New Zealand Shipping Company

New Zealand Shipping Company
IndustryTransport
Founded1873
Defunct1973
SuccessorP&O
HeadquartersLondon, England
ProductsPassenger and Cargo Shipping

The New Zealand Shipping Company (NZSC) was a shipping company whose ships ran passenger and cargo services between Great Britain and New Zealand between 1873 and 1973.

A group of Christchurch businessmen[1] founded the company in 1873, similar groups formed in the other main centres, to counter the dominance of the Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. There were seven initial directors: John Coster, George Gould, John Thomas Peacock, William Reeves, Robert Heaton Rhodes, John Anderson, and Reginald Cobb[2]) representing the New Zealand Loan & Mercantile Agency.[3]

The similar groups of businessmen in Dunedin and Wellington soon joined this Christchurch company followed by the Auckland group. They completed the four-main-centre link in July 1873.[4][5] John Johnston Wellington, John Logan Campbell Auckland, and Evan Prosser of Dunedin were elected to the main board.[6] A Captain Ashby opened an office off New Broad Street London and chartered two ships carrying 500 government emigrants: Punjaub 883 tons and Adamant 815 tons set to sail for Canterbury on 31 May and 20 June respectively with full cargo.[7] By November 1873 they had purchased two vessels, Hindostan and Dilfillan and chartered eighteen. Two 1,000 ton ships were scheduled to be launched the same month and named Waikato and Waitangi.[6]

The company gradually established a fleet of vessels, using Māori names for each. From 1875 the livery consisted of black hulls, white superstructure and yellow funnels.[8]

In 1882, the company's ships were equipped with refrigeration.[8] and a frozen meat service began from New Zealand to England.

Company policy dictated a stop at Pitcairn Islands, in the Pacific Ocean, to break the monotony of the ocean crossing.

Federal Steam Navigation Company

In 1894 Allan Hughes bought Money Wigram & Sons and renamed it King Steam Navigation, but changed the name to the Federal Steam Navigation Co Ltd (FSNC) in 1895.[9] Federal-Houlder-Shire Lines was established in 1904 by the merger of FSNC, Houlder Brothers and Company, and the Scottish Shire Line owned by Turnbull, Martin and Company.[10] On 3 January 1912 an agreement was reached whereby the New Zealand Shipping Company absorbed the Federal Steam Navigation Company, which at the time owned ten steamships trading between Australia, New Zealand and the UK.[11] Ships owned in 1912 were Wiltshire,[12] Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Durham, Essex, Kent, Norfolk, Shropshire (Rotorua from 1923), Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey and Sussex.[13] Argyllshire was bought from Scottish Shire Line in 1930. Federal Steam ships retained their house flag, and continued to be named after English counties, thereby retaining their Federal Steam identity. Federal Steam was registered in England for tax purposes, whereas the New Zealand Shipping Company continued to be registered in New Zealand.

World wars

In World War I the NZSC lost nine ships from a fleet of 32.[14] In World War II it lost 19 ships from a fleet of 36.

Closure

The services of both companies were absorbed into P&O in 1973 after 100 years of service.[15][8] P&O had bought NZSC in October 1916,[16] but left it largely independent.[17]

Ships

NZSC operated numerous ships, some purpose built, others acquired from other operators by purchase, lease or charter.

