MARITIME MATTERS     Ocean liner history and cruise ship news

[Home]   [Table of Contents]   [Shipping Mall]   [Index of ships]



DIAMOND HEAD built as WEST ERRAL, then DIAMOND HEAD, SHAROKH, NEW CHINA, NORBERG, EASTERN PRIDE, HIGASHI MARU

Los Angeles Steamship Co

DIAMOND HEAD carried 16 passengers



DIAMOND HEAD
built as WEST ERRAL
later SHAROKH, NEW CHINA, NORBERG, EASTERN PRIDE, HIGASHI MARU
5,603 Gross Tons
424 x 54 x 29
9.4 knots
passengers: 16
crew 52
official number 217,540

Built by Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. in San Pedro in 1918 for U.S. Shipping Board as WEST ERRAL. Sold to Pilsbury & Curtis, Los Angeles in 1927. Sold to Los Angeles Steamship Co., January 30, 1928. Renamed DIAMOND HEAD. To Matson-LASSCO January 1, 1931. To Matson Navigation Co. December 31, 1934. Sold to Walem & Co., Hong Kong, June 4, 1946. Renamed SHAROKH. Sold to New Continental Steamship Co. in 1946. Renamed NEW CHINA. Sold to Walem & Co., Panama, 1950. Renamed NORBERG. Sold to Metropolitan Commercial Steamship Co. in 1950. Renamed EASTERN PRIDE. Sold to Newland Steamship Co. in 1950. Sold to Ashai Kiesen, Kobe, in 1951. Renamed HIGASHI MARU. Sold to Kotani Lisen, Osaka, in 1956. Struck Balintang Island, north of the Phillipines, and sank, June 19 1958.

DIAMOND HEAD Social Hall, photo collection Martin Cox

When LASSCO bought the freighter in 1928 from its partner Pillsbury & Curtis to expand freighter service to Hawaii the ship had accommodation for 16 passengers. Delivered from the East coast to a San Francisco shipyard where she was refitted. New molasses and oil tanks were installed. Coast of the refit was $160,000. Renamed and painted white to attract passengers, she was advertised as a relaxing way to travel with one-way fare of $65.

On voyage number 14 she began carrying passengers from Los Angeles on February 2 1929. Part of her cargo included polo ponies and livestock which illustrated LASSCO's need for a freighter as these cargos were considered taboo on passenger liners. The DIAMOND HEAD made weekly sailings on the Los Angeles - Hawaii service. She provided this service until May 14, 1933 after MASTON has taken over and when the new Matson liners LURLINE, MARIPOSA and MONTEREY went into service to Hawaii and the South Pacific.

Go to Los Angeles Steamship Co history page

References: Martin Cox, LASSCO brochure, Matson's Century of ships, by F. Stindt

[Home]   [Table of Contents]   [Shipping Mall]   [Index of ships]