Al Mokattam
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:31 am

Two ships of the United Arab Maritime Company, the state shipping organisation of the United Arab Republic, have been featured on stamps of the republic. The first of these was issued in 1959 and is one of a set of six stamps commemorating the seventh anniversary of the revolution. It depicts "seaways" and shows the flagship of the United Arab Maritime Company, the cargo motorship Al Mokattam, carrying a deck cargo of railway coaches.
The ship was built in Yugoslavia by the Brodogradiliste Uljanik, Pula, for the Societe Generale pour la Navigation (U.A.R.) Maritime. She has an overall length of 480 ft., an extreme breadth of 60 ft. and has a gross tonnage of 6,212. Deadweight capacity is 10,050 tons and a B. and W. oil engine drives her single screw to give a service speed of 13 knots. I am informed by an Arab officer who served in the Al Mokattam that the stamp shows the ship in her old colours. These have since been altered to conform to those of the United Arab Maritime Company, a plain blue funnel bearing the state emblem, an eagle and shield. SG597 Sea Breezes 2/63