BHP Shipping was an Australian ship transport and shipbuilding arm of BHP.

BHP Shipping traces its origins to 1915 when BHP chartered the SS Emerald Wings to transport its first load of iron ore from Whyalla to Newcastle on 19 January 1915. In 1917, shipping agent William Scott Fell & Co arranged for BHP to purchase a share in the steamer SS Koolonga. BHP purchased the ship outright on 30 July 1918 and it was renamed SS Iron Monarch. The BHP Shipping Department was formed on that date, headed up by who had previously assisted in the shipping arrangements for the 1909 Nimrod Expedition and served on the Advisory Committee to the 1917 Ross Sea Party rescue.[1][2] Captain William Halley, former master of the Emerald Wings, became Marine Superintendent of the Shipping Department. BHP Shipping was established as a subsidiary shipping line for the parent company in 1921.

As early as 1923 the company considered building its own ships but instead decided to manufacture steel hull plates, a major customer being the Commonwealth Shipping Line. However, in 1939 the company accepted a government request to establish a shipbuilding facility at Whyalla. By 1940 the BHP Whyalla Shipyard had five slipways capable of building ships up to 15,000GT. The first ship constructed at the shipyard was HMAS Whyalla. Between 1941 and 1978, the shipyard produced 63 vessels, of which 15 were built as BHP property. BHP shipping also chartered additional vessels constructed in Whyalla.

Following World War 2, BHP Shipping acquired more bulk carries to carry iron ore, coal and steel products. The ships increased in size up to the 1980s when demand for steel began to decline. From that time some of the ships were used to carry coal, coke and iron ore to export customers.

In December 1983, BHP Shipping was absorbed into BHP Transport Ltd.

BHP Shipping transferred wharves and shore operations to each refinery site ahead of the demerger of BlueScope in 2002. BlueScope also inherited several of the ships.

The remaining fleet is part of BHP Transport and Logistics Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of BHP.

