This ship was built as a River Cargo vessel by Astillero Mihanovich, Carmelo, Uruguay, for Cia Arg. De Navegacion Fluvial SA (Group Dodero) She was of 1100 Gt. 1763 Dwt. with a Displacement of 2810 tons. Her length was 80.54m with a Beam of 12.65m. Depth 3.96m. and a maximum draught of 3.65m. Powered by two Harland-Burmeister & Wain diesel engines of 1050ihp.driving 2 screws. Her service speed was 10.8kn. Had 8 derricks, each of 3 tons and Hatches of 6.70m x 4.88m. Accommodation for 6 passengers. She was launched as the MADRID and delivered to her owners in 1939.
She was employed on the river Parana to Asuncion and Uruguay. In 1949, she was taken over by the Argentinean state owned Flota Argentina de Navagacion Fluvial (F.A.N.F.) but retained her name. In 1967, she was sold to Direccion de Vias Navegables (Direction of Navigable Waterways) This was a private company in Argentina, who had her rebuilt as a sand-dredger by Astilleros Isla Demarchi. In this new role as a dredger, she carried a crew of 37.
In 2006, she was lying alongside the dock Darsena Sur (South Basin), with a list and she finally grounded on sand in front of the sand silos of La Boca. She was abandoned and will likely finish up in the scrapyard.
She still looks a nice ship with her wooden superstructure and clean lines.
Source : Argentina Philatelic Bureau Brochure
Log Book April 2007