liner LIBERTé

Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, 1950 - 1962

Design features

Liberté (steel liner) 1950 - 1962
hull material : ...................steel
previous name(s) of ship : ........europa
detailed type : ...................steel liner
type of propulsion : ..............4 propellers
building year of ship : ...........1928
name of shipyard : ................Blohm & Voss
place of construction : ...........Hambourg
year of entering the fleet : ......1950
length (in meters) : ..............270,70
width (in meters) : ...............31
gross tonnage (in tons) : .........51839
deadweight (in tons) : ............10420
type of engine : ..................4 single reduction triple expansion turbines sets
engine power (in HP) : ............105000
nominal speed (in Knots) : ........24,5

History

Ex-EUROPA built on behalf of the German company Noorddeutscher Lloyd. Sister-ship of the famous liner BREMEN, into service in 1929. Put into service on the shipping line Bremerhaven-New York in March 1930. Her delivery, foreseen in 1929, has been delayed for 10 months : in March 1929, as a matter of fact, she was the victim of a serious fire and scuttled when alongside her fitting out pier. She was deemed to be lost but will be rescued. Since her first trip between Bremerhaven and New York, EUROPA obtained the famous Blue Ribbon at the mean speed of 27,91 knots. This record will be improved, always in the east-west direction, in July 1933 before giving it up in August of the same year to the italian liner REX. Her sister-ship BREMEN will remain the record-holder in the east-west direction from july 1929 until August 1933. In 1933, her funnels are 5-meter heightened to improve the spreading of the smokes. In january 1937 in the North Sea, the liner rescued 3 crew members of the German tanker OLIFER. She leaves New York for the last time under the German flag on the 23th August 1939. During the war, is used as floating barracks in Bremerhaven. In the England invasion plans roughed out in 1940, she was deemed to act as a troop carrier. In 1942, she was subjected to a conversion into an aircraft carrier. In May 1945, she is seized by the US Navy. Between September 1945 and March 1946, is used as a troop carrier under the appellation AP177. In June 1946, granted to France as a compensation of the loss of NORMANDIE. Renamed LIBERTÉ, is towed to Le Havre to be reconditionned and quickly put into service on the line of New York. The ship is in a satisfactory condition. But on the 9th December, during an heavy storm she breaks her hawsers and just collides with the wrack of the liner PARIS, burnt down and capsized in April 1939. For the second time in her career, she sinks straightdown and must be refloated. After this crash, a protective wall will be erected in Le Havre in order to protect the repair workshops. It still exists. Refloated in April 1947. Due to the extensive damages, the Company decides to send her to the Penhoët Shipyards to undergo a complete overhaul. The inner accomodations are entirely changed. In October 1949, a fire (one again !) damages a large amount of the accomodations for passengers. The delivery is delayed for several months. Leaves Le Havre for her maidentrip to New York on the 17th August 1950. Joins on the line with DE GRASSE and ILE-DE-FRANCE. During the fifties, she is the greatest French liner and the third in the world after QUEEN ELISABETH and QUEEN MARY from the Cunard Line. In january 1954 her both funnels are modified and heightened. Completes her last trip to New York on the 2nd November 1961. The new liner FRANCE will take over in February 1962. Laid up in Le Havre then sold for scrap in December. Broken up at La Spezia, Italia in 1962.