Shaw Savill liners to be car ferries

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32679, 7 August 1971, Page 19

Shaw Savill liners to be car ferries

"The Preu" Special Service

WELLINGTON, August 6.

Three former Shaw Savill passenger liners—the Akaroa, the Arawa, and the Aranda—well known in the New Zea-land-United Kingdom trade, have been sold to Norwegian buyers for conversion into carcarriers.

The three A class ships were acquired from the Royal Mail Lines, an associate company of Shaw Savill, in 1968. Of 18,000 gross tons, the Akaroa was formerly the Amazon, the Aranda the Aragon, and the Arawa the Arlanza.

The ships were given major refits and the first, second, and third class accommoda- ’ tion made one class. The ' company’s idea was to run the ships empty of cargo 1 from England and spend a ' short time loading on the New Zealand coast.

Surprise was expressed in shipping circles about the success of the venture at the time, specially after the New Zealand Shipping Company had withdrawn its cargo passenger liners, the Ruahine, the Rangitoto, and the Rangitane.

The A class ships, which were widely advertised as the White Heron fleet, were al! withdrawn during the past 12 months. The Akaroa recently made one trip to New Zealand empty of passengers and under charter to the company.

The new owner of the ships is Leif Hoegh of Oslo. The Aranda is already at Rijeka, Jugoslavia, being converted into a car carrier. Her new name is Hoegh Traveller. The new names of her sisters have not yet been announced.