Gripsholm (1925)
Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:21 am
GRIPSHOLM
Builder: W. G. Armstrong. Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England.
Completed: November 1925.
Gross tonnage: 19105.
Dimensions: 590ft x 74ft. Depth 43ft.
Engines: Two six-cylinder, four-stroke, double-acting Burmeister & Wain diesel.
Screws: Twin.
Watertight bulkheads: Ten.
Decks: Five
Normal speed: 16 knots.
Officers and crew: 350.
Passenger accommodation: 210 first and 710 tourist class.
Maiden voyage: Gothenburg—New York on November 21,1925.
Engaged in the Gothenburg—Copenhagen—New York service and cruising.
In February 1927 she made her first extensive cruise to the Mediterranean and made an annual cruise to South America.
In March 1942 she was chartered by the United States Government until March 1946 at a cost of $17000 a day.
After the war she carried Japanese, Germans, and Italians, to their fatherland and repatriated allies on her return trips while under the office of the International Red Cross.
During this extensive duty of repatriation she carried over 27000 people and covered over 120000 miles which made her the most well known mercy ship of the war.
Re-entered service in March 1946 from New York to Gothenburg.
On July 18, 1952,she rescued 45 persons from the burning Norwegian freighter Black Hawk 75 miles off New York.
The Gripsholm was the first transatlantic liner to be driven by diesel engines.
Refitted in 1949 at Kiel, Germany, and given a new stem with an increase in length from 574ft to 590ft and larger funnels.
Commenced her last voyage for the Swedish-American Line on December 29, 1953, from Gothenburg to New York and was sold to the North German Lloyd in January 1954 with the Swedish-American Line retaining half ownership.
Subsequently sold in full to the North German Lloyd in January 1955 and renamed Berlin.
Sold for scrap in Italy in October 1966.
SG198,704.
North Atlantic Passenger Liners since 1900 by N T Cairis