Bremen
To commemorate the opening of the International Transport Exhibition at Munich on June 25, 1965, a set of six stamps was issued depicting various forms of transport, the 70 pf. stamp showing the passenger liner Bremen and the Hammonia of a century ago. The Bremen is the fifth ship of the name and was completed in 1939 for the Cie. de Navigation Sud Atlantique as the Pasteur; under the latter name she is depicted on a French stamp issued in 1941.
Her maiden voyage from Bordeaux to the River Plate was scheduled for September 1939, but war broke out and the voyage was cancelled. In June 1940 she sailed from Brest to Halifax, N.S. and was subsequently taken over by the British Ministry of War Transport, her management being placed in the hands of Cunard White Star, Ltd. As a troopship, she carried some 220,000 servicemen during the war and after returning to the French Flag in June 1945 she continued to act in that capacity, carrying French troops to Indo-China. Her work was recognised by the French Government in 1948, when the Croix de Guerre was conferred upon the ship.
Laid-up at Brest in January 1957, the Pasteur was bought in September of that year by the Norddeutscher Lloyd and was sent to Bremerhaven for an extensive refit. She commenced North Atlantic service between Bremen and New York, with calls at Southampton and Cherbourg, in July 1959. Originally her gross tonnage was 29,523, but considerable alterations and modifications brought this figure up to 32,336 by the time she was ready for service with her new owners.(Info E Argyle SB 11/65) Germany- SG1395
Built as a passenger liner under yard No R8 by Chatier & Ateliers de St Nazaire, (Penhoet) for the Cie de Nav. Sud-Atlantique, Bordeaux.
15 February 1938 launched under the name PASTEUR. ( On France 1935 1f50 sg 526,
Tonnage 29.253 grt, 12.894 net, 8.574 dwt.. Dim. 212.40 x 27.49m.
Powered by four steam turbines, manufactured by builder, 53.500 hp, four shafts, speed 23 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 287 first class, 126 second and 338 third class passengers.
09 March 1939 during fitting out she caught fire in her funnel, in which she got considerable damage by seawater what was used to extinguish the fire
August 1939 delivered.
Her maiden voyage was due on 10 September 1939 but due to the war cancelled. She was designed for the service between France and South American ports, laid up at Brest.
02 June 1940 sailed from Brest with on board French Bullion bound for Halifax.
During the voyage France had capitulated, and after arrival she was taken over by the British War Transport, and managed by the Cunard Line.
Refitted in a troop transport and during the war she transported 220.000 troops and 30.000 wounded soldiers.
11 April 1946 was she handed back to French, the French Government thereafter used her as troopship for numerous voyages to the French colonies. In Indo China.
1948 She was awarded the Croix de Guerre for services to the French nation as a troop transport.
During the Suez conflict November 1956 was she used as transport.
25 January 1957 she arrived at Brest and was laid up, and put on the sale list.
18 September 1957 sold to the Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL), Bremen, her sailing was delayed by French protests.
26 September 1957 left Brest under tow bound for Bremerhaven.
08 January 1959 arrived at the Bremer Vulkan shipyard where she spent the next 18 months for a refit in a modern passenger liner.
Got new boilers, and was renamed on 23 May 1959 in BREMEN.
Passenger accommodation for 216 first class and 906 tourist class.
09 July 1959 she left Bremerhaven for her first voyage across the North Atlantic to New York, mostly used in the liner service from Bremerhaven via Cherbourg and Southampton to New York during the summer, while in the winter months used for cruising out of New York to the West Indies.
1965 Was she given a bulbous bow, tonnage given then 32.316 grt.
01 September 1970 after the merger of North German Lloyd and Hamburg America Line, under Hapag-Lloyd A.G. registry.
1971 Put on the sale list by the owners due to major expensive engine problems.
10 July 1971 sold to the Chandris Group, Greece.
12 January 1972 arrived from her last cruise and was delivered to the Chandris Group in Bremerhaven.
She was renamed REGINA MAGNA and sailed to the Ambelaki shipyard, Greece for a major refit.
She was repainted in a white colour and got accommodation for 1.100 passengers in one class.
When on her voyage to Southampton for her first cruised from that port to Scandinavia which was scheduled for 26 May 1972 on route her engine broke down and she was towed back to Piraeus for repair.
Many cruises were cancelled before she was repaired, thereafter she made cruises from Genoa to West Africa and the Canary Islands before she for the winter season moved to San Juan for weekly cruises in the Caribbean.
1973 During the summer season returned to the European waters and made cruises to the Scandinavian countries.
When the season ended she was laid up at Piraeus due to very high fuel prices.
In April 1974 she returned to service but high fuel consumption and fuel prices put het out of business, and she was again laid up at Eleusis Bay and never to sail again for the Chandris Line.
1977 She was offered for sale, and she was bought by the Philippine Singapore Ports Corporation, Manila.
06 October 1977 she left Eleusis Bay under tow bound for the Red Sea, arriving on 1 November at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for use as floating accommodation hostel for 3.500 Philippine workers who were working on a project in that port. Renamed SAUDI PHIL 1.
March 1978 renamed in SAUDI FILIPINAS I. (other source gives renamed in 1980)
When the construction project was completed she was sold again, now to a shipbreaker in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
While under tow of the Panamanian tug SUMATRAS from Jeddah to Kaohsiung during worsening weather she developed a serious list on 6 June 1980 while in the Indian Ocean east of Somalia.
Two days later the master of the tug decided to disconnect the tow line due to a worsening situation.
She was drifting then and during a worsening weather situation, she capsized and sank stern first within 50 seconds in lat. 07 35N, 60 12E on 9 June 1980.
Source: North Atlantic Seaways by Bonsor. Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen by Edwin Drechsel. The Chandris Liners and Celebrity Cruises by Peter Plowman. Modern Shipping Disasters 1963-1987 by Norman Hooke. Marine News. Lloyds Register 1939.
Comment by Auke — October 14, 2008 @ 2:36 am