The Fleets
This page covers Australind Steam Shipping Company / Bethell, Gwyn & Trinder, Anderson & Co.
In the 1880s Trinder, Anderson & Co. joined Charles Bethell and started operating a twice monthly service from Great Britain to Fremantle and Albany. In 1886 Trinder, Anderson & Bethell started a steamer service called the West Australian Steam Navigation Co. at London. Their first steamer was given the name AUSTRALIND. In 1904 Bethell, Gwyn & Trinder, Anderson formed the Australind Steam Shipping Co.
The new company was involved in the transport of emigrants. In 1912 the company owned five ships. Federal Steam Navigation Co. was the largest single shareholder in the company, although an overall majority of the shares were held by members of the partners' families. Trinder, Anderson & Co. had strong connections with Federal Steam Navigation Co. and the New Zealand Shipping Co. and later managed a number of ships for them including the ships of the Avenue Shipping Co. and several motor ships which ran in the Montreal Australia New Zealand Line (MANZ Line).
During World War I the company lost four of its six ships. In 1919 three ships were purchased from James Warrack & Co., Leith which was disposing their fleet to replace the losses. In World War II the company lost two of its three ships and they were replaced by two new buildings in 1944 and 1946.
In the 1970s the company withdrew from the liner services and started hiring ships to other companies. The last cargo ship was disposed off in 1981/1982.
Many thanks to Henk Jungerius and Ted Finch for their assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide.
Owned Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ajana (1) | 1912 | Buillt by Russell & Co., Port Glasgow | 1920 sold to New Zealand Shipping Co. renamed Otarama, 1928 sold to Italy renamed Amaranto, 1932 scrapped at Genoa. | 7,753 |
| Ajana (2) | 1950 | Buillt by Wm Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | 1968 sold to Cyprus renamed Kate A, 1968 sold renamed Pati, 29 February 1976 sunk off South Africa. | 5,626 |
| Ajana (3) | 1976 | Buillt by Austin & Pickersgill Ltd, Southwick | Type SD14, 1980 sold to Empresa Navegacion Mambisa, Havana, Cuba renamed Calixtogarcia, 1995 transferred to Pan Pacific Shiping S.A., Hong Kong renamed Calix, 1997 sold to Union Maritime and Ports, Shanghai, 1998 sold to Adecon Shipping Inc., Mississagua Canada renamed Canadian Challenger, 2002 deleted from Register. | 9,006 |
| Araluen | 1958 | Buillt by Smith's Dock Co., Middlesbrough | 1973 sold to Anglo Eastern Shipping Co., Hong Kong renamed Tai Shan, 1977 renamed Rockferry, 1982 scrapped at Kaohsiung. | 8,485 |
| Ardenvohr (1) | 1931 | Buillt by Wm. Denny & Bros. Ltd, Dumbarton | 1937 sold to New Zealand Shipping Co. not renamed, 1937 renamed Kaimata in Canada – New Zealand service, 1954 transferred to Avenue Shipping renamed Antrim, 1957 sold to Hong Kong renamed Hong Kong Fir, 1962 sold to X, 1963 sold renamed Affan el Bahar, 1964 sold renamed Sang Pratiwi, 1967 renamed Pala, 1969 scrapped. | 5,237 |
| Ardenvohr (2) | 1940 | Buillt by Barclay Curle, Glasgow | 10 June 1942 torpedoed and sunk while in convoy by German submarine U.68 with the loss of 1 life. | 5,025 |
| Armadale (1) | 1909 | Buillt by C. Connell & Co. Ltd. in Glasgow | 27 June 1917 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.160 off coast of Ireland with the loss of 3 lives. | 6,153 |
| Armadale (2) | 1929 | Buillt by Wm. Denny & Bros, Dumbarton | 1954 sold to Liberia renamed Porvenir, 1964 scrapped at Hamburg. | 5,066 |
| Armadale (3) | 1970 | Buillt by Austin & Pickersgill Ltd, Southwick | Type SD15, 1981 sold to Odissea Shipping Co., Panama renamed Dido, 1985 sold to Supertrans Nav. Co., Limassol, Cyprus renamed Teti, 31 March 1989 abandoned by crew after fire and explosion, 1990 scrapped. | 10,328 |
| Arrino (1) | 1906 | Buillt by D. & W. Henderson & Co Ltd., Glasgow | 01 February 1918 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.90 after leaving Brest. | 4,484 |
| Arrino (2) | 1974 | Buillt by Austin & Pickersgill Ltd, Southwick | Type SD14, 1978 sold to Prekookeanska Plovida Bar, Yugosalavia renamed Rumija, 1992 sold to Lovcen Overseas Shipping, Valetta, Malta, 1993 sold to Prudent International Shipping & Trading, Nassau, Bahamas renamed Prudent Venturer, 1995 sold to Guardian Shipping, British Virgin Islands renamed Guardian Angel, 1998 scrapped at Alang. | 9,279 |
