Maori (later Hwa Lien)

Built by William Denny & Bros of Dunbarton, Scotland, the Maori was constructed in 1907 for the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand as an express ferry between Wellington and Lyttelton. Despite a troubled start, she would serve this route faithfully for nearly forty years before embarking on a remarkable second career in China.

Construction and Early Problems

The vessel's early days were marked by a series of mishaps that some might have considered unlucky. Launched on November 11, 1906, she immediately crashed into the opposite bank of the river. During trials, she ran aground and required repairs. A second trial run resulted in a collision with a local small coaster, which sank, necessitating further drydock repairs. Even the delivery voyage saw another grounding, though fortunately without damage. The ship finally arrived safely in November 1907.

New Zealand Service (1907-1946)

For almost four decades, the Maori provided regular express ferry service between Wellington and Lyttelton, carrying 630 passengers in two classes. In 1923, she underwent modernization with conversion to oil firing. When the Rangatira entered service in 1931, the Maori became the relief vessel, though she returned to full-time service during World War II. On January 6, 1944, she was laid up in Wellington until her sale in June 1946 to the United Corporation of China Ltd of Shanghai.

Chinese Service (1946-1951)

Renamed Hwa Lien, the vessel was intended for China coastal trade, where she would have been considered highly luxurious by local standards. Her most significant voyage began on December 29, 1946, carrying 474 refugees, including 303 European Jews who had escaped Nazi persecution and reached Shanghai. Bound for Australia, the ship encountered difficulties when food and water ran short on January 10, 1947. After diverting to Darwin - where she became the first passenger vessel to call since the war's end - she reached Brisbane on January 26 and Sydney on January 28, 1947.

The Hwa Lien returned to Shanghai for coastal service, but the advance of communist forces led to the cessation of coastal operations in late 1948. She then transported Nationalist troops to Formosa (Taiwan) before being laid up in Keelung Harbor in 1950.

Final Fate

During a severe storm on January 13, 1951, the Hwa Lien sank at her moorings in Keelung Harbor. Though raised four months later, she was sold to shipbreakers. Part of her hull found continued use as a crane-fitted barge in Keelung Harbor for many years afterward.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Built	1907
Builder	William Denny & Bros, Dunbarton, Scotland
Gross Tonnage	3,399
Length	350 ft (106.7 m)
Beam	47 ft (14.3 m)
Service Speed	17 knots
Propulsion	Geared Turbines/triple screws
Passenger Capacity	630 (two classes)