The tugs Flip and Pief of the Dutch company N.I.S.H.M. according to Dutch newspapers in 1928

The Algemeen Handelsblad dated 6 July 1928 reported that the new seagoing tug Pief just like the Flip built at the shipyard of the Ned. Dok Maatschappij at Amsterdam for the N.I.S.H.M. was to leave Amsterdam that day towards Vlaardingen. Both ships were to depart together in July towards Deli.

The Indische Courant dated 16 July reported that the trials of the Pief on the Noord Sea Channel were mid June. The tugs were taken over by H.L. van den Briel in the presence of M.A. Cornelissen of the Bureau Cornelissen and the director of the Nederlandsche Dok Mij. J.H.C. Salberg. Both tugs were to assist in belawan the ships of the Stoomvaart Mij. Nederland and the Rotterdamsche Lloyd.

The Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 13 June published an item dated IJmuiden 12 June reporting that trials the Flip on the North Sea Channel were excellent. She and the Piet both of 540 ihp were build for the Nederlandsch Indische Steenkolen Handels Mij (NIHSM) te Batavia to serve in the harbour of Belawan, Deli, Dutch East Indies. Their departure was planned in July with one of the two tugs full loaded with coal and serving as a bunker for the other tug. The edition dated 23 July reported that both ships left Rotterdam on the 22th. The edition dated 25 July reported that both ships underway from Rotterdam towards Java passed Prawlepoint on the 24^th. The edition dated 7 August published an item dated Gibraltar dated 7 August that the Flip still was lying at Gibraltar instead of earlier tidings suggesting that it was the Pief. The broken bolds of the cylinder were removed and within some days were the repairs completed. The edition dated the 11^th reported that both ships left Gibraltar the 10^th underway to Tandjong Priok.

The Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant dated 20 July 1937 published a quite unusual story dealing with the Flip. The steamship Nurhejan loaded with rice and coming from Rangoon wanted to leave Belawang when a swarm of bees visited the ship and nobody was free from being stinged. Captain Goos used the fire hose together with heavy clouds of smoke coming out of the funnel of the Flip to expel the bees allowing the Nurhejan to depart.

In the archive of the yard De Schelde (Gemeentearchief Vlissingen block 214) inventory number 556 are some details supplied deal;ing with both ships for which the boilers were delivered. The boiler (order no. 989) for the Flip was ordered on 9 September 1927, for the Pief (order no. 990) on the 20^th and both boilers were delivered on 7 April 1928. Yard number (Nederlandsche Dok Mij) of the Flip was 34 and for the Pief 35. The Flip sunk in March at Tjilatjap, was salvaged by the Japanese and commissioned and found back at Soerabaja in 1945. The Pief was seized by the Japanese in April 1942 at Silbolga and torpedoed the same year in that area.

Specifications of both ships. Coal bunker capacity 87 tons. Gross tonnage 183 tons and net tonnage 9 tons and as dimensions 28,90 (between perpendiculars)-30,50 (over all) x 7,00 (between trusses) x 3,20 metres or 94’9¾”- 100’0¾”x 22’9½”x 10’6”. The triple expansion 3-cylinder engine and a Scottish boiler with a heating surface of 167 M2 supplied 525 ihp allowing a speed of 9 knots.