SS Orsova (1954)

SS "Orsova", a 1503-passenger ocean liner, was built by Vickers Armstrong Shipbuilders Ltd. of Barrow-in-Furness, England in 1954 for the Orient Steam Navigation Company, for UK to Australia services via the Suez Canal, the voyage taking 4 weeks. After 1955 the return trip was eastward via Auckland, Suva, Honolulu, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Panama, Trinidad and Cherbourg.

She had a gross tonnage of 28,790 tons. Length: 220 metres. Breadth: 28 metres. Maximum speed: 22 knots. Propulsion: twin screw, double reduction turbine. Maiden voyage: 17 March 1954. Orsova had no masts. Her funnel was capped with a distinctive ‘Welsh bonnet’ flue extension. She was built with an all-welded hull and her bulkhead and wall linings were plastic-clad. Originally her hull was painted the Orient Line’s corn colour, but in her later years this was changed to P & O’s all white.

On 24 May 1956 Orsova ran aground off Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne for twelve hours.The 30-foot draft vessel was transferred to sister company P & O (Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company) in 1966. In the early 1970s, she was primarily involved in cruises. She was scrapped off Taiwan in 1974-5.

References

* Miller, William H. Jr, "Pictorial Encyclopedia of Ocean Liners 1860-1994", Dover Publications, New York, 1995.
* Baty, Scott, "Ships that passed", Reed, Frenchs Forest, NSW, 1984
* Bremer, Stuart, "Home and Back: Australia's Golden era of Passenger Ships", Dreamweaver Books, Sydney, 1984

External links

* [http://ozhoo.net.au/~strathsisters/orsova/index.htm Pictures of the second SS "Orsova"]
* [http://www.merchant-navy.net/Pictures/orsova.html Merchant Navy Photos of the second SS "Orsova"]