Government Motor Vessel (GMV) Aranui was built in 1965 for the New Zealand Railways Department for the service between the North and South Islands of New Zealand.[2] She was built by Vickers in England.[3][4] In February 1965, she sailed via the Panama Canal, arriving in Wellington on 28 May[4] and entered service with her sister GMV Aramoana on 9 June.[5] In 1977 she was rebuilt by Sims Engineering, Dunedin to carry 950 passengers to meet the increased traffic, following the company's main competitor, the Union Company's withdrawal from the route.[6][7][8][9][10]
In 1983, Aranui and Aramoana were replaced by the significantly larger Arahura. Aranui was laid up in Wellington in June 1984 and sold four months later to the Najd Trading & Construction Company of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.[4][11] Renamed Aranui A and then Nui, she commenced service carrying Muslim pilgrims on the Red Sea.[4]
In 1986, the ship was renamed Najd III. Five years later, following an engine failure, she was laid up at Singapore.[8] In 1992, her owners were unable to make progress payments for a repair/refit. She arrived at a Chittagong breaker's yard on 3 November 1994.[4]
Layout
Aranui was slightly larger than Aramoana. She had a higher bridge and funnel than her older sister ship.[12]
A combined vehicle deck could carry 70 cars and 30 rail wagons.
Service
Aranui was built to operate a railway service between Wellington and Picton, later known as the Interislander.