imported>Tetralinnis at 11:19, 11 April 2025

2025-04-11T11:19:11Z

New page

{{short description|Ship}}
{{other ships|List of ships named Kungsholm|MS Europa}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = MS Kungsholm 1954.jpg
| Ship caption = ''Kungsholm'' in 1954.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header =
| Ship name = *1953–1965: ''Kungsholm''
*1965–1981: ''Europa''
*1981–1985: ''Columbus C.''
| Ship owner = *1953–1965: [[Swedish American Line]]
*1965–1970: [[North German Lloyd]]
*1970–1981: [[Hapag-Lloyd]]
*1981–1985:Independent Continental Lines<ref name=FoF>{{Cite web|url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/kungsholm_1953.htm |title=M/S Kungsholm (1953) |access-date=2008-03-18 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=sv }}</ref>
| Ship operator = *1953–1965: Swedish American Line
*1965–1970: North German Lloyd
*1970–1981: [[Hapag-Lloyd Cruises]]
*1981–1985: [[Costa Cruises]]<ref name=FoF />
| Ship registry = *1953–1965: [[Gothenburg]], {{flag|Sweden}}
*1965–1981: [[Bremen]], {{flag|West Germany}}
*1981–1985: [[Panama City]], {{flag|Panama}}<ref name=FoF />
| Ship route =
| Ship ordered = 1 April 1950<ref name=SALmaking>{{Cite web|url=http://www.salship.se/kung53/kung53_1.asp |title=Making of the Kungsholm of 1953 (page 1) |access-date=2008-03-18 |work=A tribute to the Swedish American Line}}</ref>
| Ship builder = De Schelde, [[Vlissingen]], [[The Netherlands]]
| Ship original cost =
| Ship yard number = 273<ref name=FoF />
| Ship way number =
| Ship laid down =
| Ship launched = 18 October 1952<ref name=FoF />
| Ship completed =
| Ship christened = 18 October 1952 <small>by [[Princess Sibylla of Sweden]]</small><ref name=SALmaking2>{{Cite web|url=http://www.salship.se/kung53/kung53_2.asp |title=Making of the Kungsholm of 1953 (page 2) |access-date=2008-03-18 |work=A tribute to the Swedish American Line}}</ref>
| Ship acquired = 30 September 1953<ref name=FoF />
| Ship maiden voyage = 24 November 1953<ref name=FoF />
| Ship in service = 24 November 1953<ref name=FoF />
| Ship out of service =
| Ship identification = {{IMO Number|5197664}}<ref name=FoF />
| Ship fate = Partially sunk at [[Cadiz]], [[Spain]], 29 July 1984. Scrapped in 1985.<ref name=FoF />
| Ship notes =
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header =
| Header caption = (as ''Kungsholm'')<ref name=FoF />
| Ship type = combined [[ocean liner]] / [[cruise ship]]
| Ship tonnage = 21,164 GRT; {{DWT|4,153|metric|disp=long}}
| Ship length = {{convert|182.89|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|23.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship height = {{convert|60|m|ftin|abbr=on}} from keel to mast top<ref name=SALmaking3>{{Cite web|url=http://www.salship.se/kung53/kung53_3.asp |title=Making of the Kungsholm of 1953 (page 3) |access-date=2008-03-18 |work=A tribute to the Swedish American Line}}</ref>
| Ship draught = {{convert|13.85|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship depth =
| Ship decks = 9 (6 passenger accessible)<ref>{{Cite book|title=Laivojen Kirja |last=Rosén |first=Bo |author2=Ohrelius, Bengt |author3=Koivistoinen, Eino |year=1959 |publisher=WSOY |location=Porvoo |pages=74 |language=fi }}</ref>
| Ship deck clearance =
| Ship ramps =
| Ship ice class =
| Ship power = *2 × 8-cylinder [[Burmeister & Wain]] diesels
*combined 13503 kW
| Ship propulsion = 2 propellers<ref name=Miller>{{Cite book |title=The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Ocean Liners, 1860–1994 |last=Miller |first=William H. Jr. |year=1995 |publisher=Dover Publications |location=Mineola |isbn=978-0-486-28137-7 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/pictorialencyclo0000mill/page/65 65] |url=https://archive.org/details/pictorialencyclo0000mill/page/65 }}</ref>
| Ship speed = {{convert|21|kn|km/h|2|abbr=on}} service speed
| Ship capacity = 802 passengers (176 first class, 626 tourist class)<ref name=Miller />
| Ship crew = 418<ref name=Goossens>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ssmaritime.com/kungsholm.htm |title=MS Kungsholm III |access-date=2008-03-18 |last=Goossens |first=Reuben |work=ssMaritime }}</ref>
| Ship notes =
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header =
| Header caption = (as ''Europa'')<ref name=Goossens />
| Ship type = combined [[ocean liner]] / [[cruise ship]]
| Ship tonnage =
| Ship displacement =
| Ship length =
| Ship beam =
| Ship height =
| Ship draught =
| Ship depth =
| Ship decks =
| Ship deck clearance =
| Ship ramps =
| Ship ice class =
| Ship power =
| Ship propulsion =
| Ship speed =
| Ship capacity = 843 passengers (122 first class, 721 tourist class)
| Ship crew =
| Ship notes =
}}
|}
'''MS ''Kungsholm''''' was a combined [[ocean liner]] / [[cruise ship]] built in 1953 by the De Schelde shipyard in [[Vlissingen]], [[the Netherlands]] for the [[Swedish American Line]]. Between 1965 and 1981 she sailed for the [[North German Lloyd]] and their successor [[Hapag-Lloyd]] as '''MS ''Europa'''''. From 1981 until 1984 she sailed for [[Costa Cruises]] as '''MS ''Columbus C.''''' She sank in the port of [[Cadiz]], [[Spain]] after ramming a [[Breakwater (structure)|breakwater]] on 29 July 1984. The vessel was refloated later that year, but sent to a [[Barcelona]] [[Ship breaking|shipbreaker]] in 1985 for scrapping.<ref name=FoF />

