History


       





RETURN TO THE HOMEPAGE                                                                                                                                                                                                             R.M.M.V. RANGITANE 1949



New Zealand Shipping Company era (1949 - 1968):

With the success of the prewar Rangitiki and Rangitata, the New Zealand Shipping Company decided to build three new ships in the postwar period. These were the Rangitoto and Rangitane both completed in 1949 and the smaller Ruahine completed in 1951. These were the final three ships built for the New Zealand Shipping Company.

The Rangitane was built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne in 1949 and was named to honour her prewar precessor which was torpedoed and sunk in 1940. She sailed on the London to New Zealand service via the Panama Canal until 1965 when she was transferred to Federal Steam Navigation Company (Federal Line). In 1968 the Rangitane and Rangitoto were withdrawn from service and sold to Orient Overseas Line.

Orient Overseas Line era (1969 - 1976):

The Rangitane was renamed Oriental Esmeralda by Orient Overseas Line and served on the round-the-world service from 1969.  In 1972 she was retired from service and in 1976 was sold to Taiwanese breakers in Kaoshiung.

















(c) The AJN Transport Britain Collection 2010                                                                                                                                                                                 A Edward Elliott