Second ship of this name owned by Norwegian-America Line. Built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson at Wallsend on Tyne. She was launched on Sep 18th 1955, when the naming ceremony was performed by Princess Astrid whose ceramics decorate the ship. She was completed at the drydock on Tyneside and was handed over to her owners on May 14th 1956.
She set up a new speed record for the 3,180 miles (From Kristiansand, Norway, to the Nantucket Lightship) - 6 days, 10 hrs, 24 mins. The vessel has a gross tonnage of 18,739 on dimensions of 578'3" x 72' 2" x 27' 6".
Norway SG505
Bergensfjord (Norwegian America Line) 1955
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Bergensfjord (Norwegian America Line) 1955
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aukepalmhof
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Re: Bergensfjord (Norwegian America Line)
Built as a passenger vessel under yard No. 1849 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd., at Walllsend-on-Tyne, U.K. for Den Norske Amerikalinje A/S (Norwegian America Line), at Oslo.
18 July 1955 launched by Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid under the name BERGENSFJORD (II).
Tonnage 18.739 gross, 10.047 net. Dim. 578.3 x 72.2 x 27.6ft.
Powered by two 8-cyl. 2S.C.DA oil engines manufactured by N.V. Gebr. Stork & Co. Hengelo, Netherlands, each 9.200bhp., twin screws. Maximum speed during trials 23.84 knots, service speed 20 knots.
Accommodation for 878 passengers in first and tourist class, crew 335.
14 May 1956 delivered and registered at Bergen, Norway.
30 May 1956 sailed for her maiden voyage from Oslo to Copenhagen, Christiansand to New York, used in the summer on the North Atlantic service, and during the winter for cruising with accommodation for 420 passengers all first class. Mostly for two weeks cruise in the Caribbean to around the world in 80 days cruises.
By the late sixties mostly the year around used for cruises, some summer trips were from Oslo trough the Norwegian fjords to the North Cape and Spitzbergen.
When the French Line lost by fire in January 1971 their liner ANTILLES, she needed a replacement, and in 1971 Cie Generale Transatlantique (French Line) bought the BERGENSFJORD, renamed DE GRASSE.
Used in the service between Le Havre and the West Indies, in addition to cruises.
But the days for the passenger liners were passed, and when during the huge increase of fuel oil cost in 1973 she became uneconomical and was put on the sale list, but a sale in 1973 to the Home Line with a charter for cruises in the Far East did not materialized.
November 1973 Sold to Thorsesen & Co. (Singapore) Pty. Ltd. and Bruusgaard Kiosterud & Co. Singapore, renamed in RASA SAYANG. Owners subsequently became Thoresen Co. Ltd. Singapore, and later Thoresen & Co. (Singapore) Pty. Ltd. Singapore.
After refitted she was used for special fly-sail cruises out of Singapore to the Indonesian Islands and Far Eastern ports.
02 June 1977 abandoned at sea after a fire, off Port Dickson, Malaysia, carrying 653 passengers many where schoolchildren and 340 crew members, the passengers were safely taken off, 5 crewmembers lost their lives in the blaze later towed to Singapore and repaired, after repair laid up in Singapore and offered for sale in June 1978.
1978 Sold to Sunlite Cruises Ltd. (M Stroubakis manager), Cyprus, and renamed GOLDEN MOON.
She was laid up at Perama Bay, near Piraeus.
May 1978 there where rumors that she would be chartered to a Dutch travel firm, for summer cruises to Scandinavia under the name PRINS VAN ORANJE but she stayed in Perama Bay.
July 1979 transferred to Aphrodite Maritime Co. Greece. M.Stroubakis manager, with the plan to charter her to the Soviet-owned CTC Lines for cruises from Sydney to the South Pacific, she was renamed in RASA SAYANG, but the plan failed to develop.
During her refit in Perama Bay on 27 August 1980 was destroyed by fire that broke out in the engine room before spreading throughout the whole ship. She was towed out to Kynosoura.
