Service
p. 11 · Read in the full issue
New Tofua For Islands
Union Steamship Company has ordered a new motor-vessel for the Island trade. It is not. however, ex pected that the new ship will be in opera tion until 1951.
She will be called “Tofua” after another Union Company ship which was formerly in the Island trade.
An order for the new vessel has been placed with William Denny and Brothers, Ltd., Dumbarton, Scotland. The same firm built the previous “Tofua.”
The ship will meet requirements re sulting from the intention of the admin istrative authorities in Samoa, Fiji and Rarotonga to increase fruit production for
export to New Zealand. When the “Tofua” is in service it should be practicable to dis charge island fruit at Wel lington and Lyttleton as well as at Auckland.
Gross tonnage of the new ship will be 5,300, or a little larger than the “Matua,” which is of 4,193 gross tons.
She will be diesel powered, with a speed of 15 knots. In each of the five holds the latest system of refrigeration for the carriage of fresh fruit cargo will be installed.