Empress of Britain (1956)

RMS "Empress of Britain" was a transatlantic ocean liner built by Fairfield Shipbuilding at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland in 1955-1956 [The disambiguation date used in this article's title is the year in which the hull is launched, not the year of the vessel's sea trial or maiden voyage.] for Canadian Pacific Steamship (CP). This ship -- the third of three CP vessels to be named "Empress of Britain" [The second of three ships named SS "Empress of Britain" (1931) was built for CP; and the first SS "Empress of Britain" (1906) was also built for CP some years earlier.] -- regularly traversed the trans-Atlantic route between Canada and Europe until 1964, completing 123 voyages under the Canadian Pacific flag. This "Empress" was distinguished by the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) prefix in front of her name because the British government and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) had decades earlier reached agreement on a contract for subsidized trans-oceanic mail service. When not carrying mail, the ship would have been identified as SS "Empress of Britain."Ship List: [http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsE.html Description of "Empress of Britain"] ]

History

Empress of Britain

The "Empress of Britain" was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding in Govan near Glasgow, Scotland. [Johnston, Ian. "Govan Shipyard" in [http://www.shipsmonthly.com/ships/home.htm "Ships Monthly."] June 1985.] She was launched on June 22, 1955 by HM Queen Elizabeth II, nearly fifty years after the first CP "Empress of Britain" was launched from Govan in November 1905. Eleven months later, she set out on a maiden voyage from Liverpool to Montreal, departing Liverpool on April 20, 1956. [see above] ]

The 25,516-ton vessel had a length of 640 feet, and her beam was 85.2 feet. The ship had one funnel, one masts, twin screws and an average speed of 20-knots. The ocean liner provided accommodation for 160 first-class passengers and for 984 tourist-class passengers.

Queen Anna Maria

In November 1964, this former CP "Empress" was sold to the Greek Line; and the ship was re-named SS "Queen Anna Maria". This "Queen" re-built to 21,716 gross tons with accommodation for 168 first-class passengers and for 1,145 tourist-class passengers. She sailed on on the Piraeus to Naples to New York route. Later, she provided service on the Haifa to New York route. In 1975, she was laid up at Piraeus for a time.

Carnivale

In 1976, this former Greek "Queen" was sold to Carnival Cruise Lines; and the ship was re-named yet again -- this time as the SS "Carnivale". As Carnival's market expanded and the company was able to afford buying new ships, the ship transferred in to a Latin market subsidiary cruise line.

Fiesta Marina

In 1993, Carnival Cruise Lines transferred registration of the "Carnivale" to a subsidiary cruise line, Fiesta Marine; and the ship was re-named SS "Fiesta Marina." She became something of a test ship in a cruise-line expansion venture which proved ultimately to be unsuccessful.

Olympic

In 1994, Fiesta Marine sold the former "FiestaMarina" to Epirotiki; and the ship was re-named the "Olympic". In 1996, she was transferred to Royal Olympic Cruises operating under the same name.

Topaz

In 1997, the former "Olympic" was sold to Cyprus-based Thomson Holidays; and the ship was re-named "Topaz".

In 2003, the vessel was chartered, and then later sold to Topaz International to sail for Peace Boat operating under the name "Peace Boat". In April 2008, she was retired from the Peace Boat organization. [ [http://www.maritimematters.com/topaz1.html Topaz news] ]

After Retirement

After the Topaz was retired in April, she was laid up. On June 15, while she was anchored, she was struck by the tanker CHAMPION BRALI. The collision severed off part of her bow. [ [http://www.maritimematters.com/shipnews.html Cruise ship news, shipping reports at MARITIME MATTERS ] ] During her lay up, she was sold to the breakers. In the late summer of 2008, the Topaz was beached in Alang, India to be scrapped. She was placed not too far away from where the remains of the SS France / SS Norway are located. [http://www.finnjetweb.com/alang/Outside/slides/CIMG3339.html]

Notes

References

* Musk, George. (1981). [http://books.google.com/books?id=iWoTAAAAYAAJ&q=ss+empress+of+britain&dq=ss+empress+of+britain&lr=&pgis=1 "Canadian Pacific: The Story of the Famous Shipping Line."] Newton Abbot, Devon: David & Charles. 10-ISBN 0-715-37968-2

ee also

* More Ships Built at Govan

External links

* [http://www.maritimematters.com/topaz1.html An article about the Empress of Britain]
* [http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=1049 Shipping Times: Clydebuilt Database]
* [http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=663136 Photos from the recent collision]