Ship Type Date launched Date acquired Date disposed Fate/ next assignment
Aorangi refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1883 1914 Scrapped 1925
British King cargo and passenger ship 1881 chartered 1882[18] 1884 Scuttled at Port Arthur 1904
Coptic cargo and passenger steamship 1881 chartered 1883 1884 Scrapped 1926
Doric cargo and passenger steamship 1883 chartered 1883 1884 Wrecked 1911
Fenstanton steamship 1882 chartered 1883 1884 Grounded and wrecked
Haparangi refrigerated cargo motor ship 1947 1947 1966 Transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Co[19]
Hauraki refrigerated cargo motor ship 1946 1947 1966 Transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Co[20]
Hinakura refrigerated cargo motor ship 1949 1949 1966 Transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Co[21]
Hororata refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1913 1914 1939 Transferred to another P&O subsidiary, British India Steam Navigation Company[22]
Hororata refrigerated cargo steamship 1941 1942 1966 Transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Co[23]
Hurunui (1) cargo and passenger sailing ship 1875 1883 Collided and sank Waitara, 22 June 1883[24]
Hurunui (2) refrigerated cargo steamship 1911 1912 1918 Sunk by torpedo off The Lizard by U-94, 18 May 1918[25]
Hurunui (3) refrigerated cargo steamship 1921 1940 Sunk by torpedo on 15 October 1940 by U-93[26]
Ionic cargo and passenger ship 1883 chartered 1883 1884 Scrapped 1908
Kaikoura (1) cargo and passenger steamship 1884 1884 1899 Transferred to British India Steam[27]
Kaikoura (2)[28] refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1903 1926 Sold
Kaikoura refrigerated cargo motor ship 1937 1937 1954[29] Transferred to another P&O subsidiary, Avenue Shipping Co Ltd[30]
Kaimata motor ship 1931 1936 (former Ardenvohr) 1954 Transferred to Avenue Shipping Co Ltd[31]
Kaipaki refrigerated cargo motor ship 1939 1939 1955 Transferred to Avenue Shipping Co Ltd[32]
Kaipara[28] refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1903 1914 Stopped and sunk by SMS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, 16 August 1914[33]
Kohinur motor ship 1962 1963 1965 Transferred to another P&O subsidiary,Hain-Nourse Ltd[34]
Mataura (1) barque 1868 1874 (former Dunfillan)[35] 1894 Sold and renamed Alida. Wrecked 1900[28]
Mataura (2)[28] refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1896 1898 Wrecked in the Strait of Magellan 12 January 1898[36]
Nurjehan motor ship 1963 1963 1964 Transferred to Hain-Nourse [37]
Opawa sailing ship 1876 1876 1899 Sold to M. F. & S. O. Stray. Kristiansand[38]
Opawa refrigerated cargo steamship 1906 1907 1928 Sold to Brunn & von der Lippe,Tonsberg[39]
Opawa refrigerated cargo motor ship 1931 1942 Sunk by U-106, 6 February 1942[40]
Orari refrigerated cargo steamship 1906 1906 1927 Scrapped at Troon[41]
Orari refrigerated cargo motor ship 1930 1931 1958 Sold to Italy and renamed Capo Bianco[42]
Otaio refrigerated cargo motor ship 1930 1941 Sunk by U-558, 28 August 1941[43]
Otaio refrigerated cargo and passenger motor ship 1957 1958 1966 Transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Co[44]
Otaki (1) sailing ship 1875 1896 Sold and renamed Dr. Siegert
Otaki (2) refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1908 1917 Sunk by the German raider SMS Möwe 10 March 1917
Otaki (3) refrigerated cargo steamship 1919 1920 1934 Sold to Clan Line and renamed Clan Robertson
Otaki (4) refrigerated cargo motor ship 1952 1953 1967 Transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Co[45]
Otorama[28] steamship 1890 former Sea King 1902 Sold
Otorama refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1912 1919 (former Ajana) 1928 Sold to D. & E. Fratelli Bozzo, Genoa[46]
Papanui[28] steamship 1898 1910 Sold after damage[47][48]
Papanui refrigerated cargo steamship 1942 1943 1965 Scrapped at Kaohsiung[49]
Paparoa[28] refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1899 17 March 1926 caught fire in the South Atlantic, scuttled by HMS Birmingham[50]
Paparoa refrigerated cargo steamship 1943 1943 1966 Transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Co[51]
