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Towai
taken by Gordy Ross, www.shipspotting.com
Built
1949
LR No.
5366394
Gross
565
Net
254
Dimensions
54.87m x 9.17m
Registered
Nelson
First Arrival
20 April 1955
Last Sailing
28 October 1967
Names
Goldhind
Purple Emperor
Towai
Akana
Minaa Maaree
Masahi
Years
1949-52
1952-55
1955-69
1969-77
1977-79
1979-83

A ship with an interesting history - the 1844th ship to be built in the yards of James Pollock, Sons and Company, for starters.

Building commenced in Faversham in 1945 to fulfil a Royal Navy order for a Royal Navy Aircraft Transport, "Sea Hurricane", which was cancelled the following year. Work was suspended until the vessel was sold to new builders in 1948, who completely redesigned and rebuilt the vessel on the stocks as a merchant ship for her new London owners, E.J. and W. Goldsmith.

Sourced from Ships of NZ Facebook page

Anchor Shipping acquired her in 1955, and after arriving in New Plymouth from Ghent on her delivery voyage, she began fourteen years of trading around the New Zealand coast from March that year.

A number of her calls into Onehunga in the 1962-3 period were made on charter to NZ Cement Holdings, carrying bagged cement while "Westport" was being converted to a bulk cement carrier.

Powered by a Crossley 480bhp diesel engine at an average speed of 9.5 knots, she had a crew of fourteen, while after her first year of service around the coast, she was bolstered by extra derricks, a new winch and an additional generator.

She was sold to Papua New Guinean interests in September 1969, and also served Maldives owners before being scuttled off Male in late 1983.
Sourced from Ships of NZ Facebook page - photo D. Wright



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