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The Fleets
Nederlandsch Zuid-Afrikaansche
Scheepvaart Maatschappij / Holland-Afrika
Lijn, Rotterdam 1919-1970
 Messrs
Van der Eb and Dresselhuys sent out a steamer in 1919 loaded with phosphates,
to South Africa. The prospects were good so several Dutch finance houses
took an interest in the venture, and in the same year the N.V. Nederlandsch
Zuid-Afrikaansche Scheepvaart Maatschappij was formed, with the intention
of establishing a direct service from the Netherlands to South Africa.
Approximately monthly sailings between the Netherlands and South Africa
were maintained by way of the west coast including calls at ports in
South West Africa (Namibia).
Formed in 1919 as the Nederlandsche Zuid-Africaansche Scheepvaart Maatschappij.
(NZASM), initially with chartered tonnage, the company started a regular
passenger service between Rotterdam and South Africa in 1920. The company
was soon in financial difficulty, mostly due to competition from the
German East Africa Line and in
1924 NZASM started operating a joint service with the Dutch East Africa
Line under the management of Vereenigde
Nederlandsche Scheepvaart Maatschappij (VNS). The new service was
named Holland-Afrika Lijn and operated services from Holland to East
and South Africa. The final
demise of NZASM occurred in 1932 and it's ships and operations were taken
over by VNS but still traded under the name of Holland-Afrika Lijn.
After the German invasion of Holland in 1940, the fleet was operated
by the exiled Dutch Government and operations to South Africa did not
recommence until 1946. The 1960s saw increased competition from the Union
Castle Mail SS Co. and an increase in air travel, greatly affecting trade
and passenger ships were gradually withdrawn from service. In 1970 VNS
became part of the new combine of Koninklijke Nedlloyd and the last passenger
ship was transferred to the Hong Kong - Australia route.
Many thanks to Ted Finch and Henk Jungerius for their
assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted
from various
sources. This
is not an
all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide. If you would like
to know more about a vessel, visit the Ship
Descriptions (onsite) or Immigrant
Ship web site.
- Routes:
- Abbreviations:
- VNS : Vereenigde
Nederlandsche Scheepvaartmaatschappij
Funnel:
1919 - 1932 Black
1932 - 1970 Black with orange band.
|
 |
 |
| Fleet: |
1919
- 1932 |
1932
- 1970 |
| Vessel |
Built |
Years in Service |
Tons |
| Bloemfontein (1) |
1899 |
built by Raylton,Dixon & Co., Middlesborough | ex-
Anversville built for Cie. Maritime Belge du Congo, ex- Dakar 1906,
1915 damaged by fire and sank at Forcados, 1920 salvaged and repaired,
1920 purchased from African
Steamship Co. renamed Bloemfontein, 1924 sold to Ho Heng Steamship
Co., London renamed Hong Peng, 1947 scrapped at Karachi. |
4,081 |
| Bloemfontein (2) |
1934 |
1942 chartered to US Navy and converted to a transport,
1945 returned to owners but chartered to Dutch Government, 1947 returned
to service, 1959 scrapped. |
10,081 |
| Boschfontein |
|
see Nieuwkerk. |
|
| Boschkerk |
|
see Nieuwkerk. |
|
| Elandsfontein |
1940 |
laid up incomplete. 1945
sank in River Vistula after being shelled by Russian army. 1947 salvaged
and towed to Holland, completed as Jagersfontein (3), 1967 sold to
Kulukundis, Piraeus renamed Devon and scrapped. |
10,547 |
| Jagersfontein (1) |
1918 |
built by Osaka Iron Works Ltd., Osaka | ex- Kaiyei
Maru built for Katsuda Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha, 1920 purchased renamed
Jagersfontein, 1932 transferred to VNS,
1932 sold to Tramp Shipping Development, Panama renamed Mount Helikon,
1935 sold to Rethymnis & Kulukundis Ltd, Panama, same name, 1952
sold to Leonidas G. Keranis, Greece, 1953 scrapped in England. |
5,512 |
| Jagersfontein (2) |
1934 |
1939 chartered to Java Pacific Line, June 1942 torpedoed
and sunk by U.107 in Atlantic. |
10,083 |
| Jagersfontein (3) |
|
see Elandsfontein. |
|
| Klipfontein (1) |
1922 |
built by Rotterdamsche Droogdok Mij, Rotterdam |
1932 taken over by VNS, 1935 sold
to Rizutto Fratolli, Italy renamed Gloriastar, 1936 renamed Gloriastella,
1940 sunk in harbour of Benghazi by Allied warplanes, 1949 wreck
raised and scrapped in 1950 at La Spezia. |
7,063 |
| Klipfontein (2) |
1939 |
1939 chartered to Java Pacific Line, 1942 converted
to US Navy transport, 1946 returned to owners, 1947 resumed service,
Jan. 1952 struck rocks and wrecked off Mozambique. |
10,544 |
| Nieuwkerk |
1928 |
built for VNS, 1934 rebuilt
to 7,139 tons renamed Boschfontein, 1942 chartered to US War Shipping
Admin and converted to US Navy transport, 1946 returned to owners,
1956 converted to cargo ship renamed Boschkerk, 1958 scrapped after
engine room fire. |
6,280 |
| Oranjefontein |
1940 |
1941 seized by the Germans, 1945 returned to Dutch
Government and rebuilt. 1946 entered service, 1967 scrapped. |
10,547 |
| Randfontein (1) |
1920 |
built by Greenock Shipbuilding
Co. Ltd., Greenock | ex- Staur built for Fearnley & Eger, Christiania,
1921 purchased renamed Randfontein, 1932 transferred to VNS,1947
passenger accommodation removed and converted to cargo, renamed Randkerk,1950
scrapped at Hendrik Ido Ambacht. |
5,059 |
| Randfontein (2) |
1958 |
1970 owners became Koninklijke Nedlloyd, 1971 renamed
Nieuw Holland and transferred to Hong Kong to Japan and Australia
service. 1974 sold to China renamed Yu Hua. |
13,694 |
| Randkerk |
|
see Randfontein (1). |
|
| Rietfontein |
1918 |
built by Osaka Iron Works Ltd., Osaka | ex- Taiyu
Maru built for Uchida Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha, 1920 purchased by Van
der Eb & Dresselhuys renamed Maristo, 1921 sold to NZASM renamed
Rietfontein, 1932 transferred to VNS,
1934 scrapped at Hendrik Ido Ambacht. |
5,890 |
| Springfontein |
1921 |
built by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | 1932 taken
over by VNS, 1941 caught fire
and sank at Freetown. |
7,349 |
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Last updated: September 06, 2010 and maintained by
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