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CHANTALA (1950)

Service dates: 1950-1971

Official number: 183198

Shipping lines: BRITISH INDIA STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY LTD.

Ship type:


General Cargo Ship; Cadet Training Ship.


Career

27.09.1949
Launched by Mrs L P S Bourne, wife of one of the partners of Gray, Dawes & Co.
04.03.1950
Delivered as Chantala for the British India Steam Navigation Company. She was basically one of BI’s C-class cargo ships, but was adapted for the carriage of 31 cadets along with her sister Chindwara.
1959
Returned to Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd to have her cadet accommodation increased from 31 to 52.
08.1965
Owing to the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistan conflict, she had to transfer 2,500 tons of cargo bound for Pakistan ports to Chandpara at Muscat, using her own gear, to enable her to end her voyage at Bombay.
1966
Had her cadet facilities modified and her complement reduced to 15.
08.03.1969
Involved in a collision in the Thames when inward bound from Chittagong with a cargo of jute, with the collier Hudson Light. Chantala was considerably damaged to within 4m (13ft) of her keel. She was dry-docked at Tilbury while Hudson Light went to the Tyne for repairs.
22.04.1971
Sold to Pacific International Lines of Singapore and renamed Kota Sentosa. During her career with BI, she had trained a total of 769 cadets.
16.08.1974
Delivered at Tientsin for scrapping by China National Metals & Minerals Import & Export Corporation.


Ship technical details (PDF)