"In 1951 a vessel called MV River City was built for The Wanganui Shipping Co Ltd of Wellington New Zealand by Schps De Hoop NV in Lobith, Holland. The vessel was 45.85 metres long with a breadth of 7.48 metres and a gross weight of 397 tons and was powered by a single six cylinder diesel engine driving a single prop. For the next 13 years or so, the River City plied its trade around the New Zealand coastline till 1964 when it was sold to the Holm Shipping Co Ltd, also of Wellington. The River City was renamed MV Holmbrae and it was planned to be used on the South Island to Plymouth route. The Holm Shipping Co ran a series of coastal traders in New Zealand. They did not keep the vessel for long as it proved to be unsuitable for a shallow river port like Wanganui and the Holmbrae was too small for the planned service (one report says it was too big to use the main port it was planned to use).

In 1966 the Holmbrae was purchased by Captain A. R. Rudsen and renamed MV Paulmarkson (sic) (also reported as Paul Markson) and moved to Port Vila. For the next three years or so it was used around the islands of Vanuatu until sometime in 1969 when it was sold to Comptoirs Francais des Nouvelles-Hebrides, also of Port Vila and renamed MV Henri Bonneaud. The Bonneaud continued to trade around the many islands of Vanuatu for more than 16 years. The vessel was last registered in 1985-86 and about this time was unable to pass survey.

In late 1989 the proprietor of Aquamarine Diving, Kevin Green, purchased the Henri Bonneaud. On 19 December 1989, he sank the ship only a few hundred metres from the main beach of Bokissa Island Resort where he was running the dive operation. More by luck than design, the scuttled wreck landed on its keel in 40 to 45 metres of water. "

Maintenant, vous savez tout !

Retour INDEX VANUATU

Now, you know everything !

Back to VANUATU INDEX