MV Harambee

MV Harambee was a German-built general cargo ship, initially ordered as the Reg IV. Bought while under construction by a different company, she was launched in 1953 and served with the German Merchant Navy under the name Belgrano, making voyages to South America until 1966. She was sold to an African company, renamed Harambee, and served for another thirteen years, before being sold once more, renamed Arambee, and scrapped in Taiwan shortly afterwards.

History
Name:
  • Reg IV (ordered)
  • Belgrano (1952–65)
  • Santa Barbara (1965–66)
  • Harambee (1966–79)
  • Arambee (1979–80)
Owner:
Ordered: 1952
Builder: Lübecker Flenderwerke AG, Lübeck
Yard number: 435
Launched: 27 August 1953
Completed: 21 October 1953
Identification: IMO 5039599
Fate: Scrapped in 1980
General characteristics
Type: General cargo ship
Tonnage:
  • 6,169 GT
  • 3,776 NT
Length: 482 ft (147 m) LOA
Beam: 59 ft 9 in (18.21 m)
Draught: 25 ft 2 in (7.67 m)
Propulsion:
  • 6-cylinder M.A.N. oil engine
  • 4,000 b.h.p.
Speed: 13 kn (15 mph; 24 km/h)
Endurance: 678 tons of oil
Capacity:
  • 10,178 DWT
  • 596 cub. grain
  • 533,181 cub. ft., bale
Complement:
  • 8 passengers
  • 33 crew

Construction and early career

Harambee was initially planned as the Reg IV, ordered from Lübecker Flender-Werke, Lübeck, by Rohstoff Einfuhr Gesellschaft and laid down as yard No 435.

MV Belgrano at Port Adelaide in Nov. 1959

She was bought while still under construction by Rudolf A. Oetker, Hamburg and completed for the company under the name Belgrano. She was launched on 27 August 1953 and delivered to the company on 21 October that year. With a tonnage of 6,169 GT, 3,776 NT she was 482 ft (147 m) long overall, with a beam of 59 ft 9 in (18.21 m) and a draught of 25 ft 2 in (7.67 m). Equipped with a 6-cylinder M.A.N. oil engine capable of 4,000 b.h.p., she could achieve a speed of 13 kn (15 mph; 24 km/h). Manned with a crew of thirty-three, she also had accommodation for eight passengers.

Belgrano spent most of her career sailing for Hamburg-Südamerikanische Dampfschifffahrts-Gesellschaft (Hamburg-Süd) between Hamburg and South American ports, but was also used for tramping services. She was renamed Santa Barbara in September 1965.[2][3][4]

African career and disposal

On 8 December 1966 was sold by Hamburg-Süd to the Eastern Africa National Shipping Line Ltd. (Southern Line Ltd, managers), based in Mombasa and owned jointly by the Governments of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in the East African Community. Her new owners renamed her Harambee, and registered her under the red ensign. In 1969 she appeared on a 50 cents postage stamp issued by the Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania postal service.[5] Harambee sailed for thirteen years for the company until being sold to Silverstar Corporation, Panama in August 1979 and renamed Arambee. Her service in this guise was short-lived, she made only one voyage for the company, between Gdynia and Fushiki, and then was sold for scrapping. She sailed to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, arriving on 3 February 1980, and demolition work began on 20 February in the breaking yards of Yih Shen Steel Enterprise Co. Ltd.

References
  1. "Eastern Africa National Shipping Line". Björn Larsson. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  2. hsdg-sammlung.de. "Belgrano (IV)". Archived from the original on 2013-06-15. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  3. Cooper, James; Kludas, Arnold; Pein, Joachim (1989). The Hamburg South America Line. World Ship Society, Kendal. ISBN 978-0905617503.
  4. Abert, Hans-Jürgen (2000). Die Deutsche Handelsmarine 1870–2000: Die Lebensläufe der Dampf- und Motorschiffe über 100 BRT. Eigenverlag, Ratzeburg.
  5. Bolton, Peter (1989). Collect Ships on Stamps (1st ed.). Stanley Gibbons Publications Ltd, London. p. 108. ISBN 0-85259-169-1.
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