Good Hope Castle (2) (Union Castle)

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shipstamps
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Good Hope Castle (2) (Union Castle)

Post by shipstamps » Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:15 am





Good Hope Castle (2)was the last ship ever built for Union Castle. Built by Swan Hunter she was launched on 16th February 1966.
She was built as a refrigerated fruit and mail ship and had an identical sister, SOUTHAMPTON CASTLE. In 1967 she had accommodation built for 12 passengers.
On 29th June 1973 she caught fire and was abandoned 35 miles north-east of Ascension Island. The fire was extinguished and she was towed to Antwerp for repairs. She did not return to service until May 1974.
She was withdrawn in 1977 and was laid up in Southampton along with her sister Southampton Castle. In 1978 they were both sold to Costa Lines and she was renamed PAOLO C and her sister renamed FRANCA C. Paolo C was sold to Chinese shipbreakers in 1984.

aukepalmhof
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Re: Good Hope Castle (2) (Union Castle)

Post by aukepalmhof » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:08 pm

Built under yard No. 2011 by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Wallsend, for the Union Castle Mail SS Co. Ltd., London.
16 Feb. 1964 launched under the name GOOD HOPE CASTLE.
Tonnage 10.538 gross, 4.235 net, 11.034dwt., dim. 180.68 x 23.6 x 9.47m. (draught), length between pp. 166.12m.
Powered by two 8 cyl. Wallsend-Sulzer diesels, 35.200 bhp, speed service 22.5 knots, maximum 28 knots, twin screws.
Reefer capacity 380.310 cubic feet, dry cargo 203.000 cubic feet. Did have tanks to carry 60.000 gallons of wine in bulk. Seven holds. Containers could be carried on Nos 3, 4, 5 and 6 hatches, and the weather decks abreast of these. Altogether she could carry 66 TEU’s. Cargo handling equipment consisted of 6 – 15 ton derricks and a 40-ton Hallen swinging derrick.
Not any passengers were carried.
December 1965 delivered to owners. Her delivery date was delayed by almost 4 months due to an acute labour shortage.

She was the first of two fast cargo-mail liners designed to keep a schedule with the large passenger-mail ships of the line in the service between the U.K. and South Africa. They were designed in maintaining an 11½-day schedule between Southampton and Cape Town.
14 January 1966 sailed from Southampton for her maiden voyage.

Cammel Laird, Birkenhead, added in 1967 accommodation for 12 passengers. This was to enable passengers to be carried to and from Ascension and St Helena Island following the withdrawal of the CAPETOWN CASTLE calls.

29June 1973 she caught fire in the engine room shortly after sailing from Ascension Island, bound for Cape Town and Durban, the fire spread quickly through the vessel, and the 82 crew and passengers left the burning vessel in lifeboats and were picked up by the Liberian tanker GEORGE F. GETTY and landed at Ascension. The SOUTHAMPTON CASTLE was standing by the burning vessel about 30 miles from Ascension. When the fire was contained some crewmembers boarded her again on 03 July.
First she was towed to Antwerp by the German salvage tug ALBATROS, where she arrived on 18 August.
The contract for her repair was awarded to Astilleros Espanoles at Bilbao, Spain, towed to Bilbao by the tug HEROS.
After her repairs were completed in May 1974 she was back in service on 31 May.
26 September 1977 she completed her last voyage in the mail service at Southampton. Sailed on 30 September for an additional voyage to keep the islands of St Helena and Ascension supplied, made the voyage via Zeebrugge, Belgium to South Africa. Returned via Vlissingen (Flushing) on 8 December 1977 in Southampton.

February 1978 sold to Costa Armatori Spa. In Genoa, Italy, renamed PAOLA C.
1984 Sold to Court Shipping Co. Ltd. in Malta and renamed PAOLA.
Trough Allseas International Management Ltd. in Malta the same year sold to breakers in China.
28 June 1984 she sailed from Jeddah in route from Trieste, and arrived at Dalian, China on 22 July 1984 for breaking up.

Sources: Navicula. Register of Merchant Ships Completed in 1965. Merchant Fleets in profile by Duncan Haws. Merchant Ships World Built Volume XIV. Marine News. http://fp.redduster.f9.co.uk/UNION20.htm http://www.union-castle-line.com/history/1973.htm
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