The 9,500 ton Har Gilboa, second of four cargo vessels to be built for a private Israeli shipping company under the terms of the German reparations agreement, was launched here today by Mrs. Harry Recanati wife of a director of Shalvat Yam, the shipping company. The Recanati family founded and remain active in the Palestine Discount Bank, which sponsored Shalvat Yam.
Thousands of shipyard workers, Israeli diplomats and West German and Hamburg governmental officials cheered as the freighter slid down the ways. She will be completely outfitted and turned over to her Israeli owners by March. The vessel will transport grain and steel in bulk and has a cargo capacity of 14,750 tons.
The Har Gilboa’s hull has been strengthened to permit her to operate in ice-filled waters. The vessel will be equipped with the latest radar and automatic pilot devices. She will carry a crew of 43 and has accommodations for two passengers. Her chief runs will be between Europe and the United States.
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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.
