SS Königin Luise (1896)

For other ships of the same name, see SS Königin Luise.
Königin Luise as Omar, 1921–24
Career (Germany)
Name: Königin Luise
Namesake: Queen Louise of Prussia
Owner: Norddeutscher Lloyd
Builder: AG Vulcan
Stettin, Germany
Yard number: 232
Launched: 17 October 1896
Fate: Handed to Great Britain as war reparations April 10, 1919
Career (UK)
Name: Königin Luise
Owner: UK Shipping Controller
Operator: Orient Steam Navigation Company London
Acquired: 1919
Fate: sold to Orient Steam Navigation Company London
Career (UK)
Name: Omar
Owner: Orient Steam Navigation Company London
Operator: Orient Steam Navigation Company London
Acquired: Jan 1921
Fate: Sold to Byron SS Co, London July 1924
Career (UK)
Name: Edison
Owner: Byron SS Co London
Operator: Byron SS Co London
Acquired: July 1924
Fate: scrapped in Italy 1935
General characteristics
Class and type:Barbarossa-class ocean liner
Tonnage:11,103 GRT
Length:523.1 ft (159.4 m) p/p 552 ft (168 m) o/a
Beam:60.1 ft (18.3 m)
Depth:34.9 ft (10.6 m)
Installed power:846 NHP, 8,000 hp or 6,000 kW
Propulsion:two quadruple-expansion steam engines, twin screws
Speed:15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement:231

SS Königin Luise was a Barbarossa-class ocean liner built in 1896 by Vulcan Shipbuilding Corp. of Stettin, Germany, for the North German Lloyd line of Bremen.

In World War I, Königin Luise was one of only two ships of the class to avoid being interned in neutral ports, spending the war in German ports.

After World War I Königin Luise was allocated as war reparations to the United Kingdom, sold to the Orient Steam Navigation Company in 1921 and renamed Omar. She was sold again in 1924 to the Byron SS Co of London and operated on the Piraeus – New York service until scrapped in 1935.[1]

Königin Luise

Königin Luise was built by AG Vulcan for the North German Lloyd (NDL) line and completed 17 March 1896.

Along with her sister ships Friedrich der Grosse, Barbarossa and Bremen, the Königin Luise worked Australian, Far East, and North Atlantic routes for NDL. On Australian and Far East voyages she used the Suez Canal, and was one of the largest ships regularly using the canal.

At the outbreak of World War I Königin Luise was in port in Germany, thus avoiding internment, and due to the Royal Navy blockade, she was laid up. Following the Armistice, she was allocated as war reparations to the UK, and was surrendered to the UK Shipping Controller on 10 April 1919.

She was allocated to the Orient Steam Navigation Company. On 8 September 1920, during her first London – Australia voyage, she collided at Lisbon with the British steamship Loughborough, which sank.

On 20 October 1919, British troops embarked her (now described as HT Konigin Luise) in India to travel to England.

Omar

In January 1921 the ship was sold to the Orient Steam Navigation Company, which renamed her Omar.

Edison

The ship was again sold in July 1924 to Byron SS Co. of London, and renamed Edison. She worked the Piraeus – New York route until being scrapped in 1935 in Italy.

References

  1. Arnold Kludas. Great Passenger Ships of the World Vol 1 1858-1912. Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 18. ISBN 0-85059-174-0.