Revised 11 January 2003
TEESSHIPS
SPRINGBOK
LINE
FLEET LIST
1.1.03: Having received the WSS SAFMARINE history among my Christmas presents I was intrigued to note this identifies another ship as having been in Springbok ownership, albeit for less than one month!!
This was the SOUTH AFRICAN SCULPTOR, originally completed in 1954 as the CLAN STEWART. In June 1961 it is shown that she was acquired by Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd., with a proposal that she be renamed SPRINGBOK. However, this was rapidly overtaken by events, namely that from 1.7.1961 the Springbok company was absorbed by Safmarine and the name change which did take place was to SOUTH AFRICAN SCULPTOR, until the next year moving back to Clan Line, but with a Union-Castle name of KINPURNIE CASTLE. Sold to Greek owners in 1968 and renamed HELLENIC MED, being broken up as such in 1978.
From personal observation the eventual renaming for the CLAN STEWART as SOUTH AFRICAN SCULPTOR took place at Smith's Docks on the Tees in August 1961.
Added 11.1.03: CLAN STEWART (Photo: World Ship Photo Library)
A LEAP BACK IN TIME - SPRINGBOK SHIPPING CO. LTD.
FLEET LIST
(Photo by Alex Duncan)
1. BOSBOK
(1960-61)
O.N. 182148 Tonnages and dimensions: 8405g 4430n 11000dw 5127" x 664"
x 2711½"
3 steam turbines double reduction geared to screw shaft by Parsons Marine
Turbine Co., Wallsend-on-Tyne.
17.1.50 launched by Greenock Dockyard Co. Ltd., Greenock (Yard no. 472) as CLAN
SINCLAIR for The Clan Line Steamers Ltd. (Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Ltd. -
managers) / 4.50: Completed / 1959: within British & Commonwealth Group
transferred to Bullard, King & Co. Ltd.; name unchanged / 12.59: transferred
to Springbok Line Ltd., London; name unchanged / 1.60: transferred to Springbok
Shipping Co. Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently renamed BOSBOK /
1.7.61: company sold by British & Commonwealth Shipping Co. Ltd. to South
African Marine Corporation Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, vessel remained in
ownership by Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd. (South African Marine Corporation Ltd.
- managers) and subsequently renamed SOUTH AFRICAN STATESMAN / 1966: renamed S.A.
STATESMAN / 3.11.72: arrived Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to be broken up by Li Chong
Steel Corporation.
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(Photo by John Clarkson)
2. GEMSBOK
(1960-61)
O.N. 168986 9221g 4873n 10145dw 4877" x 630" x 2910"
Refrigerated twin screw vessel fitted with 2 x 3-cylinder triple expansion
engines by J.G. Kincaid & Co. Ltd., Greenock.
17.4.1942: launched by Greenock Dockyard Co. Ltd., Greenock (Yard no. 450) as
EMPIRE MIGHT for Ministry of War Transport (Blue Star Line Ltd. - managers) /
8.42: Completed / 17.4.46: sold through the Ministrys Ship Disposal Scheme to
The Clan Line Steamers Ltd. (Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Ltd. - managers) and
renamed CLAN MACRAE / 1959: within British & Commonwealth Group transferred
to Bullard, King & Co. Ltd. and renamed UMGENI / 12.59: transferred to
Springbok Line Ltd., London; name unchanged / 1.60: transferred to Springbok
Shipping Co. Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently renamed GEMSBOK /
1.7.61: company sold by British & Commonwealth Shipping Co. Ltd. to South
African Marine Corporation Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, vessel remained in
ownership by Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd. (South African Marine Corporation Ltd.
- managers); renamed SOUTH AFRICAN FINANCIER / 20.1.62: arrived Antwerp and sold
to Rederj Weis Muller, Baarn (Holland); renamed SANTA MARIA DE ORDAS for
delivery voyage to Spanish shipbreakers at Valencia, arriving 10.2.62. / 3.62:
breaking up began.
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The GRYSBOK sails from the Tees on 5 July 1961 (Photo by Mike Ridgard)
3. GRYSBOK
(1960-61)
O.N. 165973 8181g 3885n 9830dw 5054" x 649" x 286Ό"
Refrigerated twin screw vessel; 6 steam turbines double reduction geared to two
screw shafts by Parsons Marine Turbine Co., Wallsend-on-Tyne.
30.11.39: launched by Greenock Dockyard Co. Ltd., Greenock (Yard no. 436) as
LANARKSHIRE for Scottish Shire Line Ltd (Turnbull, Martin & Co. Ltd. -
managers) / 4.40: completed / 1959: within British & Commonwealth Group
transferred to Bullard, King & Co. Ltd. and renamed UMGAZI / 12.59:
transferred to Springbok Line Ltd., London; name unchanged / 1.60: transferred
to Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently
renamed GRYSBOK / 1.7.61: company sold by British & Commonwealth Shipping
Co. Ltd. to South African Marine Corporation Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa,
vessel remained in ownership by Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd. (South African
Marine Corporation Ltd. - managers) and subsequently renamed SOUTH AFRICAN
FARMER / 20.1.63: arrived Aioi, Japan, to be broken up.
