Hikitia Floating Crane

An icon on Wellington's waterfront, the Hikitia floating crane is considered  to be the world's oldest ship of this type still in operation today.

IPENZ recognises that this steam powered floating crane is an important part of New Zealand's engineering heritage.

Weighing 926 tonnes, this floating crane was constructed in Scotland in 1926 and sailed under its own power with crane erected to New Zealand. The epic journey of the crane lasted 84 days. This is regarded as the longest  voyage of any such vessel.

It served the Wellington Harbour until the mid 1980's and is indicative of the progressive engineering enterprise of the Wellington Harbour Board. In 1943, the crane helped put out a ship fire that could have caused the destruction of the downtown Wellington area. Due to wartime censorship the story was not told for many years.

Hikitia Floating Crane is the oldest known operating steam powered floating crane in the world.