance for depreciation, insurance
hnd interest for the forty-two days,
coming to about $4,000 and, of course,
not chargeable against the trip if
there had been no delay.
The total expenses due to delay,
therefore, were about $4,000; so that
II the vessel had not been held up for
oil the voyage would have shown a net
profit Of about $4,000. instead Of net
loss OF about $4,000.
Captain Paul Foley, director of the
division of operations of the Shipping
Board, testifying recently before the
Walsh Congressional investigating
committee, said:
production of fuel oil should be
sought and contracted for by the Ship
ping Board in the amount necessary to
meet the requirements Of all American
SHIPS, publicly or privately owned, any
where"
Would Aid United States Shipping
Some of the larger American ship
Ping companies running on regular
routes and using large amounts of
fuel oil have been able to secure sup
plies at rates below those at which the
Shipping Board has made contracts,
but this does not apply to the bulk OF
tne tonnage privately operated under
!ae American flag. In view of this it
y noted that Captain Foley has stated
,aaat ,,laaat with the Shipping Board in g posi-
uoh to supply American vessels all
over the world with oil at half or less
han half what it would cost foreign
vessels at the same places the effect
would be TO give the American mer-
ehant marine the best subsidy it could
possibly have.
:, oae of the strongest advocates of
sae government supplying oil fueling
5aaclEitIes TO all American ships is W.
ayerlH Hartman, president OF the
american Ship and Commerce Corpora
tsIon. Pointing out that the Shipping
nsafd owns feet of tankers with
ghlch sI; It could supply oil to American
sulps PUP lar below present prices and
~ Ell show reasonable profit, Mr..
- hartman says that the adoption of
stss es plan would go long way toward
eoaset'lng the advantages held by for
V'gH ships in competition.
am not in favor of governmental
operation in any phase of the bust
.s ness ne adds, "but I am in favor of
sse government using it's property and
sssing support to the development OF
sssshng stations in such a way as to
ssfFe the American merchant marine. -