Images(2)

STRAAT BANKA

Datec 1952

Object number00048043

NameModel

MediumWood, plastic, metal, nylon, paint

DimensionsOverall: 230 x 700 x 177 mm, 3787 g

ClassificationsModels

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Mr Brian Hinwood

Terms

DescriptionWaterline model of the STRAAT BANKA.HistoryDutch shipping lines had played a significant role in Australia since the Java-Australia Line commenced operating to Australia in 1908, and continued to do so until the 1970s. The STRAAT BANKA was built in 1952 at the P. Smit shipyard for the Koninklijke Java China Paketvaart Lijnen which operated from 1947-1977. In 1971 the vessel was sold and renamed in MERCURY LANE and was broken up for scrap in China in 1978. In 1947 the prefix Koninklijke (Royal) was granted to the Java China Paketvaart Lijnen (KJCPL) or Royal Interocean Lines. In 1948 a new building program started and two passengers ships the TJIWANGI and TJILUWAH and two cargo passengers ships STRAAT MAKASSAR and STRAAT BANKA were ordered. In 1965 KPM adjusted operations after Indonesia gained its independence and in 1966 KPM merged into the KJCPL, bringing in the companies Hollandse Vrachtvaart Maatschappij (HVM) and Nederlandse Tank- en Paketvaart Maatschappij (NTPM) under the RIL flag. In 1967 the fleet consisted of 77 ships of 520,620gt. After 1968 only cargo ships were built for the company. The Mercury Shipping Company at Hong Kong was founded to place surplus ships under the flag of Liberia or Panama and so extended their economical life. The Australian passenger and tourist market was too small and ships was sold to China. The last passenger ship the TJIWANGI was sold in 1974 to Singapore. In 1975 all the shipping lines were re-grouped and brought under the Nedlloyd banner and on 1 May 1977 the Nederlandsche Scheepvaart Unie was restyled as Koninklijke Nedlloyd Groep and the KJCPL or RIL disappeared. There are a series of menus, archives and images relating to the TJIWANGI in the ANMM collection.SignificanceThe ship was a prominent vessels during a period of active Dutch passenger and cargo shipping to Australian ports from the 1950s to the 1970s.