Aberdeen Ships | AFRICANA

Name	AFRICANA
Type	STEAMER, FISHERY RESEARCH
Date	1930
Description	Yard Number: 716 Renamed: AFRIKANDER (1950) The new fishery research vessel 'Africana', built by Hall Russell & Co. for the Union Government of South Africa, sailed for South Africa from Aberdeen, with a British crew under Captain Hardinge. An outstanding feature of the new vessel is a finely-equipped laboratory. The chart room contains a Marconi installation, and other interesting fitments include an echo-sounding machine, a Lucas sounding machine, and a refrigerating chamber. A call will be made at Las Palmas on the maiden voyage. Requisitioned in September 1939 for the South African Navy and converted to a minesweeper. Returned to owners, April 1947. Owned in 1950 by B Gelcer & Co. Pty Ltd, Cape Town and renamed AFRIKANDER. AFRICANA was a steam trawler for the government of South Africa with a stem engine built by the shipbuilder Hall Russell. It was also fitted with electric light & wireless. That was a new addition to fishing boats at this time. AFRICANA was sold to B. Gelcer of Cape Town. No further info after 1965.
Shipbuilder	Hall, Russell & Company, Limited
Owner	Union Government of South Africa, Cape Town
Dimensions	length 125 1/3' x breadth 25 1/12' x depth 13 3/6' Gross Tonnage: 313 ton

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