NEW INTER-ISLAND FERRY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 68, 3 January 1947, Page 7

NEW INTER-ISLAND FERRY

TRIALS COMPLETED ON CLYDE

NOW ON WAY TO DOMINION

Close inshore off the rocxy coast of the Isle of Arran,, the new 6910ton inter-island ferry .steamer Hinemoa successfully completed her trials.

Late last week she left the graving dock at Birkenhead and all the first night she carried out her aiavigation and consumption tests on her way up the coast to the Firth of Clyde, and her final speed and manoeuvre tests over the measured mile.

The following afternoon she sailed up the Firth to anchor off Greenock, where she lowered the pennant of her builders, Vickers Armstrong, and hoisted the house flag of her owners, the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand.

Last week she sailed from Greenock on her maiden voyage for Wellington, via Suez, Colombo and Freemantle. She is expected at Wellington on January 25.

Six and a half months ago, when she slid down the slipway at Bar-row-in-Furness, the Hinemoa was only a mastless hull. Today she is completely equipped to take up the ferry service. She is, in fact, the first large pas-senger-carrying vessel to leave British shipyards since the end of the war and in spite of post-war shortages and equipment difficulties she fully maintains the pre-war standard of British shipbuilding. In her clean-cut cruising lines the new vessel closely resembles the Awatea and the Rangatira. The most noticeable outward difference is that she has only one funnel instead of two but although this appears to detract from first impressions of her size it gives noticeably more space on her boatdeck. With this deck and the bridge and the promenade decks, the Hinemoa is very well equipped not only for normal ferry, service but particularly for daylight excursions.

She has cabin accommodation for 921,' chiefly in single and double berth cabins. A large cafeteria and smokeroom are among the attractive features of the ship. They are situated adjoining each other amidships and can be used as one general- dining saloon. They are both panelled in contrasting timbers and furnished with scarlet and green upholstered armchairs and reversable bridge tables. The furnishings and fittings of the cabins and the corridors are all in keeping with public rooms. As a ‘one-class ship, the chief differences in cabin accommodation are in station, not in furnishings, and the quarters for the crew are in conformity with the general modern design and conveniences of the vessel.

One of the most important improvements is the installation of an automatic fire protection sprinkler service. This ensures that whenever the temperature of. any cabin or section of the ship rises above danger point water sprinklers automatically come into operation and an alarm is signalled to the bridge.

The vessel is also fitted with a New Zealand-made loud speaker system which can either be localised or used to warn the whole ship. The Hinemoa has all the latest navigational aids, including radar direction finding and echo sounding equipment and both bow and stern rudders.

She will be taken to New Zealand by some of the Union Company’s most experienced officers. The captain will be Mr F. W. Collins, first officer Mr P. Lampied, chief officer Mr J. D. Hamilton. The chief steward is Mr F. G. Stafford. All of them were previously in the Rangatira. Dr. lan McLean, who has been bacteriologist on the staff of St. Mary’s Hospital, London, for a number of years, has signed on for the voyage as ship’s surgeon. Although the ship is not built for long distance passenger travel, in order to relieve the present congestion in Britain she will carry 85 passengers on her maiden trip.

The crew of 81 includes 11 supernumary officers who are going to New Zealand to take up various appointments in the Union Company’s fleet.

Among the passengers are Sir Harry Twyford, formerly managing director of Cable and Wireless Limited, and a former Lord Mayor of London, Engineer Rear-Admiral H. S. Briggs, R.N. (Ret.), and Miss Rosemary Rees, the New Zealand authoress.