SS Charon II
From Our Contribution
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | SS Charon II |
| Owner | Blue Funnel Line |
| Builder | Caledon Ship Building & Engineering Co. of Dundee |
| Yard number | 344 |
| Launched | 29 Aug 1936 |
| Completed | 1936 |
| In service | 1936 |
| Out of service | 1964 |
| Fate | unknown |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger/cargo |
| Tonnage | 3,703 |
| Length | 320 ft 3in (97.6m) |
| Beam | 51 ft 2 in (15.6m) |
| Depth | 21 ft 6 in (655m) |
| Propulsion | oil |
| Speed | 12 knots (22.2 kmh) |
Contents
Remarks
This ship was completed 50:50 for the West Australian Steam Navigation Company Ltd., (Bethell, Gwyn & Company, managers) and The Ocean Steamship Co. Ltd.'s joint operation between Singapore and Western Australian ports. She was only ordered when the Australian Steam Navigation Co. lost the Minderoo in 1935. In 1936 she became fully owned by the Ocean Steam Ship Co. when the West Australian Steam Navigation Co. pulled out of the trade due to fierce competition.
On 29 Mar 1940 she was requisitioned for Government service. During 1943 she played a very important wartime role when she kept the Australian base at Milne Bay supplied. She made 30 round trips between Sydney and New Guinea without any damage whatsoever, having on 14 Apr 1943 survived a bombing attack by Japanese aircraft whilst in Milne Bay, New Guinea. This class of ship had specially strengthened bottoms which enabled them to call at ports where they were required to settle on the mud at low tide.
She was sold to Malayan Shipbreakers Ltd of Singapore in 1964 for demolition and on 10 Aug 1964 delivered to Leung Yau Shipbreaking Company Ltd., for demolition at Hong Kong.
However, before she actually faced the torch, she was sold several times, at one time to a Panamanian company that renamed her Seng Kong No.1.