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(Photo by John Clarkson)
4. KLIPBOK
(1960-61)
O.N. 169720 7280g 3491n 8922dw 4700" x 592" x 287"
Refrigerated twin screw vessel; 6 cylinder triple expansion engines and two low
pressure turbines with double reduction gearing and hydraulic couplings by Swan,
Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd., Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
1.9.43: launched by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd.,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Yard no. 1740) as UMTATA for Bullard, King & Co. Ltd. /
1.44: completed / 12.59: within British & Commonwealth Group transferred to
Springbok Line Ltd., London; name unchanged / 1.60: transferred to Springbok
Shipping Co. Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently renamed KLIPBOK
(but retained British flag and London registry) / 13.6.61: reported sold to
Japanese shipbreakers and 5.9.61 arrived Yokosuka to be broken up. / 14.9.61
breaking up began.
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(Photo by Alex Duncan)
The ROOIBOK arrives in the Tees (Photos by Albert Weller - WSS Teesside Branch Weller Collection)
5. ROOIBOK
(1960-61)
O.N. 185012 7898g 4111n 10118dw 5020" x 658" x 273"
3 steam turbines double reduction geared to screw shaft by Parsons Marine
Turbine Co., Wallsend-on-Tyne
17.3.54 launched by Greenock Dockyard Co. Ltd., Greenock (Yard no. 482) as CLAN
ROBERTSON for The Clan Line Steamers Ltd. (Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Ltd. -
managers) / 6.54: Completed / 1959: within British & Commonwealth Group
transferred to Bullard, King & Co. Ltd. and renamed UMZINTO / 12.59:
transferred to Springbok Line Ltd., London; name unchanged. / 1.60: transferred
to Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently
renamed ROOIBOK / 1.7.61: company sold by British & Commonwealth Shipping
Co. Ltd. to South African Marine Corporation Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa,
vessel remained in ownership by Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd. (South African
Marine Corporation Ltd. - managers) and subsequently renamed SOUTH AFRICAN
SHIPPER / 1966: renamed S.A. SHIPPER / 26.11.75: arrived Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to
be broken up.
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(Photo by Alex Duncan)
6. STEENBOK
(1960-61)
O.N. 182140 8101g 4630n 10955dw 5127" x 664" x 280½"
3 steam turbines double reduction geared to screw shaft by Parsons Marine
Turbine Co., Wallsend-on-Tyne
23.8.49 launched by Greenock Dockyard Co. Ltd., Greenock (Yard no. 471) as CLAN
SHAW for The Clan Line Steamers Ltd. (Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Ltd. - managers)
/ 1.50: Completed / 1959: within British & Commonwealth Group transferred to
Bullard, King & Co. Ltd.; name unchanged / 12.59: transferred to Springbok
Line Ltd., London; name unchanged / 1.60: transferred to Springbok Shipping Co.
Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently renamed STEENBOK / 1.7.61:
company sold by British & Commonwealth Shipping Co. Ltd. to South African
Marine Corporation Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, vessel remained in ownership
by Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd. (South African Marine Corporation Ltd. -
managers) and subsequently renamed SOUTH AFRICAN SEAFARER / 1966: renamed S.A.
SEAFARER. / 1.7.66: grounded at entrance to Table Bay and broke back; all
passengers and crew rescued; total loss.
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7. SOUTH AFRICAN FARMER (1961-63) - see GRYSBOK
8. SOUTH AFRICAN FINANCIER (1961-62) - see GEMSBOK
9. SOUTH AFRICAN SEAFARER (1961-66) - see STEENBOK
10. SOUTH AFRICAN SHIPPER (1961-66) - see ROOIBOK
11. SOUTH AFRICAN STATESMAN (1961-66) - see BOSBOK
12. S.A. SEAFARER (1966) - see STEENBOK
13. S.A. SHIPPER (1966-75) - see ROOIBOK
14. S.A. STATESMAN (1966-72) - see BOSBOK
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(Reproduced from SHIPS IN FOCUS RECORD 4)
15. S.A.
WELTEVREDEN (1976-77; 1981-82)
O.N. 350504 10545g 6152g 12000dw 5422" x 750" x 300"
Refrigerated vessel; 6 cylinder 2 single acting MAN oil engines by Verolme
Machfbk, Ijsselmonde.
19.4.66: launched by Verolme Schpswerf, Alblasserdam (Holland) (Yard no. 724) as
S.A. WELTEVREDEN for South African Marine Corporation Ltd., Cape Town, South
Africa / 1966: completed / 1975: lengthened to 6308Ό"; tonnages
increased to 12374g 7253n 16382dw / 1976: ownership transferred to Springbok
Shipping Co. Ltd. (South African Marine Corporation Ltd. - managers) / 1977:
renamed SAFOCEAN WELTEVREDEN for Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd. / 1981: renamed S.A.
WELTEVREDEN for Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd. / 1982: sold to Comino Navigation
Co. Ltd. (Diana Shipping Agencies S.A. - managers), Malta flag; renamed AGIA
MARINA / 1984: sold to Chiriqui Compania Maritima S.A. (Diana Shipping Agencies
S.A. - managers), Greece; name unchanged / 1987: managers restyled Diana
Shipping Services S.A. / 30.4.88: arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to be broken up,
having been laid-up at Piraeus since 10.8.83 / 16.5.88: demolition commenced by
Sing Cheng Yung Iron & Steel Co. Ltd.
(NOTE: As AGIA MARINA this ship was incorrectly recorded only as ex S.A.
WELTEVREDEN-82 in Lloyds Register of Ships.)
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16. SAFOCEAN WELTEVREDEN (1977-81) - see S.A. WELTEVREDEN.
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