New Zealand Shipping Company - MS Rangitoto - Rangatani (2) - Ruahine
(3) - SS Remuera (2)
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With Reuben
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Maritime Historian, Cruise‘n’Ship
Reviewer, Author & Maritime Lecturer
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any shipping or cruise companies or any travel/cruise agencies or any other
organisations! Although the author has been in the passenger shipping industry
since 1960, although is now retired but having completed around 690 Classic Liners and Cargo-Passengers Ships features I
trust these will continue to provide classic ship enthusiasts the
information the are seeking, but above all a great deal of pleasure! Reuben
Goossens.
New Zealand Shipping Company
MS Rangitoto - Rangatani (2) - Ruahine (3) - SS Remuera (2)
With the success of the now aging Rangitiki
and Rangitata, New Zealand Shipping Company decided to build three new ships,
Rangitoto and Rangitane (2), both completed in 1949, and the smaller Ruahine completed 1951. These would
be the final three ships to be built for NZSC. In 1962, these ships would be
joined by the ex Cunard cargo-passenger liner SS Parthia, which was renamed
Remuera.
MS Rangitoto
Please Note: Photographs are from the author’s private
collection unless stated otherwise.
The MS
Rangitoto
Rangitoto was built by J. Brown & Company,
An
early NZSC postcard of the Rangitane
Rangitane was given this name in memory of the
earlier two funnelled liner, which was torpedoed and sunk in 1940. Unlike the
Rangitoto, Rangitane (2) was built by Vickers-Armstrongs,
Dimensions
Built:
Rangitoto Vickers-Armstrongs,
Launched: January 12, 1949
Tonnage: 21,867
Built:
Rangitane: John Brown and Co., Glasgow
Launched: June 30, 1949
Tonnage: 21,809
Length: 609ft
Width: 78ft
Draft: 32.1ft
Engines: Doxford type diesels
Propellers: Two
Service
speed: 16.5 knots
Passengers: 436 one class –
later 462
Passenger
Decks: 4
Crew: 270
Livery: Black hull, white
superstructure, red boot-topping & yellow funnel. Later red and black, with
the Federal flag
Service: London-Curacao-Panama-Papeete-Wellington-Auckland
Public rooms included: A (Boat deck). A
Cocktail Bar was located forward, 2 Lounges, Cinema, dancing space and the Verandah
café with the pool aft. The deck above was the main sports deck. B (Promenade
deck) the Drawing Room was located forward with the Smoking Room located aft.
The Dinning Room was located on D Deck.
She had 40 single cabins, 28 having bathrooms.
36 twin bedded cabins, with 22 having bathrooms. 37 two berth cabins, 8 with
bathrooms, as well as 16 - 3 berth cabins, 19 - 4 berth cabins and 21 - 6 berth
cabins. Six holds carried both traditional cargo as well as perishable good in
refrigerated holds. In 1965 both ships had their mainmast (aft) removed and
were transferred to Federal Steam Fleet, with their funnels repainted in
their colours.
With the arrival of P&O’s super
liners, SS Oriana and Canberra, Federal Steam Navigation Company announced in
1968 that both Rangitoto and Rangitane would be withdrawn. Rangitane was the
first to be sold to the breakers. Decommissioned and renamed Jan, she was to
head for the breakers in
Oriental
Esmeralda, ex Rangitane
Photograph by Brian Fisher
So successful was the refit of Oriental Esmeralda (Rangitane), C Y
Tung decided to purchase her sister Rangitoto in August 1969. Both ships were
reregistered in
Oriental
Carnaval is seen here on April 25, 1970 at
Both ships operated world cruises until 1972
when sadly both ships were laid up in
Oriental
Carnaval, ex Rangitoto
Photograph
by Brian Fisher
***************************
Ruahine (3)
The
newer MS Ruahine
Photo by © Simplon - Visit www.simplonpc.co.uk
Ruahine was the third of the
series, and she departed on her maiden voyage
Just aft of 6 cabins located forward on
Promenade Deck, there was a large Lounge, followed by a Library, Writing Room,
Smoke Room and the Verandah Lounge with a dance floor. The pool was located
aft. The spacious sports deck was above. One deck down also had a traditional
outdoor covered promenade deck, as well as the children’s facilities. The
full width Dinning Room was located on Main Deck.
Dimensions
Built: John Brown and
Co, Glasgow
Launched: December 11,, 1950
Tonnage: 17,851
Length: 584ft – 178m
Width: 75ft –
22.9m
Draft: 30ft –
9.1m
Engines: Doxford type diesels
Propellers: Two
Service
speed: 17 knots
Passengers: 310 one class
Passenger
Decks: 4
Crew: 200
Livery: Black hull,
white superstructure, red boot-topping & yellow funnel. Later red and
black, with the Federal flag
Service: London-Curacao-Panama-Papeete-Wellington-Auckland
She had six holds, with a capacity of
155,857cu ft, carried both traditional cargo as well as perishable good in
refrigerated holds. Her mainmast was also removed in 1965, and her funnel was
painted in the Federal Steam Navigation colours.
Photo by © Simplon - Visit www.simplonpc.co.uk
As new container ships were introduced, which
had faster turn-around times, Ruahine, like her two sisters became redundant. C.Y.Tung purchased
her in 1969 to join
her sisters. Renamed Oriental Rio, she
was placed on the Far East and South America service until 1973 when she was
sold to be broken up in Taiwan.
Oriental Rio, ex
Ruahine, seen in
***************************
SS Remuera (2)
Remuera,
ex Cunard
This ship was originally built as the Cunard
cargo-passenger liner
Dimensions
Built: Harland
& Wolff,
Launched: February 25,
1947
Tonnage: 13,619
Length: 534ft
– 162m
Width: 70ft
– 21.3m
Draft: 30ft
– 9.1m
Engines: 4 Harland
& Wolff Geared Steam Turbines
Propellers: Two
Service speed: 17 knots
Passengers: 350 one class
Passenger Decks: 4
Crew: 200
Livery: Black
hull, white superstructure, red boot-topping & yellow funnel
Service: London-Curacao-Panama-Papeete-Wellington-Auckland
During her two and a half year service with
the NZSC, she suffered occasional turbine problems, which made her unprofitable
for long voyages. Late 1964, she was transferred to the P&O subsidiary
Eastern & Australian Steamship Company, who gave her another refit. Renamed
Aramac she operated services from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to the Orient.
E&A’s
SS Aramac, ex Remuera, seen in
In 1969, Aramac was withdrawn from service and
was replaced by the popular
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Page Three… Photo Album 1 …
Page Four… Photo Album 2 …
Page Five… Photo Album 3 …
Page Six… Photo Album 4 …
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Photographs
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or from the author’s private collection. In addition there are some
images and photographs that have been provided by Shipping Companies or private
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there are some photographs provided to me without details regarding the
photographer or owner concerned. Therefore, I hereby invite if owners of these
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