O.N. 169720 7280g 3491n 8922dw 470’0" x 59’2" x 28’7"
Refrigerated twin screw vessel; 6 cylinder triple expansion engines and two low pressure turbines with double reduction gearing and hydraulic couplings by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd., Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
1.9.43: launched by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd., Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Yard no. 1740) as UMTATA for Bullard, King & Co. Ltd. / 1.44: completed / 12.59: within British & Commonwealth Group transferred to Springbok Line Ltd., London; name unchanged / 1.60: transferred to Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently renamed KLIPBOK (but retained British flag and London registry) / 13.6.61: reported sold to Japanese shipbreakers and 5.9.61 arrived Yokosuka to be broken up. / 14.9.61 breaking up began.
KLIPBOK: The KLIPBOK was unique even in the short-lived Springbok annuls, spending her life running counter to events going on around her. She was the only one of the six main Springbok ships not built at Greenock, and with no prior association with the Clan Line. As the UMTATA she was, indeed, the last new ship to be built for Bullard King, while at the same time becoming their first oil-burner. For some reason, she alone retained London registration while with Springbok. Events were to prove she was the only one of the fleet not to figure in the plans for sale to Safmarine.
Known to have made 4 visits to Middlesbrough Dock she was, however, also the last of the six ships to be seen by the author. That day, 20.5.61, was significant for it provided a photograph which he has always treasured, one of his best efforts with his first ‘poor-quality’ camera, little knowing how imminent were to be the death throes of the ship, sold less than a month later.
