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ruud
26th February 2007, 17:51
Ahoy,
One of our members asked me lately,about this tug, the usual stuff i.e. details/photo, but I didn't succeed,only found a profile,as she was built in the Netherlands at the Niestern yard[255] for Tonga,after they had built a coaster called AONIU[253]and were very pleased with that vessel with passenger accomodation; so I did some research,and here's what came out.
It starts with their late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV:
Taufa'ahau Tupou IV was an active & keen sportsman (ao. high jumping and rowing) and religiously participant in his youth, and he studied rights in the university of Sydney, Australia. He is considered as the first inhabitant of Tonga with a diploma. He became by his mother in 1943, minister of education, in 1944, to minister of health care and in 1949, to premier. He was to his dead still a religious participant within the Free Wesleyan Church.
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As a crown prince and as king he maintained narrow contacts with the Netherlands, especially in maritime area. In 1959 he visited the Netherlands, because of the construction of the coaster AONIU and the tug HIFOFUA at scheepswerf Niestern in Delfzijl for Tonga Copra board in Nuku'alofa. The Dutchman Joop Schut accompanied for three years the training of Tonganese sailors. In October 1985 the King visited Rotterdam to orient himself in the field of port development.

More can be read at the Wikipedia link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taufa%27ahau_Tupou_IV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taufa%27ahau_Tupou_IV)

If anyone has more piccies of that tug, please feel free to post them here.

non descript
1st March 2007, 13:54
[QUOTE=ruud;111379]The Dutchman Joop Schut accompanied for three years the training of Tonganese sailors. QUOTE]

Nice one Ruud, and yes, that figures... Non-Tongans can only stay for 36 months.


(Thumb)

flyer682
3rd March 2007, 10:20
Like you ruud, I've also only ever seen that profile model of the tug. I would be interested to see a photo as well.
Also - anyone know what happened to the AONUI?

Gulpers
3rd March 2007, 13:54
Like you ruud, I've also only ever seen that profile model of the tug. I would be interested to see a photo as well.
Also - anyone know what happened to the AONUI?

Curious! Regarding AONIU, according to LR she is, or was, TAONIU.

Built: 1958-05
Yard: Gebr. Niestern N.V. Scheepswerven (Yard No.253)
Port of Registration: Suva
Flag: Fiji
IMO No. 5020653
Gross: 514
Dwt: 559
C/S: 3DPJ

Continued existence in doubt.

Her only mishap she seems to be a stranding in Suva Harbour on 15/1/81 during cyclone "Arthur". TAONIU was refloated next day with no serious damage.

kintyre boy
8th October 2009, 23:28
I have, somewhere, pictures of the Hifofua.

My father was her Captain from about 1959 -1963.

I am just about to have his TONGAN NAVAL CAP BADGE No.4 framed.

No.'s 1 & 2 were given to the Marine Superintendant and father got 3 & 4.

No.3 was lost along with his cap in a hurricane.