The building of eight freighters for the Black Starline of Ghana according to Dutch newspapers

Kulpawn River

Birim River

Afram River

In 1959 visited representatives of Ghana shipyards in the Netherlands and West-Germany. This visit resulted in a order of eight freighters to be build by the shipyard De Schelde at Flushing. However two of these ships namely the and were build at Lübeck. While using Dutch newspapers it become possible to get an impression of what happened in the years 1960 and 1963 when the order was realized.

The newspaper Amigoe di Curacao dated 2 September 1959 published an item which referred to the newspaper Ghana Times reporting that members of the board of the shipping company National Black Star of Ghana were to visit within a short while German and Dutch shipyards. Discussions were planned with the boards of the firms interested in building twelve new ships.(1)

The Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant (PVC) dated Monday 7 September 1959 reported that representatives of the Black Star Lines Bakayi, Cobbina, Armah and Moisom and an Israeli shipping authority lead by a minister without a department Eboah Efai were visiting the Netherlands. This delegation was interested in the West European industrial and commercial activities. Two days earlier was the shipyard of De Schelde visited. Returning to Rotterdam was as next visited Hamburg planned. The newspaper Zeeuwsche Dagblad (ZD) of the same date also published about this visit.

The latter newspaper reported on 22 January of the next year that De Schelde received orders for building eight merchant ships with a total value of 9.000.000 pound sterling or around 96.000.000 Dutch guilders. Since the independence declaration of Ghana (2) was this the order of such a kind. For Ghana were at that moment five ships commissioned of which three were hired. A day later wrote the PZC that the contract was signed between the minister of transport Krobo Edusei and the chairman of the board of the shipyard J.W. Hupkes. Two ships were to be handed over early 1961 and the others before the end of 1962. All eight bulk carriers designed by the shipyard and with a deadweight of around 7,000 tons including the two built at Lübeck were to be fitted out with Schelde-Sulzer diesels

The ZD of 11 February reported that the ships were single screw motor freighters with a cargo capacity of 6,800 tons as open version or 9,400 tons as closed shelter version. However two ships were somehow smaller due to their fitting out with reefer cargo holds. The planned dimensions were 139,5 x 18,30 (between trusses). The 5 cylinder Schelde-Sulzer motor was to supply 4,500 ehp at 135 rpm. There was also accommodation for twelve passengers on board. The funnel colours for the company was yellow with a black star, two red and two green bands.

The PZC dated Saturday 17 December 1960 reported that the day before the keel was laid down of the second ship.

The PZC dated Monday 23 January 1961 reported that the Saturday before at 12.15 o’clock Lady Korsah, spouse of the Chief Judge of Ghana launched the Pra River in the presence of the female chief Lady Paramount Chief Nana Serwah.

The PZC dated 12 May 1961 reported that on Saturday 13 May the Pra River was to be handed over to the owners, the second ship called Offin River to be launched and the keel to be laid down of the third ship. The edition dated 15 May reported that the launching or baptizing of the Offin River was done by Mrs. Asafu Adfaye in the presence of the minister for transport and Traffic of Ghane Mr. Krobo Edusei, the High Commissary at London sir Edward Asafu Adjaye and other authorities including Lady Naa Affipong called the queen mother of Jamestown wearing a golden crown. The Pra River was handed over in the outer harbour destined via Antwerp along the West European harbours towards Ghana.

According to the edition of 15 May 1961was the third ship probably to be named Nassi River.

On Tuesday 6 June 1961 reported the PZC that Hupkes arrived in the morning of the day before to be present when the Pra River would arrive on her maiden trip which was expected to be around 10 June. At the same time was the port Tema officially to be taken into service.

The edition dated 11 September 1961 reported that the Offin River was delivered on Satruday morning 9 September in the presence of and the president director of the Black Star Line A.R. Koakaye, J.J. Jantuah ambassador for Ghana at Paris, France and other authorities.

