Maritime Heritage Site

SEAWAY PRINCE 1975-1985ARAHURATAMAHINE 1925-1962RANGATIRA 1931- 1967HOLMBANK 1962 - 63KORANUI 1956-1975TANEA at WanganuiFPSO RAROA

Welcome:

The New Zealand Ship & Marine Society was formed in 1949 and was comprised of people from all sections of the community and from many different countries who have an interest in ships and maritime activities. 

The website contains a random selection of short articles, a list of maritime books, short histories of shipping companies, the ships and some personalities which trade or have traded to New Zealand, some New Zealand ports, copies of the journal “New Zealand Marine News” and Dr. Watt's Index. 

As an island country, all transport to and from New Zealand before 1930 was by ship. The first settlers arrived by canoe and the European settlers who followed in the 19th century were transported by sailing ship.

Steam ships were slow to arrive in New Zealand because of the great distances between coaling stations. After the frozen meat trade started in 1882, steamships trading overseas increased rapidly, although by that time there were numerous steam vessels trading around the coast and across to Australia.

Many shipping companies were associated with trade to and from New Zealand. Some lasted many years, some did not remain long, some were only one ship companies, but all contributed to the growth of the nation and gave employment to many New Zealanders.

The search facility scans our whole web site.

 

The Society website was first established by Mark Johnston in February 2000. When he left New Zealand in June 2005, Captain John Brown kindly agreed to become webmaster and to further develop the website, which he did admirably. The original website was extensively revised and redesigned. In December 2014 the website moved over to Recollect and further developed. John Brown put much time and effort into adding photographs and articles into the website, and except for some transient one-call ships, the majority of his work has been retained for history. The Society was formally wound-up on 30 June 2019, but this website is retained as a maritime heritage site for historical maritime information, especially of New Zealand shipping.  

 

Highlights:

USS WAKEFIELD arrrivesKAIMAI 1956-1972Wellington 4 FerriesDAPHNE ex PORT SYDNEYKAIRANGA 1924-1956MONOWAI 1930-1960KAREPO 1929-1954WAIRATA 1947-1967AQUITANIA, EMPRESS of BRITAIN and EMPRESS of JAPAN Cargo Plan WAIRATA 1956Helen Deny 1866-1896EMPRESS OF BRITIANCorinthic 1947KARTIGI 1925-1955INAHAKOONYA 1957-1971SPIRIT OF ENTERPRISE 2000-2003TONGARIRO 1925-1960HOLMGLEN 1931-1951MAWHERA 1885-1902Full Harbour 1951EL CIERVOARAMOANA    1962 - 1984TOTARA 1957-1979KAIPARA 1903-1914STRAIT FERONIA and ARATEREWairarapa, 1884NGAIO 1950-1955America StarHead OfficeKent 2001-2008Pakeha 1910-1946HOLMBURN 1944-1954TAVEUNI 1968-1972HELEN DENNY 1900 - 1912Otaki 1953-1966Grand Pacific HotelPORT ST JOHN  1939 - 1961Nelson ApplesHobartNATONE 1900-1947Boat harbourRANGITIKI 1873-1898HOLMWOOD 1924-1939AORAKIMAORI 1953-1974ZEPHYR 2Aotea Quay 1943WAIRUNA 1919-1945Aotea Quay 1943

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