Sunny conditions added to the pleasure of watching the cruise ship Saga Ruby arriving at Port Chalmers last week.
But more significantly, this vessel brought back memories of an era when British shipbuilders produced passenger liners noted for their classic and graceful lines.
From a historical perspective, Saga Ruby was the last of these built in the United Kingdom and also on the Tyne.
Built for the Norwegian America Line of Oslo, the order for its construction was awarded to the Hebburn yard of Swan Hunter Shipbuilders Ltd. Launched as Vistafjord on May 15, 1972, the ship was delivered exactly one year later. Designed to operate at 21 knots, the twin screw vessel is powered by two nine-cylinder Sulzer diesels, each having an output of 24,324bhp. The ship was modelled on the lines of the French-built Sagafjord of 1965 but was given a larger hull, additional superstructure and an improved interior layout.
As a result of the Norwegian America Line having trouble making a profit, Sagafjord and Vistafjord retained these names when sold to Cunard in 1983.
The latter ship, renamed Caronia in 1999, was given the name Saga Ruby when it was bought by the Saga Shipping Co in 2004.
Sagafjord, which also operated briefly as Gripsholm, became Saga Rose in 1997.
The 24,492gt Saga Ruby has berths for 670 passengers. It made its first visit last year on February 26, showing London as the port of registry. In June, it was transferred to the Maltese flag. It is the largest and oldest of the three vessels operated by Saga Holidays of Folkestone.
Cruises on these ships are limited to the 50-plus age group. The 18,591gt Saga Pearl II, built in 1981 and purchased two years ago, made one call here on January 15, 1999, as Arkona.
The smallest unit is the 9570gt Spirit of Adventure, dating from 1980, and added to the fleet in 2006. This 352-berth vessel is to visit Dunedin later this year. Because it would not comply with the Solas (Safety of Life at Sea) regulations that became effective last year, Saga Rose was phased out of service in October 2009, and laid-up at Gibraltar. Last year, it undertook another cruise to ports in Africa.
Then, on May 29, the veteran anchored at Shanghai, and two days later made its final voyage, further inland up the Yangtse River to Jiangyin, the home of China's largest ship dismantling facility, the Changjiang Ship recycling yard.
It made three calls here from February 2004, to February 2006, and an earlier one as Sagafjord on February 9, 2001.
Lead ship in a class of seven 23,294gt, bulk/lumber carriers that are now in service with the TPC Korea Company of Seoul, TPC Samjin departed yesterday after loading scrap metal at Dunedin.
Owned by KP08 International Ltd, this newcomer was laid down on January 14, 2009, launched on August 19, and delivered on December 18, 2009. It takes its name from its birthplace, the Samjin Shipbuilding Industries yard at Weihai, controlled by South Korean interests.
The third of these 14-knot, 33,700dwt vessels, TPC Lyttelton, loaded logs at Port Chalmers last September.
Other members of the class are TPCs Gisborne, Longview, Nelson, Timaru and Vancouver. All are registered at Majuro in the Marshall Islands.
