The story of the Pacific Gas is a short one. It wasn’t involved in a war or an international incident, nor did it sink at the hands of a drunken captain. No, the Pacific Gas has an uneventful history, but also a bright future.

Built in 1967, the 68m-long Japanese ship was originally named Nanoyo Maru and was most famous for carrying two large LPG gas tanks. In 1972, she was sold and departed for Port Moresby, PNG, to carry gas between PNG and Australia. By the early 1980s she had become “tired,” and the two immense gas tanks were removed and used as shore-side LPG storage.

A devoted wreck hunter, I began to take an interest in her future. Before I could act, she was sold for the amazing sum of 65,000 Kina (approximately US$65,000 at the time) to a group of Port Moresby businessmen, who wanted to make her into a restaurant/night club stranded on Ela Beach. Fortunately Moresby town planners scuttled the idea when they realised the scenic beach would be blighted for a century if this were allowed to happen. The Harbours Board required the deteriorating vessel to be removed from Port Moresby harbour. I made my interest known and the businessmen tried to sell it to me for a large sum. So I waited. When the Harbours Board gave its final ultimatum for the vessel to be removed I offered one Kina, with the caveat that I would remove the ship for free.