In the mid 1960s, at a time when the Cambodge was calling at Hong Kong, I noticed a trim smallish passenger vessel, which I understood was in liner service between Hong Kong and Jakarta. We were at about 18,000 tons, so I would imagine this ship was about 15K or possibly less.

It was white, with much open deck space, like the US Coastal steamers of my youth, and was trimmed in green, as I recall.

I do not remember the name as it was a long Dutch one. I was told that it was one of two, or possibly three such vessels in such service.

Does anyone know of the line and its ships?

I do not believe it was the "Holland East Asia Line," which operated primarily cargo vessels ending in "..kerk."

Eric, you are our resident HKG agent. Others such as Nevadaflip have done time in the port.

It is possible that the Steamship Line had the Dutch name, but now that you mention it, that does sound like the name.

With the original black hull

Later hull repainted in white.

Best regards,

Paulo Mestre

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Originally posted by Cambodge:
I have posted this request previously, but as many new passengers have signed aboard, it bears repeating.

In the mid 1960s, at a time when the Cambodge was calling at Hong Kong, I noticed a trim smallish passenger vessel, which I understood was in liner service between Hong Kong and Jakarta. We were at about 18,000 tons, so I would imagine this ship was about 15K or possibly less.

It was white, with much open deck space, like the US Coastal steamers of my youth, and was trimmed in green, as I recall.

I do not remember the name as it was a long Dutch one. I was told that it was one of two, or possibly three such vessels in such service.

Does anyone know of the line and its ships?

I do not believe it was the "Holland East Asia Line," which operated primarily cargo vessels ending in "..kerk."

Eric, you are our resident HKG agent. Others such as Nevadaflip have done time in the port.

Any thoughts, anyone?

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[ 08-22-2002: Message edited by: joe at travelpage ]

1. For one without a knowledge of Dutch, you must admit that "Koninklijke Java-China Paketvaart Lijnen" was probably the reason I did not remember the steamship company. But I knew of the Royal Interocean Line.

2. Paulo, thanks for the photos:
The ship was sporting white paint when I saw her in HKG in the '60s as I have mentioned. A handsome ship, we would have liked to have sailed on her.

It appears to me that the weather-deck configuration, aft of the stack is not the same in the "white-night" photo. Am I correct that there was more than repainting at that time?

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Originally posted by Cambodge:
It appears to me that the weather-deck configuration, aft of the stack is not the same in the "white-night" photo. Am I correct that there was more than repainting at that time?

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Sorry for my ignorance but what is a weather-deck? Aside from paint she looks the same in both photos...

A very handsome vessel indeed... Is there any info on the web regarding her or her fleetmates? Whatever happened to her?

If I had the time, which I have; and if my archives were in better order, which they are not; I could date the early evening photo on the basis of what construction had taken place in Victoria (that is Hong Kong Island). My guess would be 1962, or possibly earlier, as the humongous number of high-rise office buildings had barely started to be built.

If you look at the "saddle" in the Victoria Peak right above the stack, you will dimly discern the apartment occupied by some friends of ours at that period.

But what is a weather-deck?

The TEGELBERG, RUYS and BOISSEVAIN moved from KPM to RIL in 1947, when the RIL was founded.