Hongkong Shipyards Among World’s Busiest, newspaper article 1939
HF: Sent in by IDJ and posted here 81 years to the day after first being published in 1939.
I am a little unsure of the spelling of one shipping company mentioned, indicated by [?] and would be grateful to be informed of any errors I have made in retyping the original article.
Hongkong Shipyards Among World’s Busiest
THE TOTAL SHIPPING under construction in HongKong at present will bear comparison with figures given by other countries for the 12 months ended June 30 this year.
Hongkong now has under construction 11 vessels aggregating 25,880 tons; so that, on an annual basis, she must at least rank above Italy in building position – or eighth in the world.
According to the annual report of Lloyd’s Register, Great Britain and Ireland led the shipping world in that period with 251 vessels of 810,308 tonnage.
Holland’s figures were 56 vessels of 130,933 tons, Germany’s 20 vessels of 135,934 tons, Denmark’s 14 vessels of 110,906 tons, Sweden’s 23 vessels of 109,363 tons, the United States’ 21 vessels of 78,166 tons, Japan’s 45 vessels of 60,518 tons, and Italy’s three vessels of 27,166 tons.
Construction figures in Hongkong at this time last year were 32,718 tons. This year’s and last year’s totals both include 20,000 tons in two twin-screw motor vessels of 10,000 tons each being built by the Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company of Hongkong Ltd. for the Glen Line. One the Breckenshire, is scheduled for launching about the end of January; her sister ship, the Glenorchy, will probably be launched about May or June.
SMALLER SHIPS
The Taikoo Company is also building the Wave, a single-screw tank steamer of 330 tons, for the Admiralty, London. It has been launched and is being fitted out. At the same dockyard an unnamed twin-screw motor vessel of 700 tons, ordered by the Fiji Government, is part-framed.
The smallest vessel on the list, a single-screw steam tug of 90 tons ordered by the Coco Grove Inc. Parucale Camarinas Norte, Philippine Islands, [?] is also in the Taikoo yards. Her keel has been laid.
Single-screw motor vessels of 1,000 tons and 350 tons respectively are being built at Taikoo for the Straits Steamship Company, Singapore, and the Asiatic Petroleum Company, Singapore. The former is being fitted out and the second is part-framed.
Three vessels are under construction by the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company. They are the Tulagi, a twin-screw motor vessel of 2,300 tons for Messrs Burns Philp & Company, which is part-framed; and two other twin-screw motor vessels, each of 200 tons, for the Asiatic Petroleum Company, Singapore. Their keels have been laid.
The only remaining vessel under construction is the Antonia, a single-screw motor vessel of 550 tons, which Messrs W.S.Bailey & Co. Ltd, are building for Messrs. Aboitiz & Co. Inc, Philippine Islands.
It is on the water and is being fitted out.
Taikoo Dockyard Souce: Barrow Submariners Association c1950
This article was first posted on 12th September 2020.
Source: Hong Kong Telegraph 12th September 1939.
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Related Indhhk articles:
Our Index has several articles about the Asiatic Petroleum Company.
Plus many about Hong Kong Shipyards listed under:-
Tai Koo Dockyard
Hong Kong & Whampoa Dockyard
and for smaller yards under:-
Shipyard
Any Chinese versions provided?