POLAR ARGENTINA miniature model
Datelate 1940s - 2010
Object number00055685
NameModel
MediumComposite metal
DimensionsOverall: 24 × 118 × 17 mm, 60 g
ClassificationsModels
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection Gift of Mr Achim Drescher
DescriptionThe POLAR ARGENTINA (1968) was a landmark reefer ship, capable of holding 420,000 cubic feet of refrigerated goods. As a Polar reefer class vessel, the POLAR ARGENTINA featured a high degree of automation. This allowed for 16 hour free navigational watches.
This model is part of a collection of Hamburg Sud model ships representing the German shipping company’s vast influence on the cargo and container line industry throughout the 20th and 21st century. They depict the technological innovations in container vessels and portside infrastructure in miniature.
HistoryThe POLAR ARGENTINA was one of the six Polar class reefers Hamburg Sud received from Blohm and Voss in 1967 and 1968. These vessels had 420,000 cubic feet of refrigerated space, a 16 hour watch free navigation, and high degree of automation. Sold in 1976 to Liberia.
Hamburg Sud was established in 1871 as a public shipping company to operate a regular cargo, and passenger line, service between Europe and South America. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries Hamburg Sud employed steamships, such as the CAP FRIO, for heightened emigrant traffic to South America, whilst also becoming intrinsically important to the Brazilian economy via the exportation of coffee.
Following WWI, in accordance with the Treaty of Versailles, Hamburg Sud lost all of its ships. During the interwar years Hamburg Sud received considerable support from the German Government to rebuild its fleet, taking a particular focus on its passenger line of vessel - such as the opulent CAP ARCONA (1929). At the outbreak of WWII Hamburg Sud had its largest fleet to date, with 52 ocean going ships and 114 auxiliary vessels, most of these vessels requisitioned in 1940 by the German government.
The 1950s saw the development of the influential Cap Class, purpose built to transport refrigerated goods and vehicles to South American ports. This period further saw the establishment of Hamburg Sud's global tanker branch, RUDOLF A. OETKER (RAO) and the end of Hamburg Sud's exclusively passenger vessels with the SANTA TERESA and SANTA INES (1953). In 1959 Hamburg Sud launched its Columbus Line servicing the west coast of North America and Australia/New Zealand.
The Cap San Class of 1961 and 1962 saw the end of conventional cargo construction for Hamburg Sud - the COLUMBUS NEW ZEALAND (1971) marking the beginning of a new era of containership vessel. Columbus Line ships had bright red hulls, white superstructures, and white containers, renowned traits of the modern day Hamburg Sud vessel. During the 1980s Hamburg Sud continued to make technological changes to its vessels, the Columbus Class converting from turbine to motor propulsion in 1986 in order to save fuel.
SignificanceThese Hamburg Sud delicate diecast miniatures have significance as a case study of cargo ship typology and in evocation of stories of shipping, commodities - Hamburg Sud started as a food company and retains this interest in new initiatives - and port infrastructure. There’s the enticement of the world in miniature, ship models, and the interest of the maker’s movement.
late 1940s - 2010