Taken by Chris Howell, www.shipspotting.com
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Built in Hong Kong for Union Company, she was powered by one 2880hp British Polar diesel engine, which produced a service speed of 13 knots.
She had deck cranes with mechanically-operated hatch covers, and a cargo capacity of 4,835 cubic metres, 80 cubic metres of which was for refrigerated cargo.
As "Karepo", she made one visit to Onehunga, in November 1975.
She was sold to Singaporean interests in 1978, and within the year was operating as "Pacific Viking". Her sole visit to Onehunga under this name saw her loading cargo bound for the Philippines.
While berthed at Pyrmont, Sydney, in June 1982, the Australian Seamen's Union, seemingly as part of their campaign against flag of convenience shipping, placed a black ban on the ship, alleging her crew accommodation was sub-standard.
The Singapore Seamen's Union denied this was the case. Meanwhile, some sections of Singapore's Government sought a month-long ban on Australian goods in retaliation, while her largely Papuan and Fijian crew asked for assistance to allow the ship to sail.
This event finally took place on 27 June, without authorisation. The Master let go her lines, eased off the berth and down Darling Harbour, with a number of vessels in hot pursuit, including a pilot cutter - she had set sail without a pilot on board, an extremely serious offence.
The Master navigated her clear of Sydney Heads and very likely out of Australian waters forever - if the annals of shipping relations between Singapore and Australia are ever written, this ship is guaranteed a chapter all its own!
She was broken up in Rayong in December 1986.
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