European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 03, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse Photos by Gus Schuettler Pieter do Korte mans the controls of the Rhine Container ship Sayonara. Going wit the flow life aboard a Rhine Barge by . Kominicki stall writer he River Barge Sayonara resembled a floating apartment building a cruising City Block. Three football Fields Long and 12 Yards wide it was packed with what the shipping Industry Calls containers what the rest of us know As the trailers pulled by tractor trucks. The things towed by macs and cab overs and 18-wheelers. The ship s hold cradled nearly 100 of them piled four High and four wide and stretching six deep before us. The containers were on their Way to Rotterdam hol and would later sail Lor the states. We were to t in along to get a first hand look at life on the Rhine. A trek Down Germany s most important waterway a Day and a half on skipper Pieter Willem Jacob de Korte s waterborne warehouse. More than 300 Miles. At 9 Mph. There Are still ships plying the Rhine that were built in the last Century but the Sayonara is not one of them. De Korte s ship he tells us after we be taken up positions in the steering House is Only four years old designed with the single purpose of moving containers up and Down the Rivers of Europe. The Mosel. The Neckar the main and Rhine de Korte can sail them All ducking Low Bridges and negotiating narrow channels. He d backed and guided the ship out of the Mainz loading Eddy and then we hit the main Stream the ship s two 1.100 horsepower engines pushing us powerfully if slowly into the current. Chugging past Mainz de Korte throws a lever and the steering House drops to Glide beneath the first of Mainz s Gir dered Bridges. Safely past he touches the lever again and we elevate Back up in Short Hydraulic lurches to see safely Over our piles of cargo. The elevator is just one feature in a steering House that is Hall rec room half jumbo liner cockpit. Wood panelled and carpeted it s equipped with television Page 14 the stars and stripes the Home Tor Many of the Fame Sitf video recorder and stereo. A Sleeper Couch fills one Corner a Small table and chairs another. The panelled Walls Are Waist High and lopped with Glass giving the Captain a full View of the River. The Bridges of Mainz behind us. De Korte settles into his leather Stool looking comfortable in Grey Slacks arid a Pinstripe shirt. Like everyone else he is in stocking feel shoes worn on deck Are left outside the door. From his chair de Korte can easily reach the array of steering and communication equipment radar and radios an impressive Bank of dials buttons and switches. Almost every system has a backup he tells i and Tho ship can be piloted automatically. Manual steering is done with a single lever no less Wield than a medium size screwdriver maybe eight inches Long. Steering adjustments Are half or Quarter Inch moves. De Kortes have been plying Europe s Waters in one form or another for 400 years. Pieter de Korte was born tuesdays
