Mary White (trawler)

History
United Kingdom
Name
  • 1935: White Pioneer
  • 1937: Mary White
  • 1949: Luffness
Namesake1949: Luffness
Owner
Operator
  • 1940: Royal Navy
  • 1946: WA Bennett
  • 1949: W Carnie, Jr
Port of registry
BuilderJohn Lewis & Sons, Aberdeen
Yard number134
Launched1 August 1935
CompletedSeptember 1935
Identification
Fatewrecked, 21 January 1958
General characteristics
Typefishing trawler
Tonnage270 GRT, 118 NRT
Length126.3 ft (38.5 m)
Beam23.2 ft (7.1 m)
Depth12.6 ft (3.8 m)
Decks1
Installed power
Propulsion1 × screw
Sail planketch
Speedas built: 13+12 knots (25 km/h)
Crew1958: 12
Sensors &
processing systems
  • as built: echo sounding device
  • by 1957: position fixing device added
  • by 1958: radar added
Notessister ships: Fort Rannoch; Mount Keen

Mary White was a steam trawler that was built in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1935. She was launched as White Pioneer, but renamed Mary White in 1937. She was a naval trawler from 1940 to 1946. She was renamed Luffness in 1949.

She was the first steamship to be purpose-built with a propulsion system made by White's Marine Engineering Company of Newcastle. William Albert White combined a compound steam engine and an exhaust steam turbine, with reduction gearing for both engines onto the same propeller shaft. In 1948 her compound engine, turbine, and reduction gearing were all removed, and replaced with a triple expansion engine.

As White Pioneer, the trawler operated from Newcastle upon Tyne. As Mary White, she operated from Milford Haven and Grimsby. As Luffness, she operated from Granton. In 1958 Luffness ran aground while trying to enter Aberdeen Harbour, but without loss of life. She was repaired and refloated to be towed away for scrap, but sank a few miles southeast of Aberdeen.