Fleet summary

Name Type Entered BHP service Left BHP service Disposition Fate
SS Emerald Wings (later SS Iron Baron) General cargo 1915 (chartered)
20 October 1919 (purchased)		 13 November 1929 Sold to E B Aaby Sank off Texel on 11 October 1955
SS Southborough General cargo 1915 (chartered) May 1918 Returned to Hazlewood Shipping Co Ltd Sunk by German submarine U-110 off Scarborough on 16 July 1918
SS Iron Chief (1st) General cargo 1916 1 April 1928 Wrecked off Diamond Head on 1 April 1928
SS Omana General cargo 19 July 1917 21 July 1917 Returned to Omana S S Pty Co Ltd Broken up July 1959
SS Koolonga (later SS Iron Monarch) General cargo October 1917 (part purchased)
30 July 1918 (purchased outright)		 1937 Sold to Madrigal & Co Bombed by US Navy aircraft in Manila Bay on 13 November 1944
SS Iron Prince (1st) General cargo 1919 19 April 1923 Wrecked on Cape Howe
SS Grelwin (sometimes written as Grelwyn) General cargo August 1920 February 1921 Returned to Scott Fell Shipping Co Unknown
SS Westborough Steel cargo September 1920 March 1924 Returned to Hopkins, Jones & Co Sunk off Stavanger on 4 April 1943
SS Iron Knob General cargo 9 October 1923 1955 Sold to Panatiotis Vrangos Sank in heavy seas in the Indian Ocean on 15 July 1957
SS Iron Crown General cargo 1923 (chartered) 1943 Sunk by Japanese submarine I-27 off Gabo Island on 4 June 1942
SS Iron Master General cargo 9 October 1923 July 1957 Sold to Cambray Prince Steamship Co Ltd Broken up March 1959
SS Iron Master (2nd) Bulk cargo 16 November 1923 13 September 1945 Sold to Cambray Prince Steamship Co Ltd Broken up December 1959
SS Iron Warrior (1st) General cargo 1925 11 June 1957 Sold to Onfrio Jacomino Sank off Cheung Chau during Typhoon Ruby on 5 September 1964
SS Iron Chief (2nd) General cargo 1930 1934 Sold to Essex Oak Sank off Dover on 13 June 1963
SS Iron Baron (2nd) Ore carrier 1936 1966 Sold to Australia Pacific Shipping (H.K.) Ltd Broken up in 1969
SS Iron King Ore carrier 1936 1967 Sold to Golden Star Shipping Company Broken up in 1970
SS Iron Chieftain Ore carrier 1937 1942 Sunk by Japanese submarine I-24 off Manly on 3 June 1942
SS Iron Knight (1st) Ore carrier 1937 1943 Sunk by Japanese submarine I-21 off Bermagui on 7 February 1943
SS Kenilworth General cargo 1941 1947 Returned to Commonwealth Government Shipping Control Board Broken up March 1959
SS Iron Monarch (2nd) Ore carrier 28 March 1943 1972 Sold to Great Fareastern Ltd Broken up October 1972
SS Iron Duke (originally SS Iron Duke II) Ore carrier 28 March 1943 July 1970 Sold to Pac Trade Navigation Co Broken up September 1971
SS Iron Yampi General cargo 1 September 1947 26 September 1975 Sold to Nissho Iwai Co Ltd Broken up November 1975
SS Iron Kimberley General cargo 4 April 1949 September 1972 Sold to Wiltopps (Asia) Ltd Broken up October 1972
SS Bellerby General cargo May 1950 (chartered) May 1951 Returned to Scott Fell Shipping Co Broken up January 1972
SS Iron Derby General cargo 1951 January 1972 Sold to Wiltopps (Asia) Ltd Broken up February 1972
SS Iron Wyndham General cargo 1953 16 October 1976 Sold to Union Bros Marine Corp Broken up January 1979
SS Iron Whyalla (1st) General cargo June 1954 1 June 1979 Sold to Selco (Hong Kong) Ltd Broken up July 1979
SS Iron Knight (2nd) General cargo June 1955 1971 Sold to Great Fareastern Ltd Broken up October 1971
SS Iron Spencer (1st) Ore carrier 1957 27 September 1979 Sold to Jehow Trading Co Broken up January 1980
SS Iron Flinders (1st) Ore carrier 1959 November 1977 Sold to Goldwills (Hong Kong) Ltd Broken up May 1978
SS Age General cargo July 1959 (chartered) July 1968 Returned to Australian Steamships Pty Ltd Wrecked off Paluan on 17 October 1970
SS Iron Dampier (1st) Ore carrier 1961 1978 Sold to Goldwills (Hong Kong) Ltd Broken up May 1978
SS Iron Warrior (2nd) General cargo March 1961 February 1975 Sold to Hi-Firm Corporation Broken up July 1975
MV Iron Clipper Bulk carrier 19 December 1964 (chartered) June 1975 Returned to Anglo-Pacific Shipping Company Ltd Broken up May 1984
MV Iron Cavalier Bulk carrier 4 November 1965 (chartered) June 1975 Returned to Anglo-Pacific Shipping Company Ltd Broken up May 1984
