MS Gripsholm (1925)

Starting New York 1957

Gripsholm

• After reconstruction in 1949: 179.83 m m ( LOA)

• After reconstruction in 1949: 210 people in 1st class / 710 people in economy class
• As Berlin: 251 people in 1st class / 725 people in 2nd class
• After reconstruction 1955: 98 people in 1st class / 878 people in economy class
• Later reduction in tourist class to 725 pers.

The passenger ship ran Berlin from 1955 to 1966 under the flag of the Federal Republic of Germany. It was founded in 1924 at the shipyard Armstrong Whitworth & Co. (Newcastle upon Tyne ) for the shipping company Svenska America Linjen ( Gothenburg ) built as Gripsholm.

History

Made in 1925 as Gripsholm in service

The 1925 ^ for Svenska Linjen America under the name Gripsholm was put into service ship was the first passenger vessel in the North Atlantic liner service with a diesel engine drive and also the sister ship of the motor-driven Kungsholm. During World War II Sweden presented the 1940-46 Schiffvon the International Committee of the Red Cross for the wounded and prisoner exchange, the war parties. In March 1946, the passenger ship again began scheduled service between Gothenburg and New York.

1949 rebuilding and modernization

At the shipyard HDW in Kiel took place from 1949 to 1950 the reconstruction and modernization of Gripsholm. On 18 July 1952, the ship rescued the crew of before New York got into fire Norwegian freighter Black Hawk. 1954 acquired the shipping company North German Lloyd ( NDL) 50 percent of the owner's interest in the ship, on February 1, 1954 his first trip to the Bremen -America Line, Bremen took.

Renamed in 1955 in Berlin

On January 7, 1955, the North German Lloyd ( NDL) took over the ship completely and put it into Berlin. First, the ship was used in scheduled service between Bremerhaven and New York before it was rebuilt again in the same year. Also on several cruises in the North Atlantic, the Berlin was used. After a trip to Bremerhaven - New York - Bermuda - New York - Bremerhaven in the spring of 1966, on which there had been several incidents that Berlin was shut down.

Launched in 1966 and scrapped

On October 15, 1966, Berlin has been permanently withdrawn from service, it was ( built in 1953 as Kungsholm ) since January, 1966 by the replaced Europe. The conversion to Europe was on its own " technical operations ", the Lloyd shipyard in Bremerhaven.

The Berlin was sold for scrap to La Spezia in Italy. The Berlin was a well-built ship, which was good because of its low level in the water and did not tend to snake. When she exits from the port of St. George on the Bermuda Islands under the command of George H. Will had in 1966 a violent touching ground survived the hull without this leak strike. Because of his advanced age, the ship had numerous minor flaws. So, for example, was the gland of the starboard propeller shaft leaking, and permanently penetrated medium amounts of water. The lubrication of the ship's engine was done largely by hand. The crew's quarters were spartan. For an Atlantic crossing from Bremerhaven to New York, they typically require 11 days. By comparison, the United States took less than five days for the same trip. Captains of Berlin were 1954-1959 Heinrich Lorenz, H. Vollmer, KO Efferoth and from 1965 George H. Will.

Pictures

Stamp ( 1955) to launch in the renaming