35
KNSM Passenger-Freighters of the Koninklijke Nederlandsche
Stoomboot Maatschappij - The Royal Netherlands Steamship Co
During
the Great Days of Ocean Travel
Please
Note: Photographs, Postcards and Deck Plans, etc., on this
and the associated KNSM pages are from the author’s private
collection
Considering that I commenced in the Passenger Shipping Industry in what could be called the Heyday of passenger liners, but also the many who loved the delights of sailing with just a few on a fine Freighter that had just a small number of passengers, such as the ships covered on this feature for KNSM, or the “Royal Netherlands Steamship Company” offered a service and food that was as passengers so often said “Simply divine and hat is why we travel on their delightful and comfortable cargo liners.” I recall that I used to sell many passages on freighters and never a complaint. Many people used to think that sailing on a freighter would be hopping on a cheap ride from A to B, but that was not the case, for all Dutch and German ships of this type were luxury based, offering the very best of everything!
The
Ships and their Facilities:
KNSM had an amazing fleet of thirty-five Passenger-Cargo liners that carried just 12 passengers; however these twelve travellers were guaranteed a voyage that offered the very best of everything, great service, fine food and superbly designed and comfortable accommodations!
KNSM, or the “Royal Netherlands Steamship Company” stated the following in their brochure; “Get away from it all to the luxury of a carefree voyage across a sunlit ocean, be enchanted by tropical nights and days while you relay and enjoy the quiet and informal atmosphere, courteous service and gracious living offered by the immaculate passenger cargo ships of the KNSM.”
Here
we see part of the Dining Room and the Lounge on the Starboard
side aboard an Adonis Class ship
However,
the Adonis Class has 2 styles of public rooms and this lounge is
from the “Aegis Class” ships.
These amazing small
ships built and delivered between 1954 and 1963 operated frequent
voyages between Trans-Atlantic Voyages from
These popular
Passenger-Cargo Liners offered excellent accommodations for just
12 privileged passengers with each ship featuring a beautifully
designed and luxurious Lounge forward on the starboard side of
the ship, and elegantly laid out Dining Room next to it on the
portside. Dining on these ships was something that was always a
delight to behold, for Cuisine was a company speciality,
regardless passenger numbers, it had to be the finest, as was the
service!
Achilles
Class Dining Room
The
Dining Room and Lounge from an Adonis Class ship
This
is a Lounge from an Ammon Class ship
Here
we see the Lounge from an Aegis (3b) Class ship
The
Dining Room and Lounge from an Adonis Class ship
These
ships offered five spacious Twin bedded and two single bed
cabins, all having with two windows, with a washbasin per person
in the cabin and toilet and shower in their private bathroom.
Cabins were certainly very spacious compared to the vast majority
of larger passenger liner!
A
typical KNSM promotional cabin scene
A
black & white photo from an old 1950s brochure of a cabin
These
35 KNSM freighters came in 3, plus a 3b subclass of
passenger-cargo liners each offering the same fine quality of
service and accommodations!
Please Note: Deck Plans are at the bottom of this feature.
This Class of the KNSM freighter was the largest of this particular fleet and the “Achilles Class” consisted of a total of 13 sister ships. Only this class had its main superstructure set slightly amidships, although it was locate slightly towards the aft of the ship, allowing for one hold to be located aft, and three holds forward.
General Dimensions: They were 7,100 GRT (Gross Registered Tons), the length being; 129m - 424ft and 17.5m - 57ft wide. They all had diesel engines, and this Class sailed at 16.25 knots.
The
MS Achilles Class is notable as its main superstructure is
further forward
The following is a
list of all the names of the “Achilles Class Ships and I
will show them in Alphabetical order, and add their year of
delivery. For interest all 35 ships were fitted with “Stork
Diesel” engines, which were built by the
“Machine-Builders Brothers Stork N.V., Hengelo-Enschede, the
M.S. Achilles 1959, Archimedes 1960, Ares 1959, Aristoteles 1962, Ceres 1959, Diogenes 1960, Ganymedes 1962, Hercules 1963, Hermes 1962, Palamedes 1961, Pericles 1960, Socrates 1960, Ulysses 1962.
