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Article: Charles Upham sold as freight vessel at huge loss
- Article from:
- The Press
- Article date:
- July 17, 2001
CopyrightCopyright 2001 The Press. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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WELLINGTON -- The Defence Force's "lemon" transport ship the
Charles Upham has been sold for $8.7 million, well below what it
cost, the Government has confirmed.
The ship cost $14m in 1994 and had another $7m spent on
modifications in 1995, but was never used in its intended role as a
transport ship for the army because of the ship's instability in
rough seas.
Instead the vessel, widely called a lemon, was chartered out to
freight oranges around the Mediterranean.
Defence Minister Mark Burton said yesterday that it was
unfortunate the ship "had been given the name of our most decorated
war hero".
The Government announced in May the Charles Upham would be sold
as part of its wider defence ...