MV Amokura 1976-1993

The MV Amokura was originally built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Shipbuilders, Wallsend, UK in 1976 for the Commons Brothers. Its original name was Hindustan.  When it was purchased by Marsden Point Oil Tankers, it was repaired and remodelled in 1978 by Sembawang Shipyard Limited, Singapore, and renamed Amokura. The Union Steam Ship Company managed it for BP NZ Ltd and other oil companies. The MV Amokura was a Single Screw diesel Motor Vessel (MV) and functioned as a motor tanker (MT), transporting liquid cargoes. Its sibling ship was the Kurdistan.

Ankers Ltd, Nova Scotia operated the MV Amokura as a Charter ship between Marsden Point Refinery and New Zealand coastal ports.  Her funnel livery was a white ‘silver fern’ on a black background.

During the mid-1980s it turned 'wide' entering the Port of Napier and tore its hull open along three tanks against a wharf. Hundreds of tonnes of petrol were spilt into the harbour but fortunately there was no resulting fire.

It was sold in 1993 to a company in Sydney and renamed Transporter LT. Over the following 14 years, it traded in products and then vegetable oils under various names its last being Northsea.

In May 2007 a distress signal came from the Northsea as the ship had caught on fire. Several ships sent to its assistance and were able to recover 25 of the crew of 32. The fire was thought to have started after a lightning strike. Sadly, the ship had no inert gas system and the fire spread, claiming the ship and 7 lives.