Pareora cargo and passenger steamship 1855 1877 (former White Eagle) 1887[52] Scrapped in 1888[53]
Paringa refrigerated cargo motor ship 1936 1946 (former Essex) 1955 Transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Co[54]
Petone steamship 1899 1900 (former Gresham) 1910 Sold to Canterbury Steam Shipping[55]
Piako (1) clipper 1876 1877 1891[56] Sold, lost 1900[28]
Piako (2) refrigerated cargo steamship 1920 1920 (former War Orestes) 1941 Sunk by torpedo on 18 May 1941 by U-107
Piako (3) refrigerated cargo and passenger ship 1961 1962 1979 Sold to Blue Ocean Compania Maritima SA. Scrapped 1984
Pipiriki refrigerated cargo steamship 1943 1944 1966 Transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Co[57]
Quiloa oil tanker steamship 1958 1960 1968 Transferred to British India Steam[58]
Rakaia cargo and passenger motor ship 1944 1946 (former Empire Abercorn) 1971 Scrapped
Rakanoa
Rangitane (1) passenger motor ship 1929 1929 1940 Sunk by shellfire by the German raiders Orion and Komet, 26 November 1940[59]
Rangitane (2) passenger motor ship 1949 1949 May 1968 Sold to CY Tung, Scrapped Taiwan, 1976
RMS Rangitata passenger motor ship 26 March 1929 1929 1962 Scrapped
RMS Rangitiki passenger motor ship 1929 1929 1962 Scrapped
Rangitoto passenger motor ship 1949 1949 1969 Sold to CY Tung, Scrapped Hong Kong, 1976
Remuera (1) passenger steamship 1911 1940 Sunk by aerial torpedo 26 August 1940
Remuera (2) steam cargo and passenger steamship 1947 1961 (former Parthia) 1964 Sold to Eastern & Australia Steamship Company.[60]
Rimutaka (1)[28] steamship 1884 1885[61] 1899 Transferred to British India Steam[62]
Rimutaka (2) refrigerated cargo and passenger ship 1900 1901 1930 Scrapped by T.W.Ward Ltd, Pembroke Dock[63]
Rimutaka (3) refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1922 1938 (former Mongolia) 1950 Sold to Incres Shipping Company
Rotorua (1) refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1910 1917 Sunk by torpedo on 22 March 1917 by SM UC-17
Rotorua (2) refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1910 1936 (former Shropshire) 1940 Sunk by torpedo on 11 December 1940 by U-96[64]
Ruahine (1) steamship 1891 1900 Sold to La Trasatlántica[65]
Ruahine (2) refrigerated cargo steamship 1909 1949 Sold to Italian owners; scrapped 1957
Ruahine (3) passenger motor ship 1950 1951 1968 re-registered in Hong Kong; scrapped 1974
Ruapehu cargo and passenger ship 1883 1884 1899 Transferred to British India Steam[66]
Ruapehu (10) refrigerated cargo and passenger ship 1901 1931 Sold for scrap 5 August 1931
Stad Haarlem cargo and passenger ship 1875 leased 1879
Tekoa[28] steamship 1890 1902 Sold
Tongariro passenger and cargo steamship 1883 1883 1899 Transferred to British India Steam[67]
Tongariro refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1900 1901 1916[68] Wrecked on Bull Rock, 30 August 1916[69]
Tongariro refrigerated cargo steamship 1924 1925 1960 Scrapped in Hong Kong[70]
Treneglos motor ship 1963 1963 1965 Transferred to Hain-Nourse[71]
Turakina sailing ship 1868 1882 (former City of Perth) 1899 Sold to Alexander Bech, Tvedestrand[72]
Turakina (1)[28] refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1902 1917 Sunk by torpedo in the Western Approaches by U-86, 13 August 1917[73]
Turakina (2) refrigerated cargo steamship 1923 1923 1940[74] Sunk by shellfire in the Tasman Sea by the German raider Orion, 20 August 1940[75]
Waikato[28] sailing ship 1874 1898 Sold
Waimate[28] refrigerated cargo and passenger ship 1896 1925 Scrapped
Waitara cargo and passenger sailing ship 1863 1873 (former Hindostan) 1883 Wrecked following a collision with Hurunui[24]
Wakanui[28] refrigerated cargo and passenger steamship 1899 1913 Sold
Wanganui sailing ship 1877 1877[76] 1888 Sold to Capt. John Leslie[77]
Warrimoo passenger steamship 1892 1899 1901 Sold to Union Company
Whakatane[28] refrigerated cargo steamship 1900 1924 Sold
Whakatane motor ship 1954 1954 1964 Transferred to Union, another P&O company[78]
Whangaroa motor ship 1955 1955 1965 Transferred to Union[79]
Wharanui refrigerated cargo motor ship 1956 1956 1967 Transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Co[80]