The 50 workmen on board got off without injures.
The gutted wreck, which capsized, subsequently became almost totally submerged in position 37 56N 23 34E, was declared a constructive total loss. Later scrapped as she lay.
Register of Merchant ships completed in 1956. Modern Shipping Disasters 1963-1987 by Norman Hooke.
Norwegian America Line 1910-1995 by Pedersen and Hawks. The last Atlantic Liners by William H Miller. North Atlantic Seaways Vol. 4 by Bonsor.
18 July 1955 launched by Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid under the name BERGENSFJORD (II).
Tonnage 18.739 gross, 10.047 net. Dim. 578.3 x 72.2 x 27.6ft.
Powered by two 8-cyl. 2S.C.DA oil engines manufactured by N.V. Gebr. Stork & Co. Hengelo, Netherlands, each 9.200bhp., twin screws. Maximum speed during trials 23.84 knots, service speed 20 knots.
Accommodation for 878 passengers in first and tourist class, crew 335.
14 May 1956 delivered and registered at Bergen, Norway.
30 May 1956 sailed for her maiden voyage from Oslo to Copenhagen, Christiansand to New York, used in the summer on the North Atlantic service, and during the winter for cruising with accommodation for 420 passengers all first class. Mostly for two weeks cruise in the Caribbean to around the world in 80 days cruises.
By the late sixties mostly the year around used for cruises, some summer trips were from Oslo trough the Norwegian fjords to the North Cape and Spitzbergen.
When the French Line lost by fire in January 1971 their liner ANTILLES, she needed a replacement, and in 1971 Cie Generale Transatlantique (French Line) bought the BERGENSFJORD, renamed DE GRASSE.
Used in the service between Le Havre and the West Indies, in addition to cruises.
But the days for the passenger liners were passed, and when during the huge increase of fuel oil cost in 1973 she became uneconomical and was put on the sale list, but a sale in 1973 to the Home Line with a charter for cruises in the Far East did not materialized.
November 1973 Sold to Thorsesen & Co. (Singapore) Pty. Ltd. and Bruusgaard Kiosterud & Co. Singapore, renamed in RASA SAYANG. Owners subsequently became Thoresen Co. Ltd. Singapore, and later Thoresen & Co. (Singapore) Pty. Ltd. Singapore.
After refitted she was used for special fly-sail cruises out of Singapore to the Indonesian Islands and Far Eastern ports.
02 June 1977 abandoned at sea after a fire, off Port Dickson, Malaysia, carrying 653 passengers many where schoolchildren and 340 crew members, the passengers were safely taken off, 5 crewmembers lost their lives in the blaze later towed to Singapore and repaired, after repair laid up in Singapore and offered for sale in June 1978.
1978 Sold to Sunlite Cruises Ltd. (M Stroubakis manager), Cyprus, and renamed GOLDEN MOON.
She was laid up at Perama Bay, near Piraeus.
May 1978 there where rumors that she would be chartered to a Dutch travel firm, for summer cruises to Scandinavia under the name PRINS VAN ORANJE but she stayed in Perama Bay.
July 1979 transferred to Aphrodite Maritime Co. Greece. M.Stroubakis manager, with the plan to charter her to the Soviet-owned CTC Lines for cruises from Sydney to the South Pacific, she was renamed in RASA SAYANG, but the plan failed to develop.
During her refit in Perama Bay on 27 August 1980 was destroyed by fire that broke out in the engine room before spreading throughout the whole ship. She was towed out to Kynosoura.
The 50 workmen on board got off without injures.
The gutted wreck, which capsized, subsequently became almost totally submerged in position 37 56N 23 34E, was declared a constructive total loss. Later scrapped as she lay.
Register of Merchant ships completed in 1956. Modern Shipping Disasters 1963-1987 by Norman Hooke.
Norwegian America Line 1910-1995 by Pedersen and Hawks. The last Atlantic Liners by William H Miller. North Atlantic Seaways Vol. 4 by Bonsor.