SS Iron Hunter Ore carrier 24 October 1968 23 July 1982 Sold to Saudi Pride Shipping Co Ltd Broken up December 1982
MV Iron Endeavour Panamax bulk carrier 1969 (chartered) 2 March 1983 Returned to Nile Steamships Company Sank off Port Elizabeth on 26 May 1993
MV Iron Somersby Bulk carrier 1971 (chartered) 14 December 1986 Returned to Ropner Shipping Co Ltd Broken up April 1993
MV Iron Banbury General cargo 1972 (chartered) 18 December 1975 Returned to Alexander Shipping Co Ltd Broken up September 2001
MV Iron Baron (3rd) General cargo February 1972 (chartered)
4 March 1980 (purchased)		 14 December 1986 Sold to Epping Marine Co Ltd Broken up Obtober 1986
MV Iron Parkgate Bulk carrier June 1973 (chartered) 7 July 1986 Returned to Nytoncrest Pty Ltd Broken up July 1985
MV Iron Sirius Bulk carrier October 1973 (chartered) October 1974 Returned to Nytoncrest Pty Ltd Broken up July 1986
MV Iron Monarch (3rd) General cargo/ro-ro 12 September 1973 2002 Transferred to BlueScope Broken up May 2012
MV Iron Duke (2nd) General cargo/ro-ro 1974 10 January 1986 Sold to Loy Key Shipbreakers Broken up April 1986
MV Iron Cumberland Bulk carrier June 1974 (chartered) 25 November 1986 Returned to Glentara Ltd Sank near the Pitcairn Islands on 14 June 1987
MV Iron Arnhem General cargo/ro-ro 10 October 1974 December 1990 Sold to Pacific International Lines Pty Ltd Still in service
MV Iron York General cargo/ro-ro 10 October 1974 29 May 1985 Sold to Pacific International Lines Pty Ltd Broken up December 1999
MV Iron Kestrel Bulk carrier 21 December 1974 (chartered) 29 May 1985 Returned to Ropner Shipping Co Ltd Broken up Broken up May 2003
MV Iron Kerry-Kirby Bulk carrier 21 December 1974 (chartered) 29 May 1985 Returned to Ropner Shipping Co Ltd Broken up Broken up May 2003
MV Iron Capricorn Bulk carrier 21 December 1974 15 October 1990 Sold to Athenian Faith S.A. Still in service
MV Mundoora General cargo January 1975 (chartered) January 1976 Returned to Associated Steamships Sank in the Arabian Sea on 9 September 1984
MV Iron Mittagong Ore carrier 8 December 1976 (chartered) 3 March 1982 Returned to Bulkships Ltd Broken up December 1982
MV Iron Gerrigong Ore carrier 20 December 1976 (chartered) 26 May 1978 Returned to Bulkships Ltd Broken up October 1985
MV Iron Bogong Bulk carrier 29 August 1977 (chartered)
14 January 1983 (purchased)		 16 February 1983 Sold to China Dismantled Vessels Trading Corp Broken up March 1983
MV Iron Carpentaria Bulk carrier April 1978 January 2003 Broken up December 2003
MV Iron Curtis Bulk carrier April 1978 January 2003 Broken up December 2003
MV Iron Shortland Bulk carrier 1979 1996 Sold to Everbird Corporation N.V. Broken up December 2005
MV Iron Sturt Bulk chemical tanker 1979 10 February 2006 Sold to Jebsens Group Broken up February 2011
MV Iron Myarra Ore carrier 2 May 1980 (chartered) 7 May 1983 Returned to Alcoa Australia Broken up October 1983
MV Iron Baron (4th) Bulk carrier 1980 1999 Ran aground in the mouth of the Tamar River on 10 July 1995. Scuttled off Flinders Island on 30 July 1995.
MV Iron Whyalla (2nd) Bulk carrier 1981 26 January 2001 Sold to Marmaras Navigation Broken up December 2009
MV Iron Spencer (2nd) Bulk carrier 1981 March 2000 Sold to Marmaras Navigation Broken up December 2009
MV Iron Prince (3rd) Bulk carrier 1981 March 2000 Sold to Marmaras Navigation Broken up May 2011
MV Iron Newcastle Bulk carrier 1985 23 June 1999 Sold to Cobelfret Bulk Carriers N.V. Broken up April 2011
MV Iron Kembla Bulk carrier 1986 2 July 2005 Sold to Tip Top Invest Panama Broken up March 2011
MV Iron Pacific Bulk carrier 30 May 1986 15 March 1998 Sold to Partrederiet Bergesen Goic Da Broken up July 2011

References

  1. ^ Sir Douglas Mawson (n.d.). The Home of the Blizzard, being the story of the Australasian Antarctic expedition, 1911–1914 Vol. I. Ballantyne Press. p. Introduction.
  2. ^ "The Relief of Shackleton's Ross Sea Party" (PDF). The Geographical Journal. 49 (3): 218. March 1917. doi:10.2307/1779498.
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