NEW SHIP LAUNCHED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23431, 22 August 1939, Page 11

NEW SHIP LAUNCHED

PORT LINE SERVICE TRADE WITH DOMINIONS SECOND VESSEL BEING BUILT [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Monday Advice has been received by the Port Line that the Port Quebec was launched at the yards of Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson, Limited, Wallscnd-on-Tyne, by Mrs. WarwickGregory, wife of tho New Zealand manager, 'lhe new ship, which is similar in type to the Port Halifax, is for the M.A.N.Z. Lino service. Another ship, the Port Napier, will ho ready for launching at tho same yards in about two months' time. Tho Port Quebec, a motor-ship of about 6000 _ tons gross, will maintain tho Port Line's service from Eastern Canada to Australia and New Zealand with her sister ships Port Halifax, Port Montreal and Port Saint John. The vessels are all of the open shelter deck typo and specially designed for the trade. £ Tho Port Napier, which is believed to be destined for the company's trade between England and New Zealand and Australia, will be a larger vessel. Slio will revive a name well-known on tho Dominion coast. The old Port Line steamer Port Napier, after a quarter of a century under the British flag, was sold to Italian owners last year and named Mar Bianco. A twin-screw steamer of 8443 tons gross, she Avas built in 1912 as tho Hawke's Bay for tho Tyscr Lino. With the amalgamation of tho Tyr.?r Line and threo other companies to form the Port Line, then tho Commonwealth and Dominion Line, in 1913, tho ship was renamed Port Napier. Sold out of the company in 1936, she traded for about two years as the Martand in tho Brocklebank Line.