Hikitia
{{Short description|Crane ship in Wellington, New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2017}}
| {{Infobox Ship Begin |display title=ital}}
{{Infobox Ship Image |Ship image=Hikitia crane ship.JPG |Ship image size = 300px |Ship caption=Hikitia at the Taranaki Street wharf }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship name=Hikitia |Ship country=New Zealand |Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|New Zealand|civil}} |Ship owner=Maritime Heritage Trust of Wellington |Ship operator= |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship builder=Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley, Scotland{{cite web |last1= Cameron |first1= Stuart |last2=Allen |first2=Bruce |last3=Robinson |first3=George |title=Hikitia |work=Clyde-built Database |publisher= |date= |url=http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=22786 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070627114910/http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=22786 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2007-06-27 |accessdate= 2011-05-23}} |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship completed= |Ship christened= |Ship acquired= |Ship maiden voyage=29 September 1926{{cite news|title="Hikitia" --- to Lift - Wellington's Floating Crane - successful voyage completed|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19261221.2.102|date=21 December 1926|work=Evening Post|via=Papers Past}} |Ship identification={{IMO Number|5150393}} |Ship out of service= |Ship registry=Wellington |Ship fate= |Ship status=Operational |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox Ship Characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship tonnage=746 GRT |Ship displacement=926 tonnes |Ship length={{convert|160.1|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|52.3|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught={{convert|7|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship decks= |Ship ice class= |Ship sail plan= |Ship power=steam engines originally fed by coal-fired Scotch boilers, later replaced in 1963 by oil-fired boilers and then by small modern package boilers.{{citation needed|date=May 2011}} |Ship speed=about {{convert|9|kn|km/h|1|lk=in|abbr=on}} |Ship capacity= |Ship crew= |Ship notes= }} |
Hikitia is a self-propelled floating steam crane in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand. She is thought to be the only working steam crane of her type in the world.
She is also the sister ship to the Rapaki, formerly of the Port of Lyttelton, which was put on display at the New Zealand Maritime Museum after being taken out of service, and then scrapped in January 2019. Some parts from Rapaki were given to Hikitia.
Delivery voyage
The Hikitia was built by Fleming & Ferguson of Paisley, Scotland. After completing trials, the vessel left Greenock on 29 September 1926. The delivery voyage took 82 days, travelling via the Panama Canal to reach New Zealand. The vessel travelled with the crane fully erected, and arrived in Wellington Harbour on 21 December 1926.
Engines
Twin screws are driven by surface-condensing direct-drive compound engines which were supplied with steam by a coal-fired Scotch boiler with two furnaces. A similar but oil-fired boiler replaced the original boiler in 1963. In 1980 this was also removed and the present two locally made small modern package boilers were installed.{{cite news |title=HIKITIA - A BRIEF HISTORY |first=Geoff |last=Bennett |url=http://www.maanz.wellington.net.nz/hikitia/index.html |accessdate=2009-09-05 |publisher=Maritime Archaeological Association of New Zealand |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525035239/http://www.maanz.wellington.net.nz/hikitia/index.html |archive-date=25 May 2010 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} These new boilers produce less steam than the original ones.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
Crane
The hull of the vessel was built by Fleming and Ferguson and the crane was built by Sir William Arrol & Co. of Glasgow. The crane alone weighs 310 tonnes, and was built to lift 80 tonnes. However, while dismantling the wreck of {{ship|TEV|Wahine}} it is thought that she lifted 140 tonnes.{{cite news |title=Crane is part of Wellington's heritage |first=Jason |last=Lambourne |url=http://www.skipper.co.nz/nzps20.htm |accessdate=2009-07-16 |publisher=NZ Professional Skipper Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014012400/http://www.skipper.co.nz/nzps20.htm |archive-date=14 October 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} In 2004, she lifted 100 tonnes to maintain her lifting licence of 80 tonnes. In 2009, Hikitia lifted a 22 tonne ice plant in Lyttelton.{{Cite web|date=22 June 2020|title=History of Hikitia|url=https://hikitia.nz/History-Of-Hikitia|url-status=live|access-date=24 Feb 2021|website=Hikitia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208114543/https://hikitia.nz/History-Of-Hikitia |archive-date=Feb 8, 2021 }}
Refurbishment
Hikitia travelled to Lyttelton in June 2009 for hull, tail shaft and various other underwater repairs.{{cite news |title=Hikitia: rare steam crane comes out of retirement |first=Jeff |last=Hampton |url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Hikitia-rare-steam-crane-comes-out-of-retirement/tabid/423/articleID/126201/cat/64/Default.aspx |accessdate=2009-10-20 |publisher=3 News NZ}} While in Lyttelton, she moved an ice plant between wharves to repay part of her refurbishment at the port's dry dock. The venture south was the ship's first time out of Wellington since 1926.{{Cite news|last=Donoghue|first=Tim|date=5 June 2009|title=Hikitia leaves harbour after 83 years|work=Dominion Post|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2474274/Hikitia-leaves-harbour-after-83-years|access-date=24 Feb 2021|via=Stuff}}
Incidents
There have been two deaths resulting from people climbing the crane and jumping into Wellington Harbour, one in 2015, and another in 2024. The owners of the Hikitia said they had reviewed safety along with the Wellington City Council after the 2015 fatality. Video cameras and warning signs had been placed on the vessel.{{Cite web |last=Schwanecke |first=Gianina |last2=Gourley |first2=Erin |date=27 January 2024 |title=Wellington harbour crane ongoing ‘concern’ after second jumping death |url=https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350160039/wellington-harbour-crane-ongoing-concern-after-third-jumping-death |access-date=27 January 2024 |website=www.thepost.co.nz}}{{Cite web |last=Jackman |first=Amy |last2=Shadwell |first2=Talia |date=23 March 2015 |title=Tributes pour in for Hutt man killed in Wellington crane dive |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/67482759/tributes-pour-in-for-hutt-man-killed-in-wellington-crane-dive |access-date=27 January 2024 |website=Stuff}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090612051513/http://www.wellingtonwaterfront.co.nz/experience/WaterfrontBusinesses/marine_businesses_and_facilities/hikitia_heavy_lift_ltd/index.htm Hikitia Heavy Lift Ltd]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081018125724/http://www.historic.org.nz/magazinefeatures/2005Autumn/2005_autumn_hikitia.htm Crane Event] from Heritage New Zealand, Autumn 2005
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100525035239/http://www.maanz.wellington.net.nz/hikitia/index.html Maritime Archaeological Association of New Zealand]
- [https://hikitia.nz Hikitia official website]
Category:Ships built on the River Clyde
Category:Paisley, Renfrewshire
Category:Buildings and structures in Wellington City