Taken by Don Meehan / Chris Howell, www.shipspotting.com
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Built in Leith, she was launched on 8 January 1956 for Union Company, and powered by a British Polar diesel. She was specially designed to carry pyritic ores from shallow draft ports in Australia.
She was converted to carry bulk sugar in late 1972, and served Hethking Steamships in this way for six years, before being sold to New Hebrides interests. Then in 1981, she was sold to Cathargo Navigation, and came under Warner Pacific Line's management, another vessel in their fleet linking Onehunga with our Pacific Island friends, in her case succeeding "Niuvakai".
On a visit to Tokelau early in 1985, she had the pleasure of then New Zealand Prime Minister, David Lange, on board.
Later that year, "Avondale" set sail from Tauranga via Ponape and the Caroline Islands to Kaohsiung, where she was broken up in March 1986.
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