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SS Europa (1928)

Bundesarchiv Bild 102-09251, Hamburg, Probefahrt der "Europa".jpg
SS Europa prior to her maiden voyage
History
Germany
Name: Europa
Owner: Norddeutsche Lloyd
Port of registry: Bremen,Germany
Ordered: 1927
Builder: Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg, Germany
Launched: 15 August 1928
Christened: 15 August 1928
Maiden voyage: 19 March 1930
In service: March 1930
Out of service: May 1945
Identification: Not known
Fate: Captured by Allied forces
Status: Claimed as war prize by the US Navy
Notes: Was largest German ship built during the 1930s
United States
Name: USS Europa
Operator: United States Navy
Port of registry: Boston, USA
Route: Transatlantic
Acquired: 1945
In service: 1945 to 1946
Out of service: 1946
Identification: Pennant Number AP-177
Status: Turned over to the French Line in 1946
Notes: Served as a Troop Transport from Brest, France to New York, New York
France
Name: SS Liberté
Operator: Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
Route: Le Havre, France- New York, USA
Acquired: 1946
Maiden voyage: 16 July 1950
In service: 1950 to 1963
Out of service: 1946 to 1950
Fate: Retired in 1962 and scrapped in 1963.
Status: Scrapped
Notes: Was the replacement of Normandie
General characteristics
Class and type: Ocean liner
Tonnage: 49,746 GRT
Displacement: 55,500 long tons (56,400 t)
Length: 936.7 ft (283.5 m)
Beam: 101.7 feet (31 m)
Height: 150.6 feet
Decks: 12
Installed power: Four steam turbines generating 105,000 shp
Propulsion: Quadruple propellers
Speed: 27.5 knots (50.9 km/h; 31.6 mph)
Capacity:
  • 2,195 total passengers:
    • 860 first class
    • 502 second class
    • 305 tourist class
    • 617 third class
Crew: 965

SS Europa, later SS Liberté, IMO 5607332, was a German ocean liner built for the Norddeutsche Lloyd line (NDL) to work the transatlantic sea route. She and her sister ship, Bremen, were the two most advanced, high-speed steam turbine ocean vessels in their day, and were a part of the international competition for the Blue Riband.

Europa was built in 1929 with her sister ship SS Bremen to be the second 50,000–gross ton North German Lloyd liner. They both were powered with advanced high-speed steam turbine engines and were built with a bulbous bow entry and a low streamlined profile.

Europa and her slightly larger sister ship were designed to have a cruising speed of 27.5 knots, allowing an Atlantic crossing time of 5 days. This enabled Norddeutsche Lloyd to run regular weekly crossings with two ships, a feat that previously required three.

The launching of Europa took place at Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg on Wednesday, August 15, 1928. Europa was intended to be completed in spring 1929. However, on the morning of 26 March 1929, a fire broke out while still at the equipment dock. The fire raged all day long and it was not until the evening when the fire was under control. The ship's turbines were damaged heavily and also the remainder of the ship had been significantly damaged. After long discussions between builder and shipping company, it was decided to repair the ship. Within eleven months the ship was finished and completed on February 22, 1930. The cause of the fire has never been clearly identified.

Europa made her maiden voyage to New York on 19 March 1930 taking the westbound Blue Riband from SS Bremen with the average speed of 27.91 knots and a crossing time of 4 days, 17 hours and 6 minutes. During the voyage many of her passengers were disturbed by the soot coming out of Europa's low funnels. The problem was corrected by raising the funnels by 15 feet, though decreasing her low profile. After they were raised, there were no more complaints. She held it until Bremen recaptured it in June 1933.


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