Moana Roa

[shipstamps]

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Cook Islands, a ls. 9d. stamp of the set depicts the Moana Roa as part of the design. She was built in 1960 by the Grangemouth Dockyard Co. Ltd. for the New Zealand Government (Department of Inland Territories), her port of registry being Auckland. Tonnages are gross, 2,893; net, 1,318; deadweight, 2,240. She has accommodation for 240 passengers and has two 7-cylinder Sulzer oil engines giving a speed of 131/2 knots.
Sea Breezes 5/68 SG225

[D. v. Nieuwenhuijzen]

Built in 1960 by Grangemouth Dockyard Co. Ltd., Scotland for the New Zealand Government.
Supply and passenger vessel, Gt:2893, Nt:1337, Dw:2276, Loa:90,37m. Lbpp:82,30m. Br:14,10m. D:6,71m. Draught:5,21m. 2-7 cyl. Clark/Sulzer diesels:3640 hp. (2694 kW.) 14 kn. pass:40, IMO.5237969.
Acquired by the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1975 and converted to a hydrographic servey vessel, renamed in HMNZS MONOWAI (A-06) displacement:3900 tons at full load, crew:126 and after 1980 armed with 2-20 mm. Oerlikons, in 1982, she was fitted out to carry a single Wasp helicopter.
She remained in RNZN service until 1997, performing various duties such as coastal serveying, resupply and surveillance. After decommissioned she was sold to Hebridian Island Cruises 1998, for conversion to a cruise ship but was found unsuitable for the role, laid up in Lowestoft and sold in 2003 to Spanish shipbreakers in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz.
During her naval service she was known as the ‘ghost of the coast’.
(Cook Islands 1967 18 c. StG.225)
LR88/89 + internet.