SS
Principessa Giovanna 1923, renamed San Giorgio in 1947
SS
Principessa Giovanna seen as built departing
The
ships is seen being launched on April 24, 1923
SS Principessa Giovanna looked like a typical
passenger-cargo liner, a ship that has a low white superstructure
placed amidships, although her bridge remained in the traditional
dark timbers, she had a black hull with a vertical bow. Amidships
there was that single straight, tall black funnel having two
narrow blue/green bands and one wider white band between them.
She also had her two tall majestic masts as well as kingposts
with their derricks servicing her holds.
She and her sister, the SS Principessa Maria
built at the same time were a typical cargo liners, but were
designed for the South American service and accommodate 400
migrants in the ‘tween deck being known as “Third
Class.” The ships five holds were capable of being able to
carry a good 5,100 tonnes of cargo, which included refrigerated
goods.
Her engines consisted of two groups of minimal
backlash a double gear ratio built by the ship builders giving
her a top speed up to 15 knots. This allowed her to reach Sydney
Australia, having departed
SS Principessa Giovanna departed
The
Principessa Giovanna is seen just having been completed and on
her way to
The SS Principessa Maria followed her sister
soon after and this is recorded by and announcement in the “The
West Australian” (Perth) Newspaper Shipping Movements Report
when on January 17, 1924 it made the following announcement;
“Principessa Maria, Lloyd Sabaudo Line; arrived at Fremantle
yesterday afternoon on her maiden voyage to Australia from Italy.
The Principessa Maria, a sister ship to the Principessa Giovanna
set ashore a small parcel of general cargo at Fremantle and was
scheduled to have cleared for the Eastern states at
midnight.” Thus she had arrived on January 16, and departed
at midnight, the 17th.
Both the Principessa Giovanna and Maria
continued on the Australian service until 1925 when they were
both transferred to the South American service.
With changes happening within Italian shipping,
in 1932 Lloyd Sabaudo merged that would see their ships merge
with other Italian companies into “Italia Flotte
Riunite” or “Italy’s joined fleet,” but they
were operated under the heading of the “Italia Line.”
All ships from both fleets were transferred to this one company!
This
is an early photograph of the Principessa Giovanna after her
refit
No sooner had the transfer taken place and the
Princess Giovanna and Maria were given not just a rebuild, but
also a good interior refit, that included their accommodations
being enlarged to 700 migrants in Third Class, as well as
much-needed upgrades to their public rooms, etc.
As far was the exteriors was concerned, the
shelter deck was stretched both forward and far aft as well as
the forward superstructure received some work. Additional double
stacked lifeboats were added to handle the additional passengers.
The ships were painted all white, however the biggest external
change was that they now had two yellow two funnels with two blue
and one white band’s. However, the aft funnel was a dummy as
it only contained some ventilation systems and storage.
SS
Principessa Maria seen soon after her rebuild
Having been completed both the Principessa
Giovanna and Maria returned to their regular services between
A
superb view of the ship as she departs with family and friend
ashore and passengers on board waving
This was a time that affected all nations of
the world as ships would be drafted into various navies to serve
as supply, troop, or hospital ships and all required considerable
rebuilding in various ways depending on their required duties as
interior refits.
In November 1940 the Principessa Giovanna was
commissioned by the Italian Government for the “conveyance
of strategic material,” and later as a troopship in
However, in January 1943, she was converted to
become a hospital ship. But on May 6, 1943, whilst sailing near
the
In all the Principessa Giovanna made thirteen
voyages caring for and transporting thousands of wounded soldiers
back home from the various fronts.
On September 8, 1943 she was at
In 1944 SS Principessa Giovanna was officially
seized by the Royal British Navy and she returned to duties as a
British hospital ship and later as a troopship, reregistered in
the
The
With the war having long ended, in 1946 the
British finally returned the hospital ship Principessa Giovanna
to her owners, the Italia Line in
Here
we see the just completed SS San Giorgio arrive at
SS San Giorgio departed on her first voyage
from
You may have wondered, what has happened to the
SS Principessa Maria, for she has not been mentioned since the
start of WW2, well there is a very hood reason for this, and the
details below will provide you will all the details!
SS Principessa Maria operated together with her
sister ship the Principessa Giovanna to
The
ex SS Principessa Maria seen as the wartime, clearly marked - SS
However, sadly just three years later on August
18, 1944 SS Rio de la Plata caught fire whilst at anchor in Acapulco
Bay, Mexico and she was completely gutted and deemed to total
loss and she had partially sunk and was deemed a wreck.
Apparently all passengers and crew were recued, although there is
no actual information available.
In 1952, it was decided that there was a need
for more ships sailing to
SS San Giorgio three voyages to
The
Lloyd Triestino liner SS San Giorgio seen arriving in
Her next departure was June 18, and this was
followed, what turned out to be the ships very last passenger
voyage ever as she departed
Here
we see the San Giorgio being towed to her berth in
Although, technically she had been scheduled to
operate one more voyage in 1953, but this never eventuated, for
upon her return from
Tonnage:……………….8585
GRT - 8.955 GRT from 1932.
Length:………………….140.1m
- 469ft.
Width:……………………18.7m
- 59ft.
Draft:…………………….9.89m
- 29.6ft.
Propulsion:……………2
X Double minimal backlash Geared Turbines by the builder.
Power:…………………..6,600
BHP.
Propellers:…………….2.
Speed:…………………..14
knots.
Passengers:…………..400
- 700 passengers from 1926.
Crew:…………………….130.
The
original SS Principessa Giovanna is seen departing
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