The SS Kennedy was in service from 1864 until 1929. 149 tons. It was sunk in December 1929 to form part of the breakwater structure here. This replaced the TSS Waverly, which was towed into the wairau river mouth on 14 June 1928, to be sunk here but was swept up river in a flood and now rests on the western side of the lagoon channel. These were both vessels formerly in service with the Anchor Shipping & Foundry Co. Ltd. Thanks to NZcoastalshipping.com for the following information.
Anchor Shipping & Foundry Co. Ltd., was incorporated as a limited liability company on 31 March 1901 from the earlier companies of Nathaniel Edwards & Co. (1857 - 1880) and The Anchor Steam Shipping Company (1880 - 1901). At the time the Company was operating three ships - ss Charles Edwards (1864/141 tons), ss Kennedy (1865/193 tons) and ss Waverley (1883/245 tons). The Anchor Company never departed from its original aim of providing a service for the people of Nelson and the West Coast of the South Island. It was never large; for the whole of its history it owned only 37 ships and was at its peak around 1930, when there were 16 vessels in the fleet.
A significant date in the Company's history was 1908 when the Union Steam Ship Company acquired a 50% shareholding. This was not known at the time as it was done in complete secrecy by the use of nominees. Union also made similar investments in most of the other coastal shipping companies giving them control over operations and future expansion. This aside, the Company retained its own Board of Directors and Management almost to the end.
From August 1909, the Company operated a three return nightly trips per week ferry service between Nelson and Wellington. The Nikau (1909/248 tons) was the first ship in the service and was originally partnered by Waimea (1909/454 tons), but she was never a regular in the ferry service. This service was maintained until April 1953 when the last ship Ngaio (1929/3,566 tons) was withdrawn amidst mounting losses. A daily freight service was maintained between the two ports in conjunction with the Pearl Kasper Shipping Company, utilising their Konanda and (from 1955) Anchor's Matipo.