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HISTORY
She was the queen of the Atlantic. Many an emigrant
from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England and Ireland travelled on the M/S
Stavangerfjord to the US and Canada.
Launched on
21st May 1917, she sailed from Birkenhead on her maiden voyage to New
York on 29th April 1918. She was then laid up in New York until she
sailed for Christiania (Oslo) on 11th September 1918. In October 1918
she made her first Christiania - Christiansand - Stavanger - Bergen -
New York crossing, arriving 16th October. In 1924 she was converted
from coal to oil fuel and her accommodation altered to carry cabin and
3rd class passengers only. In February 1930 she was again refitted to
147-cabin, 207-tourist and 820-3rd class and her tonnage increased to
13,156 tons. She was modernised in 1938 and on 9th December 1939
commenced her last crossing from New York to Bergen and Oslo, where
she was laid up. After the German invasion of Norway, she became a
depot ship until August 1945, when she was used as a troopship between
Norway and New York. In 1946 she was refitted to accommodate 122-1st,
222-cabin and 335-tourist class passengers and on 31st May 1946
resumed Oslo -Bergen - New York sailing’s. On 9th December 1953 her
rudder carried away in rough weather in mid-Atlantic and she was
escorted to Bergen, firstly by the Norwegian America cargo steamer
"Lyngenfjord" which unsuccessfully tried to tow her and then by the
British tug "Turmoil". She managed to steer by use of her twin screws.
In 1956 she was again refitted to carry 66-1st, 184-cabin and
402-tourist class passengers and her tonnage increased to 14,015 tons.
Her last voyage commenced on 18th November 1963 when she left Oslo for
Copenhagen, Stavanger, New York (dep 3rd Dec.), Bergen and Oslo and in
1964 she was scrapped at Hong Kong. After 45 years on the sea. During
this time it had crossed the Atlantic 768 times which means 2.800.000
miles and had carried 403.618 passengers.
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