==Concept and construction==
After the end of [[World War II]] the [[Swedish American Line]], the company that had been pioneers of cruising during the 1920s,<ref name=Dawson>{{Cite book|title=The Liner: Retrospective and Renaissance |last=Dawson |first=Philip |year=2005 |publisher=Conway |isbn=978-1-84486-049-4 |pages=80 }}</ref> was left in a difficult situation. {{MS|Stockholm|1941|6}}, the large newbuild that had been planned during the late 1930s, never entered service for them because of the war, with the remaining fleet consisting of ageing ships.<ref name=Timeline>{{Cite web|url=http://www.salship.se/timeline.asp |title=SAL Timeline |access-date=2008-03-18 |work=A tribute to the Swedish American Line |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309012952/http://www.salship.se/timeline.asp |archive-date=9 March 2008 }}</ref> The company took delivery of their first post-war ship, the fourth {{MS|Stockholm|1948|6}}, in 1948. She was a small cargo/passenger liner far removed from the luxury of her pre-war predecessors.<ref>Dawson (2005). pp. 174–175</ref>

In 1948, during the same year that the ''Stockholm'' was delivered, SAL had already begun market research on both sides of the [[Atlantic]], with the prospect of building a new ship in mind.<ref name=SALmaking /><ref>Rosén, Ohrelius, Koivistoinen (1959). p. 13</ref> Based on the results of the research, the company decided to order a 20,000 [[gross register ton]] combined ocean liner / cruise ship that could accommodate 802 passengers.<ref name=FoF />

The ship was designed by the established Swedish American Line designer, '''Eric Christiansson,''' who had designed the three previous ''Stockholms'''''.''' He was the technical director at parent company [[Axel Ludvig Broström|Broström]]''',''' and would incorporate many design elements, most notably the twin stack profile, from his previous design work on the MS ''Stockholm'' II (1938) and [[MS Stockholm (1941)|MS ''Stockholm'' III]] (1941).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Dawson, Philip S.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/43419400|title=Cruise ships : an evolution in design|date=2000|publisher=Conway Maritime|isbn=0-85177-660-4|location=London|oclc=43419400}}</ref> After contacting 50 shipyards around the world about the prospects of buildings their new ship, SAL placed an order for their new ship with the De Schelde shipyard in [[The Netherlands]] on 1 April 1950.<ref name="SALmaking" /><ref>Rosén, Ohrelius, Koivistoinen (1959). p. 15</ref>

