SS Mongolia (1922)

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For other ships with the same name, see SS Mongolia.
"SS Nassau" redirects here. Not to be confused with Nassau (disambiguation).

SS Mongolia
Mongolia off Australia.
History
United Kingdom
NameMongolia
Owner
P&O
Port of registryNewcastle upon Tyne[1]
RouteUK—Australia, later UK—New Zealand[1]
Ordered22 November 1918[1]
BuilderArmstrong Whitworth, Newcastle upon Tyne[1]
Cost£1 million
Yard number964[1]
Launched24 August 1922[1]
Completed26 April 1923[1]
Maiden voyage11 May 1923[1]
Out of service1937[1]
IdentificationOfficial number: 145517
FateSold, 1938
New Zealand
NameRimutaka
OperatorNew Zealand Shipping Company
Port of registryPlymouth
Out of service1950
FateSold, 1950
Panama
NameEuropa
OwnerIncres Steamship Company
Port of registryPanama
Out of serviceSeptember, 1951
FateSold, 1951
--> Panama --> Liberia
NameNassau
Port of registryPanama, later Liberia
Out of service1961
FateSold, 1961
Mexico
NameAcapulco
OwnerNatumex
Port of registryAcapulco, Mexico
Acquired1961
Out of service1963
FateScrapped 1964
General characteristics
Tonnage
  • 16,504 GRT
  • 10,383
    Net Register Tonnage[1]
Length573 ft (175 m) overall, 551 ft 6 in (168.10 m) between perpendiculars[1]
Beam72 ft (22 m)[1]
Draught30 ft (9.1 m)[1]
Depth38 ft 6 in (11.73 m)[1]
Installed power6 double-reduction-geared steam turbines[1]
PropulsionTwin screws[1]
Speed16 knots (30 km/h)[1]
Capacity231 first class, 180 second class passengers; 669,000 cu ft (18,900 m3) cargo including 136,000 cu ft (3,900 m3) refrigerated

The SS Mongolia was a

Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) for service from the United Kingdom to Australia. Later in P&O service she sailed for New Zealand, and in 1938 she was chartered to a P&O subsidiary, the New Zealand Shipping Company
, as SS Rimutaka.

Mongolia

In 1950 she was sold to become the SS Europa, carrying immigrants to the

Acapulco cruise liner, SS Acapulco, making her the only ocean liner to ever fly the Mexican flag. The ship was scrapped in 1964.[2]

Mongolia, 1922–38

The P&O ordered Mongolia from Sir W G Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. Ltd. of Newcastle upon Tyne on 22 November 1918, but construction was delayed by postwar refits of existing ships and she was not launched until 24 August 1922. After fitting out and sea trials the Mongolia was delivered to P&O on 26 April 1923. The ship cost an estimated £1 million.[1]

She left London on her maiden voyage to Sydney on 11 May 1923 on what was at first a 4-weekly mail service, that service being increased to fortnightly from 1925. She was converted to oil fuel in 1928.[1]

Notable incidents included a collision on 16 July 1933 with the tanker British Venture and a breakwater in Copenhagen, followed by running aground; and a collision with Villa de Madrid off Marseille on 3 December 1936.[1]

She was laid up for sale in 1937.[1]

She was captained by Harry Ramsey Rhodes for 9 years.[citation needed]

Rimutaka, 1938–50

The SS Mongolia was renamed the Rimutaka by at least 15/10/1922, this from the ships cook ID. In 1938, the P&O transferred the ship under long-term charter to their subsidiary, the

Wellington, New Zealand
.

She suffered a fire in her No. 3 hold on 9 March 1939. In September of that year, she was requisitioned for conversion to an

armed merchant cruiser due to the outbreak of World War II, but was released from that service before any conversion occurred. Instead, the Rimutaka was requisitioned for the Liner Division
between 12 May 1940 and 14 June 1946, but remained in UK—New Zealand service for most of the war.

After hostilities ceased, she continued in NZSC service on the same route; her last voyage with the company was in 1950, departing Wellington for London in January, 1950. She was returned to parent P&O for sale.[1]

Europa, 1950–51

On 3 March 1950 the ship was transferred from P&O to the

Halifax, Nova Scotia and New York City. The Europa continued in this service until the end of September, 1951.[1][3]

Nassau, 1951–61

After this, the ship was renovated in

Bahamas. Her cargo holds were removed and swimming pools and other amenities were fitted, suiting her to her new role. This was the first time a ship was employed year-round as a cruise ship.[3] In 1954 her registry was transferred to Liberia.[1]

Acapulco, 1961–63

The ship was purchased in 1961 by

SS Acapulco then sailed for the United States, where she initially failed inspections by the United States Coast Guard.[4]
On her third trip from California she suffered a mechanical breakdown at sea.[2]

In 1962 she went to the Century 21 Exposition to serve as a hotel ship.[2]

In 1963 she was laid up at

Sakai. Demolition began on 6 January 1965.[1][2][5]

References

Ships Cook ID

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z MONGOLIA (1923) Later RIMUTAKA (PDF), P&O Line, archived from the original on 11 January 2007, retrieved 7 May 2008{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^
    ISBN 0-07-141950-0
    .
  3. ^ a b "Italian Immigrant and Europa Crew Dr. Vincenzo Berglieri" (PDF). Online Story Collection. Pier 21, Canada's Immigration Museum. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
  4. U.S. Coast Guard
    . 2003.
  5. ^ Smith, Eugene Waldo (1978). Passenger Ships of the World, Past and Present. Boston: G. H. Dean.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SS_Mongolia_(1922)&oldid=1188755962"