Can anyone tell me about an ocean liner called Orangi?

Question

This ship was in operation in the fifties...i would like to know what happened to it

Answer 1

This ship was taken from Southampton back in the late 70's to be scrapped.

Answer 2

Use your search bar

Answer 3

I think you mean the Aorangi built for the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand Limited in 1922

AORANGI

Vessel ID: 1148515

Official No: 148515

Vessel Type: Passenger ship

Tonnage: 17,491 gross

Owner: Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand Limited.

Built: 1924

Scrapped: 1953

Builder: Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Glasgow

Engine: 4 Fairfield-Sulzer diesels

Vessel Abstract: Regular service was Sydney, Auckland, Suva, Honolulu, Victoria and Vancouver.

Said to be the largest motor vessel in the world when she was built.

The AORANGI was built by Fairfields, Govan in 1922 for the Union SS Co of New Zealand's Canadian-Australian Line. She was a 17,491 gross ton motorship, length 600ft x beam 43.4ft, two funnels, two masts, four propellers and a speed of 18.5 knots.

There was accommodation for 440-1st, 300-2nd and 230-3rd class passengers.

Launched on 17th Jun.1924, she sailed from Southampton to Vancouver to take up her designated route and then started her maiden voyage on 6th Feb.1925 when she left Vancouver for Honolulu, Suva, Auckland, Wellington and Sydney.

Refitted in 1932 to carry 433-1st, 272-cabin and 165-3rd class and in 1938 to carry 248-1st, 266-cabin and 125-3rd class passengers.

She continued on the same service, but in Oct.1940 was diverted to take New Zealand troops to Fiji, before returning to her normal route.

In the summer of 1941 she was requisitioned by the Ministry of War Transport, sailed to the UK and was converted for trooping.

She carried reinforcements to Singapore, refugees from there to Australia, and then made trooping voyages to India, the Middle East and the Mediterranean as well as bringing US and Canadian troops to Europe.

She later acted as a depot ship in the Solent for a fleet of about 150 tugs and auxiliary ships during the Normandy invasion. This entailed supplying them with food, water, ammunition, engine spares as well as relief crews, medical supplies and acting as a hospital ship.

After this, she was converted to act as the commodore ship for the British Pacific Fleet. After the Japanese surrrender, she was used at Hong Kong as an accommodation ship for men released from war service and waiting to go home. Returned to her owners, she arrived at Sydney on 14th Apr.1946 and was refitted.

However, due to labour troubles, the refit wasn't completed until Aug.1948. She resumed service on 16th Sep.1948, but was still plagued with union troubles amongst her stewards and seamen, and she consistently ran at a loss. Subsidized by the Australian, New Zealand and Canadian governments, she continued to run until she arrived at Sydney on 4th Jun.1953.

She then sailed to Scotland where she was scrapped.[Steamers of the Past by Capt.J.H.Isherwood, Sea Breezes Magazine, Aug.1975]