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TONGARIRO (1925)

Service dates: 1925-1960

Official number: 146002

Shipping lines: NEW ZEALAND SHIPPING COMPANY LTD.

Ship type:


Refrigerated Cargo Ship.


Career

13.11.1924
Launched.
25.02.1925
Ran trials.
25.02.1925
Delivered as Tongariro for the New Zealand Shipping Company Ltd.
17.07.1929
Grounded 8km (5 miles) south-east of Ras al Ara, Perim, bound Bowen to London. She was refloated the next day.
30.03.1932
Suffered rudder damage in rough weather off Oamaru. She was repaired in dry dock at Port Chalmers.
26.08.1936
Grounded in the Clyde near Dumbarton.
04.12.1939
Lost her German-designed Ertz rudder in 49°40’N-10°58’W bound Southampton to Auckland. She arrived back in Falmouth on the 12th.
25.04.1940/20.03.1946
Requisitioned for the Liner Division but spent the period from 7th October 1945 to 16th February 1946 as a victualling stores issuing ship.
07.08.1941
Grounded when leaving Buenos Aires.
09.09.1941
Collided with and sank the tanker Socony in 51°03’N-41°32’W with the loss of two lives while in convoy, bound Halifax to London. She arrived at Belfast for repair on the 17th.
03.03.1942
Suffered a gunfire attack from a submarine off Cape Naturaliste having left Fremantle the previous day for the United Kingdom with wool and general cargo.
06.07.1943
Grounded in the Panama Canal, but refloated the following day.
17.10.1947
Mainmast collapsed at Lisbon and new one fitted.
14.08.1954
Touched the bank of the Yarra when arriving at Melbourne.
26.08.1954
Suffered a failure of her steering gear, bound Melbourne to Adelaide and towed back to Williamstown by the tugs Howard Smith and Tooronga.
27.04.1960
Sold for £112,000 to Far East Metal Industry & Shipping Ltd, London, and renamed Far East Trader.
25.07.1960
Arrived at Hong Kong for demolition by Far East Metal Industry Corporation who began work 29th August 1960.


Ship technical details (PDF)