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Union Rotorua & Union Rotoiti

37K views 73 replies 19 participants last post by  Ken Matthews - shipwright 
#1 ·
What happened to the Union Rotorua and Union Rotoriti? I remember seeing them both frequently in Sydney in the late 80's. Does anyone have any good photos of them?
 
#3 ·
Union Rotoiti is still in service on the Tasman as Rotoiti operated by CP Ships formerly ANZDL. Union Rotorua was plugged in to provide power to Auckland a few years back during a power crisis. After the stint as a power station she was withdrawn and sold. She was never reengined as the Rotoiti was. I recall the Union Rotorua was sold to Asian interests and is still in service somewhere.
 
#6 ·
ROTOITI can still be seen at Sydney, although her time left in service must be running out.
Last time I saw her at Lyttelton about a year ago, (she doesn't call here anymore) she had a black hull with blue funnel and a black top, with a large white "A" on the blue.
Now registered in Nassau if I remember correctly.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Union Rotorua

Matt, more photos to follow, also during new construction, but need more time,
meanwhile......

Her sister here, just coming back from completion of sea trials near Whyalla, 29th Sept, 1976.

copyright pictures: Kasper W. (USSCo Whyalla at the time, later stationed in Melbourne also by USSCo)
 

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#15 ·
Union Rotorua

An interesting fact perhaps not generally known about the UNION ROTORUA is that she went to Singapore after her delivery on 5 October 1976 to have stabilizers fitted. She arrived there on 15 October going into Dock at Jurong Shipyard later the same day. She undocked on 31 October, underwent sea trials and sailed at 0110 on the 1 November. Her return trip was thwarted with problems and she diverted to Brisbane after a oil leak developed in the stern tube/propeller area on the 10 November. She was docked at Brisbane for repairs which lasted a week, after which she sailed for Sydney to take on her first cargo.
 
#17 ·
Interesting story indeed, as far as I know both had them fitted. I even took photos when we applied the coatings as that was a bit tricky.
Photos....??where are they? Probably at the tip.

I will check whether Kasper still got some, we have to go through his photo albums, so waiting for a rainy day (don't say that should not take long as I live in Melbourne.......thought just rub this in before you come with statements of this kind)
Jan
 
#20 · (Edited)
Union Rotorua

Drydocking in Newcastle at the State Dockyard (later Forgacs) in 1980.

Photos by courtesy of Kasper W. , at the time resident engineer of USSCo.

On one of the photos you can see that they would have problems drawing the tailshaft for which purpose they hired a barge as a form of extension to the floating dock.
 

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