Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, Germany.
Completed : March 1930.
Gross tonnage: 51,839.
Dimensions: 937ft x 102 ft. Depth 48ft.
Engines: Twelve turbines single-reduction geared.
Screws: Quadruple.
Watertight bulkheads: Fourteen.
Decks: Seven.
Normal speed : 24.50 knots.
Passenger accommodation : 555 first, 497 cabin and 450 tourist class.
Maiden voyage: Le Havre—New York on August 17, 1950.
Built for the North German Lloyd and christened Europa. Allotted to the French Government in May 1946 as a World War II reparation and transferred to the French Line in July and renamed Liberte.
The name Lorraine had been contemplated, but Liberte seemed more appropriate after the war.
On December 9, 1946, the Liberte had broken loose from her moorings during a severe gale and rammed into the sunken hulk of the Paris in the harbour at Le Havre and damaged her starboard side extensively. She was scuttled to prevent her from capsizing. Refloated on April 15, 1947, and taken to St. Nazaire in November and recon¬structed at a cost of about $19 million.
Engaged in the Le Havre—Channel ports—New York service.
New funnels were fitted in 1954 that were of odd shape and height causing her to look greatly out of proportion.
Sold to Italian shipbreakers on December 30, 1961, and broken up by June 1962.
SG1222