New Zealand Shipping Company


The New Zealand Shipping Company was a shipping company whose ships ran passenger and cargo services between Great Britain and New Zealand between 1873 and 1973.
A group of Christchurch businessmen, including Hugh Murray-Aynsley and John Coster, founded the company in 1873. There were seven initial directors, including George Gould Snr., Coster, John Thomas Peacock, William Reeves, and John Anderson. The company gradually established a fleet of vessels, using Māori names for each. From 1875 the livery consisted of black hulls, white superstructure and yellow funnels.
In 1882, the company's ships were equipped with refrigeration. and a frozen meat service began from New Zealand to England.
Company policy dictated a stop at Pitcairn Islands, in the Pacific, to break the monotony of the ocean crossing.

Federal Steam Navigation Company

In 1912, an agreement was reached whereby the Federal Steam Navigation Company was absorbed into the New Zealand Shipping Company, but the Federal Steam Navigation ships would retain their distinctive house flag, and continue to be named after English counties, thereby retaining their individual identities. The Federal Steam Navigation Company was registered in England for tax purposes, whereas the New Zealand Shipping Company continued to be registered in New Zealand.

Joint operation

During the First World War, nine ships were lost from a fleet of 32. During the Second World War 19 ships were lost from a fleet of 36.

Closure

The services of both companies were absorbed into the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company in 1973 after exactly 100 years of service.

Ships

NZSC operated a number of ships, some purpose built, others acquired from other operators by purchase, lease or charter.
ShipTypeDate launchedDate acquiredDate disposedFate/ next assignment
AorangiReefer/passenger liner18831914Scrapped 1925
British Kingcargo/passenger ship1881chartered 18821884Scuttled at Port Arthur 1904
Copticcargo/passenger ship1881chartered 18831884Scrapped 1926
Doriccargo/passenger ship1883chartered 18831884Wrecked 1911
Fenstantonsteamship1882chartered 18831884Grounded and wrecked
Hurunincargo/passenger ship1875Collided and sank the Waitara in 1883
Ioniccargo/passenger ship1883chartered 18831884Scrapped 1908
Kaikoura cargo/passenger ship18841899Sold to British-India Steam Navigation Company
Kaikoura Reefer/passenger ship1903
KaiparaReefer/passenger ship1903
Mataura barque18681874 1894Sold and renamed Alida. Wrecked 1900
Mataura Reefer/passenger ship18961898Wrecked in the Strait of Magellan 12 January 1898
Otaki Reefer/passenger liner19081917Sunk by the German raider 10 March 1917
Otaki Reefer/passenger liner1934Sold to Clan Line and renamed Clan Robertson
OtoramaSold
Papanui
PaparoaReefer/passenger ship189917 March 1926 caught fire and sank in the Indian Ocean
Piako clipper1877Sold, lost 1900
Piako Reefer19201920 1941Torpedoed and sunk 18 May 1941 by U-107
Piako Reefer/passenger ship196119621979Sold to Blue Ocean Compania Maritima SA. Scrapped 1984
Rakaiacargo/passenger ship30 December 19441946 1971Scrapped
Rakanoa
Rangitane diesel passenger liner27 May 1929December 19291940Sunk by enemy 26 November 1940
Rangitane diesel passenger liner30 June 194915 December 1949May 1968Sold to CY Tung, Scrapped Taiwan, 1976
Rangitatadiesel passenger liner26 March 192919291962Scrapped
Rangitikidiesel passenger liner192919291962Scrapped
Rangitotodiesel passenger liner12 June 194925 August 1949August 1969Sold to CY Tung, Scrapped Hong Kong, 1976
Remuera passenger steamer19111940Sunk by aerial torpedo 26 August 1940
Remuera cargo/passenger liner19471961 1964Sold to Eastern & Australia Steamship Company.
Rimutaka 1888
Rimutaka Reefer/passenger ship1901
Rimutaka passenger steamer19221938 1950Sold to Incres Shipping Company
Rotorua passenger steamer19101917Torpedoed and sunk 22 March 1917 by UC-17
Rotorua cargo/passenger ship19111936 1940Torpedoed and sunk 11 December 1940 by U-96
Ruahine 1891
Ruahine 19091949Sailed under Italian flag; scrapped 1957
Ruahine diesel passenger liner19511968Sailed under Hong Kong flag; scrapped 1974
Ruapehu passenger and refrigerated cargo ship1901Sold to be broken up on 5 August 1931
Stad Haarlemcargo/passenger ship1875leased 1879
Tekoa
Tongariropassenger cargo vessel188318831899Sold to British-India Steam Navigation Company
Turakina Reefer/passenger ship1902
Turakina 19231940
Waikato
WaimateReefer/passenger ship1896
Waitaracargo/passenger ship18631883Wrecked following a collision with Hurunin
WakanuiReefer/passenger ship1898
Warrimoopassenger189218991901Sold to Union Steamship company
Whakatane

During World War II, Rangitata operated as a troopship, returning to civilian service by 1949.