| Ashburton (1) | 1905 | Buillt by D. & W. Henderson & Co Ltd., Glasgow | 01 April 1916 captured and torpedoed by German submarine U.44 off Ushant. | 4,445 |
| Ashburton (2) | 1926 | Buillt by Wm. Denny & Bros, Dumbarton | ex- Yomah, 1927 purchased from P. Henderson & Co. (British & Burmese Steam Nav. Co.) renamed Ashburton, 1937 sold to Skibs-A/S La Plata (manager Alf Jakelln) renamed Tropic Star, 1942 the managing firm of Alf Jakelln A/S was bought by Fearnley & Eger together with Skibs-A/S Varild and Skibs-A/S La Plata (later united in Skibs-A/S Varild), 1947 sold to rederi A/B Atlanta, Helsinki, Finland renamed Anja, 1961 scrapped. | 5,088 |
| Ashburton (3) | 1946 | Buillt by Wm. Denny & Bros, Dumbarton | 1962 sold to South Breeze Nav. Co. (J. Manners & Co.), Hong Kong renamed Pacific Breeze, 1965 transferred to Panama renamed San Roberto, 08 January 1967 damaged in collision and scrapped. | 5,005 |
| Atholl | 1901 | Buillt by Napier & Miller, Yoker | ex- Atholl, 1919 purchased from James Warrack & Co., Leith not renamed, 1929 sold to Italy renamed Antonietta, 1941 seized by US Government renamed Olambala, 1944 scuttled at Gooseberry harbour. | 4,647 |
| Australind (1) | 1904 | Buillt by C. Connell & Co. Ltd., Glasgow | 1928 sold to France renamed Colbert, 1933 sold renamed Scandivavie, 1934 scrapped at Savona. | 4,251 |
| Australind (2) | 1929 | Buillt by Wm. Denny & Bros, Dumbarton | 14 August 1941 sunk by German Raider Komet off Galapagos Islands with the loss of 3 lives. | 5,020 |
| Australind (3) | 1944 | Buillt by Wm. Denny & Bros, Dumbarton | 1959 sold to Argus SS Co., Liberia renamed Portalon, 1972 scrapped at Santander, Spain. | 7,214 |
| Australind (4) | 1961 | Buillt by Bartam & Sons, Sunderland | 1975 sold to Uiterwyk Lines, New Orleans not renamed, 1983 sold renamed Arabian Merchant, later sold again renamed Lemonia, 1984 scrapped. | 6,276 |
| Australind (5) | 1978 | Buillt by Austin & Pickersgill Ltd, Southwick | Type SD14, 1980 sold to Empresa Navegacion Mambisa, Havana, Cuba renamed Maximo Gomez, 1995 transferred to Pan Pacific Shipping & Trading S.A., Hong Kong, 1997 sold to Erodios Ltd., Valetta, Malta renamed Erodios, 2002 sold to South Korea renamed Nanking. | 8,800 |
| Australind (6) | 1959 | Buillt by Blyth Drydocks & Shipbuilding Co., Blyth | ex- Queensgarth, ore carrier built for St. Denis Shipping Co., ex- Dapo Star 1977, 1981 purchased from Greece rebuilt into a drill ship renamed Australind, 1982 sold when completed renamed Eniwetok, later renamed Five Star and Stardrill. | 10,609 |
| Errol | 1905 | Built by C. Connell & Co. Ltd., Glasgow | ex- Erroll, 1919 purchased from James Warrack & Co., Leith not renamed, 1924 sold to Shakespear Shipping Co. (Glover Brothers), London renamed Spenser, 1934 scrapped. | 4,465 |
| Montrose | 1905 | Buillt by C. Connell & Co. Ltd., Glasgow | ex- Montrose, 1919 purchased from James Warrack & Co., Leith not renamed, 1924 sold to Shakespear Shipping Co. (Glover Brothers), London renamed Milton, 1932 scrapped as Miltonia. | 4,452 |
Managed Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa Valley | 1944 | Buillt by Victoria Machine Depot Co., Victoria | Laid down as Fort Behrens but completed as Mission Park for Canadian Government, 1947 purchased by MANZ Line and renamed Ottawa Valley, 1954 sold to Splosna Plovba, Yugoslavia renamed Rog, 1966 sold to Wm Brandts, Hong Kong renamed Millstrident, 1969 scrapped at Kaohsiung. | 7,164 |
| Tolten | 1930 | Buillt by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Originally intended as Tolten for Cia Sud Americana de Vapores of Valparaiso but the contract was never completed and acquired by the Glen Line renamed Glenearn, 1938 purchased for the South American Saint Line service, 1941 owned by South American Saint Line Ltd with B&S; Shipping Co. as managers. War time regulations prevented a name change. In November 1945 she was renamed St. Merriel, April 1947 was fitted out as an exhibition ship to display British goods in South America an made two voyages in that capacity, 1950 sold to Aktieb Oceanfart, Helsinki renamed Helios 1959 acquired by Santa Irini Shipping Co., Beruit renamed Tassos, 1967 arrived at the yard of Leung Yau Co. in Hong Kong for breaking up. | 5,348 |