Sunday, July 7, 2019

Wellington tug, 'Taioma', late 1960s


Originally known as the Empire Jane but renamed Taioma, from 1947 to 1977 the tug worked on Wellington Harbour.

In 1968 she was involved in the attempted rescue of the inter-island ferry Wahine. From 1975 to 1977 she was owned by BP New Zealand Ltd and towed oil barges. The Taioma was decommissioned and moved to Tauranga in 1978.

In 1999 a lot of controversy was generated over where she should rest and whether or not she should become a diving attraction. Taioma was eventually scuttled off Mōtītī Island on 19 March 2000.

See earlier posts and the book New Zealand Maritime Images: the golden years.

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