RMS Ebro
.jpg) The N/T Serpa Pinto during World War II
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | |
| Name | RMS Ebro |
| Owner | list error: <br /> list (help) Royal Mail: 1914-1922 PSNC: 1922-1935 |
| Operator | list error: <br /> list (help) Royal Mail: 1914-1922 PSNC: 1922-1935 |
| Port of registry |  |
| Route | Western Indies and New York-Chile |
| Builder | Workman & Clark of Belfast |
| Launched | September, 1914 |
| Maiden voyage | April, 1915 |
| Fate | Sold to Jugoslavenska Lloyd |
| History | |
| Yoguslavia | |
| Name | Princess Olga |
| Owner | Jugoslavenska Lloyd |
| Operator | Jugoslavenska Lloyd |
| Port of registry | .svg){kind=small} |
| Route | Dubrovnik-Haifa |
| Fate | Sold to Companhia Colonial de Navegação |
| History | |
| Portugal | |
| Name | N/T Serpa Pinto |
| Owner | Companhia Colonial de Navegação |
| Operator | Companhia Colonial de Navegação |
| Port of registry | Lisbon, G-407  |
| Route | Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro, Philadelphia, New York and Havana |
| Maiden voyage | May, 1940 to Beira |
| Out of service | August 7, 1954 |
| Identification | CSBA |
| Fate | Broken-up in Antwerp |
| Status | Broken-up |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Ocean liner |
| Tonnage | 8,267 tons |
| Length | 142.47 m (467.4 ft) |
| Beam | 17.0 m (55.8 ft) |
| Draft | 6.85 m (22.5 ft) |
| Installed power | 6,000 hp |
| Propulsion | 2 beams |
| Crew | 160 |
| Notes | list error: <br /> list (help) 600 250 First Class 350 Third Class |
The RMS Ebro was an Ocean Liner built in 1914 to Royal Mail and was operated later by Pacific Steam Navigation Company, Jugoslavenska Lloyd and finaly by Companhia Colonial de Navegaçãoi where she became the civilian ship that made more atlantic crossings during World war II situation that granted her the name of Friendship vessel or Destiny ship[1], before being broken-up in 1954
History
Construction
The RMS Ebro was ordered by Royal Mail to the Belfast shipyard Workman & Clark, were she was launched in September, 1914. The ship had 468 ft of length and 55.8 ft of beam.
English Service
When ordered, the plans of Royal Mail for ‘’’RMS Ebro’’ was to put her on the Western Indies service on the Caribbean but due to the start of World war I, only one voyage was made in April 1915. She was requisitioned, together with his sister ship RMS Assequibo and four other liners of Royal Mail by Royal Navy to be transformed in an Auxiliary cruisers armed with eigth six inches guns, depth chages and mines. The ships were integrated in the 10th Auxiliary cruiser squadron were they service as convoy escorts throughout the war.
In the end of the war the RMS Ebro was returned to Royal Mail but instead of operating it, the company decided to sell her to Pacific Steam and Navigation Company (PSNC) which placed her, after repairs and maintenance in the line New York-Chile through the Panama Canal were she stood until the colopse of Pacific Steam in 1930 due to the 1929 Wall Street crash. RMS Ebro stood moored on Avon River mouth until 1935. [2]
Yugoslav Service
In 1935 the RMS Ebro was sold to Yugoslavenska Lloyd and re-baptized as Princess Olga. Under the Yugoslav pavilion, Princess Olga was used in the Dubrovnik-Haifa route transporting passengers and general cargo. In 1940 Princess Olga was bought by the Portuguese Company Companhia Colonial de Navegação.
Portuguese Service
In 1940 with the civilians that were trying to flee Europe due to World War II increased the demand to cross the Atlantic to South America, Companhia Colonial de Navegação placed the small and underpowered N/T Colonial on the line Lisbon-Rio de Janeiro. During that year N/T Colonial will transport about 2000 passengers to Brazil. With lines from Lisbon to Angola and Mozambique, stretching to the Portuguese State of India, Macau and East Timor, Companhia Colonial de Navegação hadn’t the means to face up to the demand. The purpose of the company, when decided to bought Princess Olga was to reinforce the offering on the traffic between Portugal and its colonies. Then the service was held by pre-world war I liners, like N/T Colonial, former SS Ypiranga and her sister ship, N/T Mousinho, former SS Corcovado. The Princess Olga was bought in April, 1940, re-baptized has N/T Serpa Pinto and sailed to Lisbon. The first voyage uder Portuguese Flag was held immediately upon her arrival in Lisbon in May, 1940 with Lourenço Marques as destiny.
When Italy declared war on the Allies in June, 1940 all their shipping lines were closed. Then only 3 companies from neutral countries maintained their Transatlantic Lines. These companies were the Portuguese Companhia Nacional de Navegação and Companhia Colonial de Navegação and the spanish Ybarra from Seville, the latter hadn’t ships required for the transatlantic routes.
From August, 1940 the N/T Serpa Pinto initiated her service in the transatlantic routes of Rio de Janeiro and Nort America (Philadelphia and New York).
Operating an Ocean Liner, even if the flag was from a neutral country in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II wasn’t an easy and risk free task. N/T Serpa Pinto was repeatedly stopped in middle Atlantic by German submarines and US Navy and Royal Navy ships for inspections.
The biggest threat of all happened on the night of May 26, 1944 when, on route to Philadelphia in middle Atlantic the Serpa Pinto was stopped by an U-boat, and ordered to all crew and passengers to abandon the ship to the life-boats an requested the Major State of Kriegsmarine to torpedo the ship. All the passengers and crew (With exception of the captain who decided to remain on board whatever the German decision. They waited all night. The answer of Admiral Karl Doenitz was only received by the U-Boat at dawn and was a strong negative one. The U-Boat departed and the life-boats returned to the ship. Unfortunately 3 passengers were drowned on the operation[3].
During World War II N/T Serpa Pinto made 10 voyages Lisbon-Rio de Janeiro and 10 trips Lisbon-Philadelphia.
After the War, N/T Serpa Pinto remain in operation on the Lisbon-Rio de Janeiro-Santos line until the entrance in service of the new Ocean Liners of CCN, N/T Vera Cruz and N/T Santa Maria. Her last voyage to Brazil was held in July, 1953. Afterwards she was placed in Caribbean line (Lisbon-Havana) making 12 round trips to Havana, with scales in Vigo, Funchal, La Guaira and Curacao[4]
At July 9, 1954, the N/T Serpa Pinto sails from Lisbon for her last voyage to São Vicente-Rio de Janeiro and Santos[5].
Broken-up
After her last voyage, N/T Serpa Pinto remain moored in Lisbon until September 5, 1954 when departed under tow to Antwerp, Belgium to be broken-up.
References
- ^ Resenha: Serpa Pinto, o navio do destino. in Casa Stefan Zweig, 2 Set 2009, consultado em 21 Out 2011.
- ^ Rossini, José Carlos (January 5, 1 1992). "Navios: o Serpa Pinto" (in Portuguese). A Tribuna de Santos.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameters:|1=and|coauthors=(help) - ^ de Dijn, Rosinne (2009). Das Schicksalsschiff. Deutches Verlag – Anstalt. ISBN 978-3-421-04350-4.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ Rossini, José Carlos (January 5, 1 1992). "Navios: o Serpa Pinto" (in Portuguese). A Tribuna de Santos.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameters:|1=and|coauthors=(help) - ^ Bonsor, N.R.P. (2010). "Ebro/Princes Olga/Serpa Pinto".
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