Union Steam Ship Company flag

The Union Steam Ship Company (USSCo) was formed in Dunedin in 1875 to take over the fleet of the Harbour Steam Company. A fusion of Otago and Scottish capital, the USSCo was ably led by James Mills and dominated the New Zealand coastal and trans-Tasman trades by the end of the 1870s. In 1890 the company took over the Tasmanian Steam Navigation Co. It also operated mail liners to Vancouver and San Francisco, Pacific Island steamers and a small service to the United Kingdom.

By 1914 the tonnage of the USSCo's fleet exceeded that of the five largest Australian shipping lines combined. The company's market dominance earned it the nickname the ‘Southern Octopus’. The USSCo was sold to the British shipping giant P&O in 1917. It came under joint Australian and New Zealand ownership in 1972 but struggled in the 1990s under Brierley ownership. In 2000 a tug and barge made the last voyage for the 125-year-old Union Steam Ship Company line, which was liquidated shortly afterwards.

Find out more about the history of the Union Steam Ship Company on the NZ Ship and Marine Society website.