A
stern view of the MS Pericles, one of the “Achilles
Class” ships
****************************
This Class is somewhat smaller than her sisters above, however this class” consisted of 13 fine sister ships. Unlike the Achilles class, these ships had their superstructure located aft of the ship, with all their holds being located forward of the superstructure.
General Dimensions: They were 4,500 GRT, the length being; 111m - 364ft and 15m - 49ft wide. They all had diesel engines, and this Class sailed at 16 knots.
Above
& below: Fine views of the MS Parthenon and the MS Theron
are two of the “Ammon Class” Ships
M.S. Ammon 1959,
Chiron 1960, Jason 1955, Kreon 1960, Ladon 1960,
MS
Chiron another of the “Ammon Class” of ships
****************************
This Adonis Class only has a total of 4 sister ships in her particular class and like the previous Nr. 2. “Ammon Class,” these ships like the next subclass 3b, have their superstructure located far aft, which does offer the passengers with spacious aft deck, as well as a fine deck above!
General Dimensions: They were 3,900 GRT, the length being; 98m - 322ft and 14m - 42ft wide. They all had diesel engines, and this Class sailed at 14 knots.
Above
& below: A postcard of the MS Adonis
M.S. Adonis 1954,
Artemis 1954, Charis 1954, Daphnis 1954.
****************************
This subclass has a
total of 5 sister ships in her class. Just like her above
sisters, these ships also are 3,900 GRT, the length being; 98m -
322ft and 14m - 42ft wide. They all had diesel engines, and this
Class sailed at 14 knots.
A
fine view looking over the MS Aegis and her forward holds and the
windows to
her
elegant Dining Room located portside and a beautiful Lounge on
the starboard side
As
already seen further above!
M.S. Aegis 1955,
Attis 1955, Isis 1959, Osiris 1955, Themis 1957.
A
delightful postcard of the MS Themis one of the 3b Subclass of
ships
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
New Orleans, Aruba, Maracaibo, Guanta, Barbados, Georgetown,
Paramaribo.
7)
Miami, Aruba, Curaçao, La Guaira, Barbados, Trinidad.
8)
Amsterdam/Rotterdam, Valetta, Piraeus, Beirut, Latakia,
Famagusta, Alexandria, Antwerp, Amsterdam/Rotterdam.
1)
2)
Amsterdam, St. Maarten, San Juan, Santo Domingo, Puerto Cortes,
La Ceiba, Belize, Puerto Barrios, Santo Tomas de Castilla, Amsterdam.
3)
Amsterdam, Bilbao, Curaçao, Cristobal, Buenaventura, Guayaquil,
Callao, Matarani, Arica, Antofagasta, Valparaiso, San Antonio,
Talcahuano, Antofagasta, Arica, Callao, Guayaquil, Buenaventura, Cristobal,
Cartagena, Barranquilla, Le Havre, Antwerp, Amsterdam.
One
of the Aegis Class ships, the AMS Attis is seen berthed at one of
the
****************************
The
MS Ares, one of the Achilles Class of ships
This
is a scene from one of the Ammon Class of ships
M.S.
Adonis & M.S. Aegis Class Deck Plans
This
photograph was sent in by a supporter without information –
Please see photo notes at bottom of page!
And
finally the MS Kreon one of the Ammon Class of ships
The
ssMaritime KNSM Index
Also visit the
KNSM S.S. Cottica 1927 to 1958
The KNSM 1930
Flagship M.S.
Colombia
Also view the
YouTube Colourised Video of the M.S. Colombia
As well as 35
excellent KNSM-Passenger-Freighters
And the
magnificent KNSM ships M.S.
Oranje Nassau & Prins Der Nederlanden of
1957
I watched them come, I watched them go and I watched them
die.”
****************************
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The Author has been in Passenger Shipping & the Cruise Industry for well over 60 years
In addition he was
the founder of “Save the Classic Liners Campaign” in
1990.
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