TradeMe selling the Navy in bits and lots

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The National Business Review
July 29, 2005

New Zealand internet auction website TradeMe is selling off the contents and fittings of the navy frigate HMNZS Wellington before it is sunk (weather permitting) on 12 November off the South Coast as a dive attraction.

It may be the first sale of its kind anywhere in the internet world.

The ship was bought for $1 by Wellington’s Sink F69 Trust and has been undergoing an extensive refit to prepare it for its watery, recreational grave just off Wellington.

TradeMe said the auction process will last three months, beginning today, and the first 20 items on the list include the two tonne aluminium funnel, shells for the 4.5 inch turret gun, blueprints for the ship and the red emergency telephone used by the captain to report damage under fire.

Also in the first lot is the control panel for the ship’s torpedo tubes (torpedoes not included), a veritable steal at just $1000 reserve.

“We were stoked to be approached by the F69 Trust,” said Trade Me manager Sam Morgan.

“We’ve made some inquiries and to our knowledge it’s the first time a warship has been offered up, in part or whole, on an online auction site.”

As well as the expected interest from militaria collectors, the auctions are expected to get strong interest from designers, restaurateurs and former servicemen who served on the leander class frigate during its 30 year commission.

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