TAMA MARU Car-Carrier class

[aukepalmhof]

Mr Peter Crichton has identified the car-carrier given on this stamp as one of the sisters TAMA MARU, SAGAMI MARU, SURUGA MARU or TSURUMI MARU three were built for the Mitsui-OSK Lines, Japan and the SAGAMI MARU for Hinode Kissen K.K. & Showa Kaiun KK, Tokyo, Japan.
Three were built by Hitachi in Maizuru, only the TAMA MARU was built by the Hitachi yard in Sakurajima.
Tonnage and dimensions when built:

TAMA MARU: 6,998 grt, 2,948, 9.222 dwt., dim. 174.5 x 25.43 x 8.11m. (all four ships have the same dim.)
11 November 1971 launched.
1972 Completed.

1985 Renamed in FORTUNE I.
12 January 1988 arrived by the breakers yard in Kaohsiung.

SURUGA MARU: 7,016 grt, 2,949 net, 9,266 dwt.
25 February 1972 launched.
1973 Completed.

01 October 1987 she arrived by the breakers yard in Kaohsiung under the name she was launched.

SAGAMI MARU: 6,828 grt, 2,717 net, 8,677 dwt.
21 December 1972 launched.
1973 Completed.

1987 Renamed in NORTH STAR.
1988 TIERNO.
1990 AMCAR.
1991 HONSHU
1994 OPAL RAY.
Under the last name she arrived on 13 February 2002 in Alang for scrapping.

TSURUMI MARU: 6,823 grt, 2,717 net, 8,717 dwt,
14 May 1973 launched.
May 1973 completed.

1983 Renamed in DOMINICANSTARS.
1983 Renamed the same year in JADE ACE
04 January 1988 arrived at Kaohsiung for scrapping.

According to Lloyds Maritime Directory for 1983 the first three ships (and I would not surprised if possibly the fourth also) were operated by Nissan Motor Car Carrier Co Ltd. and a such would have a light blue hull with the Nissan funnel colors,
In the 1983 the vessels were regular visitors to U.K. ports, bringing Japanese cars. Today (1997) Nissan car-carrying ships are still regular visitors to ports in the North East of England but now they take cars rather than bring them.
The funnel colors on the stamp belong to the U.S.S.R, but these ships have never sailed under the Hammer & Sickle. (At that time when the stamp was issued Russia did not have any car-carriers).

I can only find that the ships did have one diesel engine, one shaft, speed 18 knots.

Kampuchea 1988 50c sg892, scott

Source: Peter Crichton. http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz

[D. v. Nieuwenhuijzen]

TAMA MARU
#159, Loa:174,50m. Lbp:164,01m. Br:25,46m. depth:8,11m. draft:7,22m. 1-9 cyl. B&W/Hitachi Zosen engine:12.400 hp. (9121 kW.) 18 kn. IMO.7205269.
'85 sold to Irvington Navigation Inc., Panama renamed in FORTUNE 1.
(LR88/89)