The edition dated 15 September reported that the third ship named Birim River was to be launched on Satruday 30 September at 12.00 o’clock and baptized by Mrs. Jantuah, the spouse of the ambassador of Ghana at Paris, France. On 16 May was said that she would be baptized Nassi River.

The edition dated Friday 9 March 1962 the next day at 11.45 o’clock the Afram River was to be launched and baptized by the spouse of the High Commissary at London. The Birim River was that week after a successful trial handed over to Mr. A.R. Boackije of the Black Star Line. The newspaper ZD dated 12 March called her Mrs. E. Armah and her husband Kwesi Armah.

The newspaper ZD reported 12 June 1962 that Saturday morning 9 June Mrs. Odilia Erzuah, spouse of the ambassador of Ghana in France baptized during the launching the seventh ship for Ghana named Kulpawn River.

The newspaper PZC dated 26 November 1962 reported that Saturday the last of the eight ships was launched and baptized Lake Bosomtwi by Mrs. Thérèse Dadzie, spouse of the ambassador for Ghana in Romania. Just be the launched was the 7^th ship the Kulpawn River delivered.  The edition dated 25 March 1963 reported the delivery of the Lake Bosomtwi.(3)

Notes

1. The newspaper Nieuwsblad van het Noorden dated 23 January 1960 reported that a day earlier the shipyard Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde NV at Flushing a contract signed for building ships, value more as 9.000.000 pound sterling. Six of these ships were to be built at Flushing, the other two by the shipyard Lübecker machinen Gesellschaft te Lübeck. The government of Ghana possessed 60% of the shares in the Black Star Company and seemed to intend to buy the resting 40% from Israeli investors.

2. The name Ghana meaning Warrior King was adopted for this country since 6 March 1957 when it became independent. Ghana consisted since 13 December 1956 of the Gold Coast and British Togoland. Gold Coast was not an unknown area for the Netherlands. At the end of the 16^th century it was visited by Dutch merchants and already in 1611 ordered the Dutch States General the building of a fort. The capture of the Portuguese fortress São Jorge da Mina by the Dutch West India Company increased the Dutch influence in what became known as the Dutch Gold Coast, Dutch Guinea or the Dutch possessions on the Coast of Guinea. Not earlier as on 6 April 1872 when the Dutch Gold Coast was handed over to the United Kingdom ended our control over there. Sadly enough played the Gold Coast an important roll in the slave trade until 1807 while after 1831 recruitment started for soldiers needed to serve in another Dutch colony the Dutch Easy Indies.

3. Archief Schelde (Gemeentearchief Vlissingen) reported as details for these ships:.

Tonnage 6,800 tons open or 9,400 tons closed and as dimensions 124,00 (between perpendiculars) 140,75 (over all) x 18,30 (moulded) x 7,093 (maximum summer) and a deadweight of 7,093 tons-8,40 metres (maximum summer) with a deadweight of 9,492 tons and depth 10,90 (moulded) metres.

Pra River, ordered 21 January 1960, keel laid down 5 September 1960. trials 4-7 May 1961, handed over 13 May 1961 and departed on 14 May 1961.

Offin River, ordered 21 January 1960, keel alid down 21 January 1961, launched 13 May 1961, trials 23-24 August 1961, handed over and departed 9 September 1961.

Birim River, ordered 21 january 1960, keel laid down 13 May 1961, launched 30 September 1961, trials 27-28 February 1962 and handed over 7 March 1962.

Afram River, ordered 21 January 1960, keel laid down 30 September 1961, launched 10 March 1962, trials 21-22 August 1962 and handed over and departed 8 September 1962.

Kulpawn River, ordered 21 January 1960, keel laid down 27 January 1962, launched 9 June 1962, trials 6-7 November 1962 and handed over and departed 24 November 1962.

Lake Bosomtwe, ordered 21 January 1960, keel laid down 9 June 1962, launched 21 November 1962, handed over and departed 3 March 1963.

Otchi River, ordered 21 January 1960, launched 10 May 1961 at Lubeck, delevired December 1961.

Nasia River, ordered 21 January 1960, launched 31 January 1962 at Lubeck and handed over 22 May 1962.