Palm Trader

Palm Trader
History
Namesake	Media
Owner	Cunard Line (1963-1971); State Shipping Service of Western Australia (1971-1978); Seaforth Investment Trust (1978-1987);
Operator	Cunard Line (1963-1971); State Shipping Service of Western Australia (1971-1978); Seaforth Investment Trust (1978-1987);
Port of registry	Liverpool (1963-1971); Fremantle (1971-1978); Piraeus (1978-1987);
Builder	John Readhead & Sons
Yard number	612
Launched	20 June 1963
Completed	October 1963
Identification	Official number 303887
Fate	Caught fire October 1983, sank 1987
Status	Sank
General characteristics
Tonnage	5,586 GRT; 7,300 DWT;
Length	436.9 ft (133.2 m)
Beam	60.3 ft (18.4 m)
Height	24.7 ft (7.5 m)
Propulsion	Sulzer 7RD68
Speed	17 knots

MV Palm Trader was a Greek cargo ship that caught fire in 1983. Built by John Readhead & Sons, South Shields for the Cunard Line, it subsequently operated for Stateships and other shipping lines.

History

Built as the Media by John Readhead & Sons, South Shields for the Cunard Line, the ship was delivered in October 1963. She was the second ship of her name constructed for the company, the first having been built in 1946 and sold to Italian buyers in 1961. In June 1971 it was sold to Stateships and renamed Beroona after being modified at the Taikoo Dockyard, Hong Kong.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

In 1976, the Beroona was withdrawn from North West Australia services and began operating to Western Port and Burnie.^[6]

In December 1978 it was sold to the Seaforth Investment Trust, Monrovia, being resold to Greece and renamed the Palm Trader. It caught fire on 18 October 1983 while anchored at Bandar Abbas, It was declared a total loss and in 1987 sank off Larak Island.^[5]

References

↑ "Media". Tyne-Built Ships. Northeast Maritime Forum. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
↑ Former Cunard freighters for coastal trade Freight & Container Transportation May 1971 page 5
↑ Stephens, Alan (1977). The Stateships Story 1912 - 1977. Fremantle: Stateships. pp. 64, 82. ISBN 0 9500952 3 0.
↑ Local Govt Elections in 2 Shires Hamersley News 8 June 1978 page 6
1 2 Ships of the State Shipping Service Maritime Heritage Association Newsletter September 2012 page 6
↑ Direct WA/Vic/Tas run for Beroona Freight & Container Transportation October 1976 page 46

[1] "Media". Tyne-Built Ships. Northeast Maritime Forum. Retrieved 19 June 2026.

[2] Former Cunard freighters for coastal trade Freight & Container Transportation May 1971 page 5

[3] Stephens, Alan (1977). The Stateships Story 1912 - 1977. Fremantle: Stateships. pp. 64, 82. ISBN 0 9500952 3 0.

[4] Local Govt Elections in 2 Shires Hamersley News 8 June 1978 page 6

[MHA-5] 1 2 Ships of the State Shipping Service Maritime Heritage Association Newsletter September 2012 page 6

[6] Direct WA/Vic/Tas run for Beroona Freight & Container Transportation October 1976 page 46

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e Ships of the Cunard Line
Current fleet	2004 RMS Queen Mary 2 2007 MS Queen Victoria 2010 MS Queen Elizabeth 2024 MS Queen Anne
Former ships 1840–1994	1840 RMS Unicorn 1840 RMS Britannia 1848 SS Satellite 1853 SS Arabia 1856 RMS Persia 1862 RMS Scotia 1863 RMS Hecla 1865 SS Java 1867 SS Russia 1870 SS Abyssinia 1870 SS Parthia 1874 SS Bothnia 1875 SS Scythia 1878 SS Aleppo 1879 SS Gallia 1881 SS Servia 1881 SS Catalonia 1882 SS Cephalonia 1882 RMS Aurania 1884 SS Oregon 1884 SS Skirmisher 1884 RMS Umbria 1885 RMS Etruria 1892 RMS Campania 1893 RMS Lucania 1898 SS Ultonia 1899 SS Ivernia 1899 RMS Saxonia 1903 RMS Carpathia 1903 RMS Pannonia 1904 RMS Slavonia 1905 RMS Carmania 1905 RMS Caronia 1907 RMS Lusitania 1907 RMS Mauretania 1909 SS Thracia 1910 RMS Franconia 1911 RMS Albania 1911 SS Ausonia 1911 SS Ascania 1912 RMS Laconia 1913 RMS Andania 1913 RMS Alaunia 1914 RMS Aquitania 1914 SS Orduña 1916 SS Feltria 1916 SS Folia 1916 SS Royal George 1917 RMS Aurania 1920 SS Albania 1921 RMS Berengaria 1921 RMS Scythia 1922 RMS Samaria 1922 RMS Laconia 1922 RMS Andania 1922 RMS Antonia 1922 RMS Lancastria 1921 RMS Ausonia 1922 RMS Franconia 1924 RMS Aurania 1925 SS Letitia 1925 RMS Ascania 1925 RMS Alaunia 1925 RMS Carinthia 1934 RMS Majestic 1934 RMS Olympic 1934 MV Georgic 1934 MV Britannic 1934 SS Laurentic 1936 RMS Queen Mary 1939 RMS Mauretania 1940 RMS Queen Elizabeth 1946 SS Valacia (Empire Camp) 1947 SS Vardulia 1947 RMS Media 1948 RMS Parthia 1949 RMS Caronia 1954 RMS Saxonia 1955 RMS Ivernia 1956 RMS Carinthia 1957 RMS Sylvania 1963 MV Media 1963 MV Parthia 1969 MS Queen Elizabeth 2 1970 SS Atlantic Causeway 1970 SS Atlantic Conveyor 1971 MV Cunard Adventurer 1972 MV Cunard Ambassador 1975 MS Cunard Countess 1976 MS Cunard Princess 1983 MS Sagafjord 1983 MS Caronia 1986 MS Sea Goddess I 1986 MS Sea Goddess II 1993 MS Cunard Crown Jewel 1993 MS Cunard Crown Dynasty 1994 MS Royal Viking Sun
For MoWT	1940 SS Pasteur 1941 SS Empire Barracuda 1940 MV Empire Audacity 1943 SS Empire Battleaxe 1943 SS Empire Broadsword 1945 MV Empire Ettrick
Classes	Britannia America
Years indicate year of entry into Cunard service.

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1987
Shipwrecks	20 Feb: USS Accokeek 4 Mar: HMAS Colac 6 Mar: Herald of Free Enterprise 15 Jun: ARA Comodoro Py 16 Jun: HMS Yarmouth 16 Jul: Havel 17 Jul: USS Bausell July (unknown date): USS McKean 26 Sep: Iran Ajr 27 Nov: USCGC Duane 28 Nov: USCGC Bibb 5 Dec: Cason 12 Dec: Rainbow Warrior, Samson 20 Dec: Doña Paz
Other incidents	4 Feb: Nordic Ferry 7 Apr: USS Daniel Boone 1 May: Saint Eloi 24 Jul: Bridgeton 16 Oct: Hengist, Sea Isle City 5 Nov: Bowbelle 20 Dec: Vector
1986 1988