Saturday 19 December 2009

Ship No 21

WM. MESSINA

Built for the Union Castle line, a single screw Tug at 121 gross ton’s.
Length overall of 90 feet being 20 feet at her beam this was a large tug for her day.
I don’t have any photo’s as yet as she was launched such a long time ago, it must have been around the early 1920’s so if anyone out there has a pic’s or any further info then please feel free to get in touch.
The William Messina, spent most of her time in Africa as far as I can find out and she was scrapped in Durban, South Africa in 1967
The following was an order to build 8 Dumb Barges for East African Lighterage, all at 85 tons and with a length of 85feet this would have been a very welcome order indeed.
The barges were designated as Ship Nos 22 to Ship No 29.


S.A.Wolraad Woltemade (Ship No 516) makes short work of a large tow.
When launched she was the biggest tug in the world. 

1 comment:

Jose said...

Excelent picture!,a real "fighter"in the lead,how beautiful these tugs were,fortunately we can admire the "Smit Amandla",what was the "John Ross",but I liked its original appearence more,but its service today is a luxury!thank you very much for posting such emotional memories!...