LORE

BACKGROUND

In 1916, Nidian Commonwealth Lines (predecessor to Nidian Shipping Lines) announced that the company would add a new generation of long-range ferries to serve the nearby Pacific islands, Dutch East Indies, the Philippines, and Hawaii. The ship would be 182 meters length, 17 meters wide, and 5-10 meters depth to allow it to enter smaller Pacific islands colonies. After a lengthy bidding process, the project was awarded to harland & Wolff in Northern Ireland, the same company who built the infamous Olympic-class ocean liners operated by White Star Lines

The first ship, the RMNS Spartan, was launched in 1918. As like usual Nidian shipping companies at that time which named their vessels with name of Ancient Greek and Roman names the ship was named "Spartan" after the ancient Greek city state Sparta. The name become the class name shortly afterwards

In total, there are five Spartan-class ship ever built from 1918 to 1920. RMNS Spartan (later named M/S Spartan after the secession of Nide from the British Commonwealth) serves NCL and its successor until 1940, when it was capsized near Lashgreda, Lamps Island after undertaking conversion to increase capacity

• M/S Spartan (1918-1940)
• M/S Saint Patrick (1918-1925)
• M/S Constantinople (1919-1962)
• M/S East Star (1919-1941)
• NS Terra Australis (1920-1995)

NS TERRA AUSTRALIS

Name: RMNS Terra Australis (1920-1936), M/S Terra Australis (1936-1974), USS Terra Australis (leased, 1942-1945) NS Terra Australis (1974-1995)
Operator: Nidian Commonwealth Lines (1920-1939), Nidian Shipping Lines (1939-1995), U.S. Navy (leased, 1942-1945)
IMO No: 7445662
Directorate of Sea Travel registration number: GF-2 8576496
Call Sign: PO775
Gross Registered Tonnage: 14.972 tons
Capacity: 1.670 passengers and 140 crew
Length: 182.7 meters
Beam: 17.3 meters
Power plant: Direct-drive Parsons steam turbines (1920-1960?), 2x Mitsubishi marine diesel engines (1960/1970-1995)
Top speed: 20 knots
Safety amenities: 10 lifeboats (@55 passengers each)

An ad for M/S Terra Australis, dated around 1941

OPERATIONAL HISTORY

The fifth and the last of the Spartan-class ship built by Harland & Wolff of Northern Ireland for Nidian Commonwealth Lines. It entered service in 1920. It serves routes from Adamstown, Nide to British Fiji, British New Guinea, Australia, Dutch East Indies, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. After the merger of Nidian Commonwealth Lines with rival company Nidian Far East Lines in 1939, the rest of Spartan-class ships including Terra Australis was incorporated into the newly formed NSL fleet

On the outbreak of World War II in Pacific Area, M/S Terra Australis was leased to the U.S. Navy as troopship along with the other surviving Spartan-class vessel, M/S Constantinople. Both vessel survived the war and was returned to NSL in 1945

NS Terra Australis, photo dated around 1991

M/S Terra Australis become the only surviving vessel in operation and the oldest vessel in NSL fleet after its sistership, M/S Constantinople was retired in 1962. It was converted into diesel power sometimes in mid to late 1960s, allowing for more cleaner operations and more efficiency. It was re-registered with the newly assigned "Nidian Ship" prefix in 1974, becoming NS Terra Australis

The ship was retired in 1995, becoming the longest serving vessel in Nidian waters and the last British-made Nidian vessel in existence

CONTROLS

AG4: NightLight
AG8: Cut stability
Yaw: Turn