liner COLOMBIE

Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, 1931 - 1964

Design features

Colombie (steel liner) 1931 - 1964
hull material : ...................steel
previous name(s) of ship : ........
detailed type : ...................steel liner
type of propulsion : ..............2 propellers
building year of ship : ...........1931
name of shipyard : ................Ateliers & Chantiers de France
place of construction : ...........Dunkerque
year of entering the fleet : ......1931
length (in meters) : ..............147,15
width (in meters) : ...............20,2
gross tonnage (in tons) : .........13718
deadweight (in tons) : ............6876
type of engine : ..................2 single reduction geared turbine sets
engine power (in HP) : ............7500
nominal speed (in Knots) : ........16,5

History

Went into Service in September 1931. Alloted to the line of Colon. Single new liner built to serve the French West Indies during the 30’s, she is at the time the biggest and more comfortable of the company’s liners on this network. Launched and put into service with a dark painted hull, COLOMBIE has been to sea, from 1935, with a white hull then again with a black one during the second world war. After the war, she will show a white livery. After the reorganization of the West Indies Lines occured in 1935, she carries out with Cuba the service of the « quick » line linking up Le Havre and Southampton to the West Indies and the « Firm Coast »* . In June 1937 alloted on the « summer » regular line connecting Le Havre to Leningrad. She completes every year several cruises, one to those will lead her until the USA and Canada in 1939. Is converted to an auxiliary cruiser in November 1939. Takes part to the Norway campaign in April 1940. After the armistice is laid up at La Martinique then in Casablanca. Between August and October 1941, takes part to the troops and civilians repatriation from Syria seized by the Americans in December 1942. Coverted into a troop carrier in New-York. Fitted out by the French Line Inc. of New-York. Between January and April 1945, is converted into an hospital ship and renamed ADELA E. LUTZ. Works essentially in European waters. Returned to the French Line in April 1946. She is the sole survivor of the fleet of liners operating on the West Indies Lines. Used in her present state as hospital ship in Indochina then on the West Indies line and also on the line Bordeaux – Casablanca. In 1948-49, entirely renovated and modernized by the shipyards De Schelde in Flushing, the Netherlands. Only one moderner funnel. Put again into service in november 1950 on the line of West Indies and the « Firm Coast »* which she will serve regularly, apart from some links between Bordeaux and Casablanca until her sale in 1964. In October 1955, at Vigo, collides with and sinks a spanish coaster. The collision causes 5 casualties among the crew members of the freighter. On November 4th, 1956, while getting under way, strikes violently the Tourelles pier in Fort de France. Following the accident, which opened a breach in the stem, she is led to Porto Rico for repair. Takes again her service in January 1957. After 33 years of service, is sold in march 1964 to the Greek company Typaldos, renamed Atlantic then Atlantica. Used in the Mediterranean sea. The biggest liner of this company. After the putting into liquidation of the Typaldos Company in 1968, is laid up in Panama. Sold for scrap in Panama in 1970. The hull scraping works will be completed in 1974 in Barcelona, Spain.


* Firm Coast : Coast of the Caribbean Sea and of the Mexican Gulf.