| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | SS Petriana |
| Namesake | Petriana |
| Owner | Asiatic Petroleum Company[a] |
| Port of registry | London, England |
| Route | Borneo to Australia |
| Builder | A. Leslie and Company |
| Launched | 30 October 1879[1] |
| Completed | 1879 |
| Fate | Wrecked 28 November 1903 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type |
|
| Tonnage | 1,821 imperial tons |
| Length | 260.5 feet (79.4 m) |
| Depth | 21.75 feet (6.63 m) |
| Decks | Single-deck |
| Propulsion | Screw, auxiliary sails |
| Speed | 9.5 knots |
SS Petriana was an iron screw steamer built in 1879 that was converted into an oil tanker. On 28 November 1903, while transporting 1,300 tonnes of petroleum from Borneo to Australia, it struck a reef near Point Nepean, Victoria, outside of Port Phillip Bay. The vessel was subsequently abandoned, but not before its cargo was released as part of efforts to save the ship, causing Australia's first major oil spill. Under the White Australia policy, the Chinese and Malay sailors crewing the Petriana were refused entry to Australia and forced to stay on a crowded tugboat for several days. Their treatment led to a political controversy in the lead-up to the 1903 federal election.
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