On 18 October 1952 the new ship was launched and christened MS ''Kungsholm'' by [[Princess Sibylla of Sweden]].<ref name=SALmaking2 /> The name "Kungsholm" was a traditional one, having been the name of two previous SAL ships.<ref name="Le Goff">{{Cite book|title=Ocean Liners |last=Le Goff |first=Oliver |year=1999 |publisher=Greenwitch Editions |location=London |isbn=978-0-86288-274-7 |pages=118 }}</ref> The newest ''Kungsholm'' was delivered to her owners on 30 September 1953.<ref name=FoF />

==Service history==

===As ''Kungsholm''===
The brand new ''Kungsholm'' set on her maiden voyage from [[Gothenburg]] to [[New York City]] on 24 November 1953.<ref name=FoF /> During her time with the Swedish American Line she was used on [[transatlantic crossing]]s during the [[northern hemisphere]] summer season, and on luxury cruises during the rest of the year.<ref name=Goossens /> She was a highly successful vessel, and already in September 1954 SAL decided to order a slightly larger ship (eventually named {{MS|Gripsholm|1957|6}}) based on the same design from the [[Ansaldo shipyard]] in [[Genoa]], [[Italy]] to become a running mate for the ''Kungsholm''.<ref name=Timeline />

In January 1955 the ''Kungsholm'' departed on the first-ever around the world cruise made by a SAL vessel.<ref name=SALship>{{Cite web |url=http://www.salship.se/kung2.asp |title=Kungsholm 1953 – 1965 |access-date=2008-03-18 |work=A tribute to the Swedish American Line |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309012751/http://www.salship.se/kung2.asp |archive-date=9 March 2008 }}</ref> In May 1957 the new ''Gripsholm'' was delivered and entered service alongside the ''Kungsholm''. In 1961 the ''Kungsholm'' was drydocked and refitted with stabilizers.<ref name=Goossens />

Encouraged by the success of the ''Kungsholm'' and ''Gripsholm'', the Swedish American Line placed an order for yet another new ship in August 1963. In preparation for the delivery of the new ship—also named {{MS|Kungsholm|1966|6}}—the old ''Kungsholm'' was sold to the [[North German Lloyd]] in May 1964, with the delivery date set in October 1965. She set on her last transatlantic crossing in SAL colours from New York on 21 August 1965, arriving in Gothenburg on 5 October 1965. Ten days later she was delivered to the North German Lloyd.<ref name=Goossens /><ref name=Timeline />

===As ''Europa''===
[[File:The North German Lloyd liner Europa III on the Outer Weser - 1966.png|thumb|left|[[Norddeutscher Lloyd|NGL]] ''Europa'' on the Outer Weser (1966)]]
Following delivery to the [[North German Lloyd]] the ''Kungsholm'' was renamed ''Europa'' (a traditional name in the NGL fleet),<ref name="Le Goff" /> given refit and moved under the [[West Germany|West German]] flag.<ref name=FoF /><ref name=Goossens /> On 9 January 1966 the ''Europa'' set on her first transatlantic crossing for her new owners from [[Bremen]] to New York.<ref name=FoF /> In NGL service the ship followed a similar arrangement as she had with the Swedish American Line, with transatlantic crossings during the (northern hemisphere) summer and cruises during the rest of the year.<ref name=Goossens />

