SS Bergensfjord

History


Name:	Bergensfjord
Owner:	Norwegian America Line (1913–1940, 1946) Ministry of War Transport (1940–1946) Panama Lines (1946–1952) Home Lines (1952–1953) Zim Israel Navigation Co. Ltd. (1953–1959)
Port of registry:	Bergen (1913–1946) Panama City (1946–52) Italy (1952–53) Israel (1953–59)
Route:	Kristiania – Kristiansand – Stavanger – Bergen – New York
Builder:	Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, UK
Yard number:	787
Launched:	8 April 1913
Acquired:	September 1913
Maiden voyage:	25 September 1913
Renamed:	Argentina (1946) Jerusalem (1953) Aliya (1957)
Identification:	Code letters: MJQP Code Letters: LFBA (from c. 1934)
Fate:	Scrapped at La Spezia in August 1959
General characteristics
Type:	Ocean liner (1913–1940, 1946–1959) Troop ship (1940–1946)
Tonnage:	10,699 gross tons 6,550 net tons 7,300 tons deadweight
Length:	512.1 ft
Beam:	61.2 ft
Draft:	29.4 ft
Installed power:	Quadruple expansion engine with 8 cylinders of 26, 37½, 53 & 75 inches diameter each pair; stroke 51 inches operating at 220 p.s.i. The engine was built by the same company as the hull. 1,469 nominal horsepower 8 single ended boilers 32 corrugated furnaces with a grate surface 590 sq. ft. and a heating surface 23,000 sq. ft forced draught.
Speed:	15 knots
Capacity:	1,200 passengers 100 first class 250 second class 850 third class

SS Bergensfjord was a Norwegian ocean liner that sailed for the Norwegian America Line to the United States. During the Second World War she was requisitioned by the British Ministry of War Transport and used as a troop ship. After the war she continued sailing as a Trans-Atlantic passenger liner, first for South American owners, then for an Israeli company.

Bergensfjord was the second ship in the fleet of the Norwegian America Line, built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, UK. Launched from its shipyard on 8 April 1913, she was put into service in September 1913, the same year as her sister ship, Kristianiafjord. She embarked on her maiden voyage on 25 September that year, sailing from Christiania (Oslo) through Christiansand, Stavanger and Bergen to New York. Bergensfjord had a tonnage of 10,699, and was fitted with wireless and electric light. She could take 1,200 passengers – 100 first class, 250 second class and 850 third class.

The Norwegian America Line vessels were ground-breaking in that they sailed directly from Norway to the United States, without stopping at ports in Continental Europe. This drastically shortened the time it took to travel from Norway to the United States, from up to four weeks by way of Europe to just one week with the N.A.L. ships. The level of comfort on board Bergensfjord, Oslofjord and Stavangerfjord was also much greater than on the ships previously available for emigrants. The Norwegian America Line experienced great success with its new ships and competed fortuitously with the DFDS Scandinavian America Line.

Bergensfjord suffered an engine room explosion on 26 July 1924 shortly after departing Bergen, forcing the crew to beach her. She resumed service in September of the same year after repairs had been carried out. In November 1925 she was refitted to carry 367 first class and 572 third class passengers, being further modified in September 1927 to hold 90 first class, 155 second class and 500 third class passengers. After engine modifications in 1933 her tonnage was increased to 11,015 tons. In January 1939 she was converted to carry only first and third class passengers, dispensing of the second class category.

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