AORANGI
...New Zealand

Aorangi (II) 1924-1953. (Pass-cargo ref.) USSCo. 1924-1953.

ON: 148515

IDNo: 1148515

Year: 1924

Name: AORANGI

Type: Passenger/cargo (ref)

Passengers: 440 first-class, 300 tourist-class, and 230 third-class

Passenger Decks: Six

Crew: 300

Flag: GBR

Launch Date: 17.6.24

Date of completion: 16.12.24

Owner: Union S.S.Co. NZ Ltd.

Builder: Fairfield SB&E Co., Govan.

Link: 1556

Yard No: 603

Starke: V1924 #33

GRT: 17,491

LPP: 176.8

Beam: 22.0

4D-17 knots. Four 6-cylinder 2-stroke Sulzer diesels @ 13, 000 SHP

Planned as a steam-turbine powered ship, her owners were impressed with diesel power and had the new ship’s power-plant design changed, hence, the classic steamship look. At the time she was the fastest motor-ship in the world and built for the Vancouver-Auckland service with normal route being Auckland-Sydney-Suva-Honolulu-Vancouver.

Her name is of Maori origin meaning the “Cloud Piercer”. She served in WWII as a troopship with her consort NIAGARA (a war loss) and served as a depot ship for the auxiliary landing craft on D-Day at Normandy.

She returned to passenger service in 1948, and in 1953 at an age of 29 she was withdrawn from service and sold to the breakers in Dalmuir, Scotland. She arrived on 25-7-1953, thus ending the Union Steam Ship Company’s Pacific service.

Details: Mirimar Ship Index

Photo Credits: The Trove Australia National Library