I name this ship ‘Wahine’

Descriptive Data

Description“I name this ship ‘Wahine’. May God bless her and all who sail in her”

April 10 1968 lives on in our nation’s consciousness as a day of immense tragedy ― the day that the inter-island ferry, the Wahine, sank in Wellington Harbour taking the lives of 51 of its 610 passengers and 123 crew.

At the time of her loss on 10 April 1968 the T.E.V. Wahine (Turbine Electric Vessel) had been in service for just over 20 months. Commissioned by the Union Steam Ship Company, the Wahine was purpose-built for the ‘Steamer Express’ service between Wellington and Lyttelton. When she was launched in Scotland in 1965, the Wahine was described as the world’s largest drive-on vehicle and passenger ship. At 149m long she was also one of the largest ferries in the world.

William Waters, (1922-1999), the Union Steam Ship Co's last in-house naval architect, designed the vessel and the proposal to build was announced in 1961, but tenders were not called until 1963. The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd of Govan, Glasgow was awarded the contract in October of that year, with an anticipated completion date of 1965.

The Wahine arrived in Wellington harbour from Scotland on June the 24th 1966, and commenced her maiden voyage from Wellington to Lyttleton on the 1st of August 1966. The Wahine provided travellers with unprecedented levels of comfort and luxury during the eleven-hour inter-island voyage. She could accommodate 924 passengers in cabins on six decks and in greater comfort than in any of her predecessors

The Wahine had three public rooms for her passengers; a Cafeteria, a lounge bar known as the Smoke Room, and the General Lounge. With seating for 165 diners, the Cafeteria provided counter-style evening meals and breakfast for passengers before they disembarked from their overnight voyage. For families and non-smokers, the General Lounge provided an alternative to the Smoking Room. From the comfort of vinyl upholstered chairs in the General Lounge, passengers could gaze at the passing ocean through the large panoramic windows or watch one of the provided television sets.

The appearance of the public rooms onboard the Wahine reflected the great deal of thought that went into their design. Both the General Lounge and Smoke Room were decorated with large Formica murals depicting a Māori woman wrapped in a cloak with a baby on her back, and a scene showing three young Māori women weaving.

The ship was named “Wahine” on her launch day by her sponsor Mrs Elsie Macfarlane, wife of the Union Steam Ship Company's Managing Director Mr F K Macfarlane.

Image

TEV Wahine, Cabin

TEV Wahine, Interior public rooms

TEV Wahine, Launching 14 July 1965

TEV Wahine, Māori Woman (Wāhine) with child on her back (artwork)

TEV Wahine, three women weaving (artwork)

TEV Wahine at sea

TEV Wahine, Cafeteria looking into Breakfast room

TEV Wahine, Cabin B222

TEV Wahine, Aft Lounge looking Forward

Interior Public Rooms TEV Wahine

Relationships

External LinksWellington City LibrariesThe Wahine and Captain RobinsonWahine disaster