[[File:Europa 1953.jpg|thumb|left|[[Hapag-Lloyd]] ''Europa'' at sea.]]
In September 1970 the North German Lloyd merged with the [[Hamburg America Line]] (HAPAG) to form [[Hapag-Lloyd]].<ref name=FoF /> Hapag-Lloyd decided to abandon transatlantic service in 1971, and from there on the ''Europa'' was used exclusively for cruising.<ref name=Simplon>{{Cite web|url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Kungsholm_Europa.html |title=Kungsholm – Europa – Columbus C |access-date=2008-03-18 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |work=Simplon Postcards }}</ref> In either 1971 or 1972 she was re-painted in the new Hapag-Lloyd livery.<ref name=Goossens /><ref name=Simplon />

[[File:MS Europa vor Taormina (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|[[Hapag-Lloyd]] ''Europa'' at [[Taormina]], [[Italy]].]]
As the 1970s were drawing to a close, Hapag-Lloyd started planning a new ship to replace the ''Europa'', also to be named {{MS|Europa|1981|6}}. With the delivery date of the new ''Europa'' set in December 1981, the old ''Europa'' was sold to Independent Continental Lines, a subsidiary of [[Costa Cruises]], with a delivery date in November 1981.<ref name=FoF /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/europa_1981.htm |title=M/S Europa (1981) |access-date=2008-03-18 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=sv }}</ref>

===As ''Columbus C.''===
[[File:"Columbus C" - Miami, 1984.jpg|thumb|left|[[Costa Cruises]] ''Columbus C'' In Miami (1984)]]
Following the sale to Independent Continental Lines, the ''Europa'' was renamed ''Columbus C.'', painted in [[Costa Cruises]] colours and set in cruise traffic. Her career with Costa was short however, as on 29 July 1984 the ''Columbus C.'' accidentally rammed a [[Breakwater (structure)|breakwater]] near [[Cadiz]], [[Spain]]. Her keel was badly damaged in the collision, but the ship managed to reach the port of Cadiz under her own power. Her passengers and crew were evacuated, but the ship continued sinking, listing to starboard side. She eventually sank to the bottom of the shallow harbour, remaining only partially submerged.<ref name=FoF /><ref name=Goossens /><ref name=Simplon />

On 1 November 1984 the ''Columbus C.'' was refloated and laid up. The damages were judged to be too severe to be repaired with acceptable costs, and she was sold to [[Mirak SA]] in [[Barcelona]] to be scrapped. On 2 April 1985 the ''Columbus C.'' arrived in Barcelona under tow, where she was scrapped.<ref name=FoF /><ref name=Goossens />

==Design==

=== Exterior design ===
The ''Kungsholm'' was designed with a fairly traditional profile. She had a fairly low superstructure compared to her hull, with the forward part of the superstructure rounded and the rear part tiered to accommodate swimming pools. She was equipped with two funnels, the forward one being a dummy.<ref name=Goossens /><ref name=Simplon />

In her original [[Swedish American Line]] livery the ''Kungsholm''{{'}}s hull and superstructure were painted all-white, with funnels and masts painted yellow, and SAL's blue three crowns logo painted on both funnels. In [[North German Lloyd]] service she received the traditional black hull of a transatlantic liner, with the funnels and cargo cranes in front of the ship painted buff. Following the merger into [[Hapag-Lloyd]], her hull was repainted white with orange and blue decorative ribands, and the blue Hapag-Lloyd logo was added to her now orange funnels. In [[Costa Cruises]] service the two ribands on the hull were replaced with a thinner black one, while the funnels were painted yellow with a blue top and the large blue "C" logo of Costa painted on both of them.

===Decks===
As built the ''Kungsholm'' had nine decks, six of which were passenger accessible.<ref name=SALmaking /><ref>Rosén, Ohrelius, Koivistoinen (1959). pp. 10–11, 74</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Norddeutscher Lloyd ships}}
{{Costa Cruises}}
{{Hapag-Lloyd Cruises}}
{{1984 shipwrecks}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kungsholm (1953)}}
[[Category:1952 ships]]
[[Category:Cruise ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1984]]
[[Category:Ocean liners]]
[[Category:Ships built in Vlissingen]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in Spain]]
[[Category:Ships of Swedish American Line]]

[[lb:MS Europa]]

MS Kungsholm (1952) - Revision history

imported>Tetralinnis at 11:19, 11 April 2025