MS Kungsholm (1952)
Kungsholm in 1954.
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History | |
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Name |
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Owner |
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Operator |
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Port of registry |
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Ordered | 1 April 1950[2] |
Builder | De Schelde, The Netherlands |
Yard number | 273[1] |
Launched | 18 October 1952[1] |
Christened | 18 October 1952 by Princess Sibylla of Sweden[3] |
Acquired | 30 September 1953[1] |
Maiden voyage | 24 November 1953[1] |
In service | 24 November 1953[1] |
Identification | IMO number: 5197664[1] |
Fate | Partially sunk at |
General characteristics (as Kungsholm)[1] | |
Type | combined ocean liner / cruise ship |
Tonnage | 21,164 GRT; 4,153 tonnes deadweight (DWT) |
Length | 182.89 m (600 ft) |
Beam | 23.50 m (77 ft 1 in) |
Height | 60 m (196 ft 10 in) from keel to mast top[4] |
Draught | 13.85 m (45 ft 5 in) |
Decks | 9 (6 passenger accessible)[6] |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion | 2 propellers[5] |
Speed | 21 kn (38.89 km/h) service speed |
Capacity | 802 passengers (176 first class, 626 tourist class)[5] |
Crew | 418[7] |
General characteristics (as Europa)[7] | |
Type | combined ocean liner / cruise ship |
Capacity | 843 passengers (122 first class, 721 tourist class) |
MS Kungsholm was a combined
Concept and construction
After the end of World War II the Swedish American Line, the company that had been pioneers of cruising during the 1920s,[8] was left in a difficult situation. MS Stockholm, the large newbuild that had been planned during the late 1930s, never entered service for them because of the war, with the remaining fleet consisting of ageing ships.[9] The company took delivery of their first post-war ship, the fourth MS Stockholm, in 1948. She was a small cargo/passenger liner far removed from the luxury of her pre-war predecessors.[10]
In 1948, during the same year that the Stockholm was delivered, SAL had already begun market research on both sides of the
The ship was designed by the established Swedish American Line designer, Eric Christiansson, who had designed the three previous Stockholms. He was the technical director at parent company
On 18 October 1952 the new ship was launched and christened MS Kungsholm by
Service history
As Kungsholm
The brand new Kungsholm set on her maiden voyage from
In January 1955 the Kungsholm departed on the first-ever around the world cruise made by a SAL vessel.[15] In May 1957 the new Gripsholm was delivered and entered service alongside the Kungsholm. In 1961 the Kungsholm was drydocked and refitted with stabilizers.[7]
Encouraged by the success of the Kungsholm and Gripsholm, the Swedish American Line placed an order for yet another new ship in August 1963. In preparation for the delivery of the new ship—also named
As Europa
Following delivery to the
In September 1970 the North German Lloyd merged with the Hamburg America Line (HAPAG) to form Hapag-Lloyd.[1] Hapag-Lloyd decided to abandon transatlantic service in 1971, and from there on the Europa was used exclusively for cruising.[16] In either 1971 or 1972 she was re-painted in the new Hapag-Lloyd livery.[7][16]
As the 1970s were drawing to a close, Hapag-Lloyd started planning a new ship to replace the Europa, also to be named MS Europa. With the delivery date of the new Europa set in December 1981, the old Europa was sold to Independent Continental Lines, a subsidiary of Costa Cruises, with a delivery date in November 1981.[1][17]
As Columbus C.
Following the sale to Independent Continental Lines, the Europa was renamed Columbus C., painted in
On 1 November 1984 the Columbus C. was refloated and laid up. The damages were judged to be too severe to be repaired with acceptable costs, and she was sold to Mirak SA in Barcelona to be scrapped. On 2 April 1985 the Columbus C. arrived in Barcelona under tow, where she was scrapped.[1][7]
Design
Exterior design
The Kungsholm was designed with a fairly traditional profile. She had a fairly low superstructure compared to her hull, with the forward part of the superstructure rounded and the rear part tiered to accommodate swimming pools. She was equipped with two funnels, the forward one being a dummy.[7][16]
In her original
Decks
As built the Kungsholm had nine decks, six of which were passenger accessible.[2][18]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Asklander, Micke. "M/S Kungsholm (1953)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 18 March 2008.
- ^ a b c d "Making of the Kungsholm of 1953 (page 1)". A tribute to the Swedish American Line. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
- ^ a b "Making of the Kungsholm of 1953 (page 2)". A tribute to the Swedish American Line. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
- ^ "Making of the Kungsholm of 1953 (page 3)". A tribute to the Swedish American Line. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-486-28137-7.
- ^ Rosén, Bo; Ohrelius, Bengt; Koivistoinen, Eino (1959). Laivojen Kirja (in Finnish). Porvoo: WSOY. p. 74.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Goossens, Reuben. "MS Kungsholm III". ssMaritime. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
- ISBN 978-1-84486-049-4.
- ^ a b c "SAL Timeline". A tribute to the Swedish American Line. Archived from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
- ^ Dawson (2005). pp. 174–175
- ^ Rosén, Ohrelius, Koivistoinen (1959). p. 13
- OCLC 43419400.
- ^ Rosén, Ohrelius, Koivistoinen (1959). p. 15
- ^ ISBN 978-0-86288-274-7.
- ^ "Kungsholm 1953 – 1965". A tribute to the Swedish American Line. Archived from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
- ^ a b c d Boyle, Ian. "Kungsholm – Europa – Columbus C". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
- ^ Asklander, Micke. "M/S Europa (1981)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 18 March 2008.
- ^ Rosén, Ohrelius, Koivistoinen (1959). pp. 10–11, 74