A new 14,500 ton freighter, built by a German shipyards here for the Zim Navigation Company of Israel under the terms of the Bonn-Jerusalem reparations pact was launched here today after being named “AMPAL” by Mrs. Freeda Dickinson wife of Abraham Dickinson, president of AMPAL-America Israel Corporation.
The vessel, the largest freighter yet built of Germany as Israel reparations goods, was designed to carry general cargo. The 485 foot ship is equipped with modern technical facilities including radar, an automatic pilot and an echo sounding device. It carries a crew of 50 most of whom will bunk in air conditioned comfort. It will also have a swimming pool.
When the AMPAL is fully equipped and furnished, probably by January, it will be assigned to the Haifa-New York run by Zim Israel’s largest shipper. When the St. Lawrence Seaway is completed, the vessel will be sent from New York on to midwestern ports.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
