SS Mahia
From Our Contribution
File:SS Mahia.jpg | |
![]() The fire brigade poured so much water into holds to exstinuish the fire, that the ship developed a dangerous list to port. | |
History | |
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Name | SS Mahia |
Owner | Shaw, Savill & Albion Line |
Builder | Workman & Clark |
Launched | 1917 |
In service | 1917 |
Out of service | 1953 |
Fate | scrapped 1953 at Faslane |
General characteristics | |
Type | passenger / cargo (refrigerated) |
Tonnage | 10,835 tons |
Speed | 14 knots (25.93 km/h) |
Remarks
Built for Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. Sister ship to Pakeha, she was the last of the coal burning ships for the Shaw, Savill Line.
A fire and explosion occurred in the deck cargo of Sodium Chlorate on 7 Aug 1947 at Victoria Dock in Melbourne leaving 3 crew members dead. To extinguish the fire in No. 4 and No 5 holds, the Fire fighters used so much water that the ship settled on the bottom. The ship was refloated several days later after the fire was extinguished, repaired and re-entered service in 1948. 'The Age' newspaper on Friday 8 Aug 1947 reported a total of 6 deaths and 4 missing.