Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company

Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company Limited was formed in Hobart, Tasmania in 1853 to operate a shipping service from Tasmania to the Australian Mainland. Expanded its routes into New Zealand in 1864. Took over the Launceston & Melbourne Steam Navigation Co. in 1865 after the sinking of the S. S. City of Launceston.

From 1889 there was a three-way battle between the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, Huddart Parker and the Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company (TSNCo) on the Tasmanian routes (Melbourne-Launceston, Hobart-Melbourne and Hobart-Sydney). The TSNCo did not have other routes to absorb their Tasmanian losses, and was bought out by the Union Company in 1891 but continued to trade under T.S.N.Co flag. E.M. Fisher regarded a Union Company takeover as the lesser of two evils.^[1][2]

In 1921 Huddart Parker and the Union Line formed a joint partnership company called Tasmanian Steamers ^[3] to operate ferry services across the Bass Strait. on 1 January 1922 all remaining vessels belonging to T.S.N.Co were transferred to Tasmanian Steamers.

Fleet

• SS City of Hobart
• SS Corinna
• SS Derwent
• SS Esk
• SS Flinders
• SS Flora
• SS Havilah
• SS Mangana
• SS Oonah
• SS Pateena
• SS Southern Cross
• SS Talune
• SS Tamar
• SS Tasman
• SS Tasmania

References

1. McLean, Gavin The Southern Octopus p53-55 (1990, New Zealand Ship and Marine Society & Wellington Maritime Museum)
2. New Zealand History Online: Union Steam Ship Company
3. Ths Ships List: Huddart Parker

Further reading

• Plowman, Peter. Ferry to Tasmania, A Short History. ISBN 1-877058-27-0.
• Hopkins, David L. Bass Strait Crossing, The short history of the. ISBN 0-646-18635-3.

External links

• Flotilla Australia: Tasmanian Stem Navigation Co.