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Built as a cargo- passenger vessel under yard No 273 by Clyde Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. Port Glasgow, U.K for Burns, Philp & Co. Ltd., Sydney NSW.
1906 Ordered.
Launched under the name MAKAMBO, named after an island in the Solomon Island Group.
Tonnage 1.159 gross, 648 net., dim. 210.3 x 31.4 x 14.8ft.
One triple expansion steam engine 146 nhp., speed 9 knots, one propeller. Two coal fired boilers.
Passenger accommodation for 36 first class, 18 second class passengers, and special accommodation for 12 native chiefs.
April 1907 completed.

She was built for the service from Sydney to the New Hebrides.
19 April 1907 she left the yard for London, to load a cargo of engines for Penang.
When she sailed from there she was under command of Captain John Williams, made the voyage via Suez and she arrived at Penang on 29 May.
From there she sailed to Australia, and her first voyage from Sydney was on 26 July 1907 under command of Captain Weatherall.

When the comet Halley was visible in May 1910 she made a voyage with on board prominent astronomers to a good observation position south of the Solomon Islands and the New Hebrides.
In this position she dropt her anchor and stayed there for two days, to give the astronomers the change to make there observations.

In the summer of 1910 Burns. Philp & Co. and the French Government of New Caledonia closed a mail contract, and the MAKAMBO and MALAITA were used for this contract in a monthly service.

By the outbreak of World War I on 04 August 1914 the MAKAMBO was underway from the New Hebrides to the Norfolk Islands, when she received a massage from Fanning Island that England and French had declared war on Germany, also in the message there was a warning that a warship approached the island. She was the German cruiser KONINGSBERG, who destroyed the telegraph station on Fanning Island. The MAKAMBO informed the authorities in Vila.
After the station was destroyed the authorities in Vila were dependent on the mail ships for the news.

June 1918 the MAKAMBO grounded off Ned’s beach, Lord Howe Island after a blackout of Captain Weatherall, she was refloated and towed to Sydney for repair; the only thing she left behind on the island was rats that invaded the island from the stranded MAKAMBO.
10 September 1918 again in service under command of Captain D.J.Williams.
17 June 1921 again she grounded on Lord Howe Island but was refloated without much damage.
17 June 1931 laid up at Sydney it was impossible to use her economically.
April 1932 after the MALINDA during a hurricane stranded, she came in her service in the New Hebrides inter-island run.
20 September 1935 she sprang a leak at Miltayriki, Vila, New Hebrides and was beached near Vila, it was found impracticable to repair her and she was abandoned to underwriters in the New Hebrides.

By the underwriters sold to Japanese shipbreakers, and after she was patched up taken to Japan.
1939 Sold to Okada Gumi K.K. Osaka, Japan and renamed KAINAN MARU.

After Japan declared war she was requisitioned by the Japanese Government and used as transport for troops and material in the Pacific area.
12 June 1944 torpedoed and sunk by the British submarine HMS STOIC in position 07 54N 98 27E off Phuket, Siam (now Thailand).

Solomon Islands 1988 $1.30 sg 629
Vanuta 1984 25v sg 390.

Source: The Ships of Burns, Philp and Company by R.Parsons. Register of Merchant ships completed in 1907. Log Book.