SS Elisabethville (1921)
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Namesake | Elisabethville (now Lubumbashi) |
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Route | Antwerp – Matadi (1924–40) |
| Builder | J Cockerill SA, Hoboken |
| Yard number | 562 |
| Launched | 19 May 1921 |
| Completed | November 1921 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 439 ft 1 in (133.83 m) |
| Beam | 57 ft (17.37 m) |
| Draught | 37 ft (11.28 m) |
| Depth | 34 ft 1 in (10.39 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 × quadruple expansion steam engines |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h) |
| Capacity | 700 passengers in one class |
| Sensors and processing systems | wireless direction finding (by 1930) |
| Notes | sister ship: Thysville |
Elisabethville was an 8,851 GRT
Elisabethville was named after a city in what was then Belgian Congo. The city is now Lubumbashi, which is the second largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, only behind the capital Kinshasa.
In 1940 Elisabethville was requisitioned by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) for use as a troopship. She briefly returned to merchant service in 1946 before being requisitioned again in 1947 for further troopship duties, and rechristened the Empire Bure.
She was then laid up before being sold in 1950 to Charlton Steamship Co. and was renamed Charlton Star. In 1958 she was sold to Greek owners and renamed Maristrella, serving until she was scrapped in 1960.
Description
Elisabethville was built by
The ship was 439 feet 1 inch (133.83 m) long, with a beam of 57 feet (17.37 m) and a depth of 34 feet 1 inch (10.39 m).[3] As built, her tonnages were 8,178 GRT and 4,869 NRT.[4] She had accommodation for 700 passengers in a single class.[5]
The ship had twin
Career
Elisabethville was operated by
In 1940 she was requisitioned by the MoWT for use as a troopship under the management of Lamport & Holt Line,[1] entering service on 16 December 1940. On 3 February 1947 she was returned to CMB, returning to Antwerp on 7 March. On 18 March Elisabethville was requisitioned by the Ministry of Transport and renamed Empire Bure.[4] In 1949 she was laid up in Holy Loch.
In 1950 she was sold to Charlton Steamship Co and renamed Charlton Star.[1] The ship was refitted as an ocean liner by Beliard, Crichton & Co, Greenock. She was towed to Antwerp by the tug Turmoil, arriving on 3 April 1950. Charlton Star was operated under the management of Chandris (England) Ltd.[4] In 1952, during the Suez Crisis, Charlton Star was used as an accommodation ship at Tobruk.[7] She served until 1957 when she was laid up at La Spezia, Italy.[1]
In 1958 Charlton Star was sold to Navigation Maristrella SA, Monrovia and renamed Maristrella, operating under the management of AJ & DJ Chandris, Greece.[1][4] She served with Chandris for a couple of years before she was scrapped at Osaka, Japan, arriving for scrapping on 19 January 1960.
Identification details
Elisabethville used the code letters MENV until 1933[3] and the call sign OPEA from 1934.[8]
Culture and media
A painting of Elisabethville on her maiden voyage in May 1921 was made by Belgian artist Eugeen Van Mieghem.[6]
References
- ^ ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
- ^ a b c "1181651". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "Belgian Merchant A-G" (PDF). Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 13 October 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo / Compagnie Maritime Belge". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
- ^ a b "About this site". Compagnie Maritime Belge. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
- ^ "A Reminiscence by NG Floyd CA 1 HLI 1951–1953". The Royal Highland Fusiliers. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
- ^ "Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships" (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. Retrieved 30 December 2009.