What ship = Kyokko Maru

Hi Brent she looks like a fishing mother ship. The Japanese operated a number of them off the NZ coast - and just off as they would send their motorised dories well in and they would take anything and everything, no matter of size.I guess until NZ got its 200 mile exclusive economic zone the Japanese,Korean,Russian (USSR) and Taiwanese fishing fleets had a wonderful time thrashing our fisheries.
Regards and Happy New Year to you.
Emmanuel(Thumb)

Thanks for info Emmanuel. I've seen that funnel on a few reefers--maybe someone recognises the company.
Regards & happy New Year to you and yours.
Brent

Bit of a guess but maybe KYOKUYO MARU, 1945, 11446grt, 495 feet, ST aft classed as whale oil vessel of Kyokuyo Hogei K.K. (from LR 1963). Ex name TUSURUOKA MARU to 1955.

Rgds from Hull
George

Photo of TSURUOKA MARU (1945) shows no resemblance.

OK it was worth a try! Looked in LR 1959 and 1963 for similar name without success.

Hi George, I had a look at Kyokuyo Maru before posting. It was converted from a tanker during 1956,as I suspect the above ship was, but (as CVB says)the profile of Kyokuyo Maru is quite different. I think Emmanuel is right when he suggests it's a mother ship carrying fishing dories (which became familiar in NZ waters before we established our 200mile exclusion zone). The 'Kykko Maru on the back of the photo could have been a typo error as well--someone trying to remember a name and getting close--there's some interesting Japanese names out there!
Thanks for all your research. Regards, Brent

The company is Kyokuyo Hogei, which translates as Polar Seas Whaling which was established in 1937 and sent its first whaling expedition to Antarctica the following year. In 1956 the entire Onassis whaling fleet was bought and Antarctic whaling resumed, with the factory ship Olympic Challenger renamed Kyokuyo No 2. The company withdrew from whaling in 1976 but Hogei had been dropped from the title in 1971, reflecting the reduced importance of whaling. The company also operated mother-ship based ocean fisheries and this looks like one of the mother ships. In 1960 the closest name to the one quoted was Kyokko Maru, built 1956, 8600 grt, but I have no illustration for comparison.

Brent,
Bit slow today - didn't notice the rocks in the foreground suggesting this was taken as she passed Stirling Point. To confirm her identity:- Kyokko Maru sailed Bluff 24 September 1960 at 1550 for Timaru.
Best wishes for 2009.

Dave, that is first-class info--Mr Downes got the date right anyway, as well as a good photo. All the best for the New Year.
Regards, Brent

Wow... you lot are good... very very good. (Thumb)
PS. I moved it to Special Purposes Gallery, as this is the best I could think of as a place that is still accessible to all.