House flags

  • House flag
  • For ships powered by both sail and steam, a flag with an additional pennant was used.[81]
  • Sometimes the company used a flag with black letters.
  • Another flag commonly used in the long history of the company, most often along with other flags. It was originally a flag of the Federal Steam Navigation Company.[82]

See also

References

  1. ^ News of the Day The Press 21 November 1872 page 3
  2. ^ News of the Day The Press 4 September 1873 page 2
  3. ^ "Commercial". Lyttelton Times. Vol. XXXIX, no. 3748. 25 January 1873. p. 2. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  4. ^ New Zealand Freight Company Limited Auckland Star 4 July 1873 page 2
  5. ^ The South New Zealand Herald 12 August 1873 page 3
  6. ^ a b ??? The Press, 11 November 1873, page 2
  7. ^ Shipping New Zealand Herald 14 July 1873 page 2
  8. ^ a b c "M V Rangitata". Archived from the original on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  9. ^ "Federal Steam Navigation Co - Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  10. ^ "F-H-S Lines". natlib.govt.nz. 1906. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  11. ^ Waters 1939, p. 59.
  12. ^ "THE WILTSHIRE". Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners' Advocate. 29 April 1912. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  13. ^ "Federal Company's fleet. Press". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 5 January 1912. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  14. ^ Waters 1939, p. 68.
  15. ^ Crossed Flags Ships Monthly March 2025 page 48-53
  16. ^ "The shipping fusion. Press". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 October 1916. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  17. ^ "New Zealand Shipping Company". www.poheritage.com. 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  18. ^ "'". Otago Daily Times. No. 6577. 14 March 1883. p. 4.
  19. ^ "Haparangi". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  20. ^ "Hauraki". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  21. ^ "Hinakura". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  22. ^ "Hororata". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  23. ^ "Hororata". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Collision And Loss Of 27 Lives". The Cornishman. No. 258. 28 June 1883.
  25. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hurunui". Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  26. ^ "Hurunui". uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  27. ^ "Kaikoura". clydeships. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Cyclopaedia of New Zealand. 1906.
  29. ^ "Kaikoura". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  30. ^ "Avenue Shipping Company". P&O Heritage. Archived from the original on 18 January 2025. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  31. ^ "Kaimata". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  32. ^ "Kaipaki". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  33. ^ "British Merchant Ships Lost to Enemy Action: Part 1 of 3 – Years 1914, 1915, 1916 in date order". World War 1 at Sea. Naval History. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  34. ^ "Kohinur". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  35. ^ "Arrival of the Mataura. Otago Daily Times". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 17 November 1874. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  36. ^ "'". The Press. Canterbury, NZ. 29 January 1898.
  37. ^ "Nurjehan". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  38. ^ "Opawa". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  39. ^ "Opawa". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  40. ^ "Opawa". uboat.net. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  41. ^ "Orari". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  42. ^ "Orari". uboat.net. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  43. ^ "Otaio". uboat.net. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  44. ^ "Otaio". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  45. ^ "Otaki". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  46. ^ "Otorama". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  47. ^ "The Papanui. Dominion". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1 February 1910. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  48. ^ "STEAMER PAPANUI RESOLD New Zealand Times". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 14 October 1910. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  49. ^ "Papanui". clydeships. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  50. ^ Chipchase, Nick; Allen, Tony (5 February 2020). "SS Paparoa (+1926)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  51. ^ "Paparoa". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  52. ^ "The New Zealand Shipping Company. Evening Post". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 25 August 1887. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  53. ^ "Pareora". clydeships. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  54. ^ "Paringa". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  55. ^ "Gresham". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  56. ^ "Piako". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  57. ^ "Pipiriki". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  58. ^ "Quiloa". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  59. ^ Allen, Tony; Vleggeert, Nico (28 October 2015). "MV Rangitane (+1940)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  60. ^ Mills, Elspeth (2004). The Fleet 1840–2010. ISBN 978-0-9542451-8-4.
  61. ^ "Rimutaka". clydeships. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  62. ^ "N.Z. SHIPPING COMPANY Otago Daily Times". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 17 July 1899. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  63. ^ "Rimutaka". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  64. ^ Green, Roger M (15 October 2014). "Loss of the SS Rotorua – 11 Dec 1940". WW2 People's War.
  65. ^ "Ruahine". clydeships. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  66. ^ "Ruapehu". clydeships. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  67. ^ "Tongariro". clydeships. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  68. ^ "Tongariro 1901". www.tynebuiltships.co.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  69. ^ New Zealand liner wrecked The Times 31 August 1916 page 3
  70. ^ "Tongariro". clydeships. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  71. ^ "Treneglos". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  72. ^ "1899 Fullrigger ELIDA". skipshistorie.net. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  73. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Turakina". Uboat.net. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  74. ^ "Turakina". clydeships. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  75. ^ Allen, Tony (20 August 2017). "SS Turakina (+1940)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  76. ^ "Wanganui". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  77. ^ "Shipping. Otago Daily Times". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 October 1888. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  78. ^ "Whakatane". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  79. ^ "Whangaroa". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  80. ^ "Wharanui". clydeships. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  81. ^ "House flag, New Zealand Shipping Co. Ltd | Royal Museums Greenwich".
  82. ^ "British shipping companies (N)".

Bibliography

  • Clarkson, John (1995). New Zealand and Federal lines. Preston, U.K.: J. & M. Clarkson. ISBN 0-9521179-5-9. OCLC 35599714.
  • McLean, Gavin (2001). Captain's Log: New Zealand's Maritime History (Softcover). Auckland, NZ: Hodder Moa Books. ISBN 1-86958-881-9.
  • Waters, Sydney D (1939). Clipper Ship to Motor Liner: The story of the New Zealand Shipping Company 1873–1939. London: The New Zealand Shipping Company Ltd.
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