In 1979 the United Kingdom donated a pole-and-line tuna fishing vessel to Kiribati, she was named NEI MANGANIBUKA named after a goddess who teaches the islanders in canoe building and ocean navigation.
She was built at a Japanese shipyard in 1979.
Tonnage given as 99 grt, with a length of 27 metre.
Powered by a diesel engine of 750 hp.
Capacity for about 35 metric ton tuna, which was frozen down by brine freezers.
Crew 30 all Kiribati’s only her chief engineer was Japanese.
During 1980 she did some experimental fishing around the island with limited success
1981 Was she owned by the Te Mautari Ltd (TML) a locally Kiribati Government owned company, and was she commercial working as a pole-and-line tuna fishing vessel. Her catch was landed ashore in the small shore facility and stored in the cold-store waiting till be transported to the world markets.
She was later taken out of service, reason she was uneconomic.
Fate unknown.
Kiribati 1981 50c sg 161, scott383. (She is wrongly given in Watercraft Philately August 1984 page 5 as NEI MANGAMIBUKA.) sgMS182, scott383a. I believe the 30c is also the same tuna fishing vessels as depict on the 50c.
Source: Watercraft Philately and Internet.