Chilean icebreaker Contraalmirante Oscar Viel Toro

Along coast of Antarctica
History
Canada
Name: Norman McLeod Rogers
Namesake: Norman McLeod Rogers
Operator: Canadian Coast Guard
Builder: Vickers Armstrong, Montreal
Launched: 1969
In service: October 1969
Out of service: 1993
Fate: sold to Chilean Navy
Chile
Name: Contraalmirante Oscar Viel Toro
Namesake: Counter Admiral Oscar Viel Toro
Operator: Chilean Navy
Acquired: 20 December 1994
In service: 14 January 1995
Status: Active
Notes: acquired from Canadian Coast Guard 1994
General characteristics
Tonnage: 6,320 tons
Displacement: 6,500 metric tonnes
Length: 89.91 m (295.0 ft)
Beam: 19.05 m (62.5 ft)
Draught: 6.06 m (19.9 ft)
Propulsion: 2 x Westinghouse gas turbines
Speed: 15.4 kn (28.5 km/h; 17.7 mph)
Range: 12,000 nmi (22,000 km)
Complement: 33
Armament: 2 x 20mm/70 cal Oerlikon AA

Contraalmirante Oscar Viel Toro is an icebreaker in service with the Chilean Navy since 1995. Originally in service with the Canadian Coast Guard as CCGS Norman McLeod Rogers, it was named for former MP and cabinet minister Norman McLeod Rogers (1894–1940). It is currently named for Counter Admiral Oscar Viel Toro (1837–1892), who was the commander of the Chilean naval forces from 1881–1883 and 1891.

Design

Launched in 1969, CCGS Norman McLeod Rogers was designed for use in eastern Canada and the Great Lakes region. It displaces 6,500 metric tonnes. The vessel has a length of 89.91 m (295.0 ft), a beam of 19.05 m (62.5 ft) and a draught of 6.06 m (19.9 ft). The ship is manned by a complement of 33 officers and ratings.[1]

Propulsion

The ship is powered by two Westinghouse gas turbines and four diesel engines powering two electric motors providing 15,525 horsepower to two shafts. This gives the vessel a maximum speed of 15.4 kn (28.5 km/h; 17.7 mph) and an effective range of 12,000 nmi (22,000 km).[1]

Service

Canadian Coast Guard

Placed into service in 1969 with the Canadian Coast Guard, Normand McLeod Rogers was the world's first of gas turbine combined with electric propulsion.[1] Towards the end of its career with the Canadian Coast Guard, the ship was in service on the west coast. It was laid up in 1993.[2]

Chilean Navy

Purchased from the Canadian Government on 20 December 1994, the ship was entered into service with the Chilean Navy on 14 January 1995.[3] It was renamed Contraalmirante Oscar Viel Toro and was placed into service as a replacement for the discarded Piloto Pardo.[2] The ship's primary use with the Chilean Navy is as the Antarctic patrol and survey ship, making its first patrol in Antarctica in 1995.[3][2]

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 3 Moore, p.85
  2. 1 2 3 Saunders, p.110
  3. 1 2 "AP-46 "Almirante Oscar Viel"". Armada de Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 September 2014.
References

External links


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, March 23, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.