Built as a general cargo vessel under yard No 443 by the Lübecker Flinder-werke at Lübeck, Germany for Kohlen-Import u Poseidon Schiff A.G., Hamburg.
1954 Launched under the name TRANSPACIFIC.
Tonnage 5.522 gross, 3.114 net, 7.800 dwt. Dim.398.9 x 54.4 x 33.6 ft., draught 26.1ft. Length bpp 379ft.
Powered by a 5-cyl MAN oil engine, 3.000 hp, one screw, speed 13 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 12 passengers.
1954 Completed.
After completing, used in a service from North Europe to North America and the Great Lakes.
On a homeward voyage from Chicago, Montreal and Port Alfred loaded with 3.000-ton cargo of anodes, cathodes, general goods and 12 passengers for Blyth and Hamburg, when in the Gulf of St Lawrence she got radar and Decca navigation equipment failure.
Via radio, contact was made with the coast radio station at St Pierre, that the ship needed repair technicians, and it was arranged that the TRANSPACIFIC would make a call at St Pierre road to pick up the technicians. The pilot boat was arranged to bring the technicians on board. At that time the island was shrouded in dense fog.
On 17 May 1971 some fishermen from St Pierre were fishing off Galantry Head when suddenly from out the fog a big ship was looming up, very near to the shore and heading straight to the island that lie on the eastern side of St Pierre harbour. The fishermen aware of the dangers tried to stop the freighter but till no avail.
The pilot boat already outside could not find the TRANSPACIFIC on the road, and called the vessel by radio.
But it was already to late Captain Sperling replied that the vessel had grounded at 15.30; but that he expected that he could refloat her under her own power during the rising tide. He did not know that the vessel had grounded on the very dangerous Marie Rose Shoals, by the locals referred to as a “minefield” of rocks.
Late in the afternoon of that day Capt. Sperling tried to back off his ship but without success. After a discussion with the local officials, it was decided to disembark the passengers and later that day most of the crew was sent ashore, leaving behind the captain and three officers.
A strong salvage tug the FOUNDATION VIGILANT after receiving the news of the stranding, sailed from Halifax.
The local authorities got very worried about the 300 ton of bunkers and lubrication oil still on board the TRANSPACIFIC, and warned the captain that the French Government would hold owners/insurers liable for any oil pollution damage on the rich fishing grounds around St Pierre. Action was undertaken to pump out the remaining oil in a barge.
19 May an effort by a small tug from New Foundland to pull her of failed, only given the TRANSPACIFIC a larger list.
When the FOUNDATION VIGILANT arrived a few hours later, she did also not succeed to refloat the vessel.
After discussion with local authorities salvage experts and owners representatives, on board the TRANSPACIFIC, all parties agreed that the vessel could not be refloated.
Capt. Sperling decided that he and his crew should say goodbye to their ship, and a farewell diner was given with the best food and drinks on board, before they abandoned the vessel.
Still all the cargo was on board, and during that night and the following day up to 70 fishing dories from St Pierre went alongside, and most of the useable cargo was removed, under which jukeboxes, lawnmowers, wigs and suits, everything disappeared. The unloading of the TRANSPACIFIC was described as having been done faster than any other cargo vessel in St Pierre’s history.
When after four days Capt Sperling and some engineers and Poseidon Line officials tried to embark the vessel to restart some auxiliary engines to remove the oil still on board, they were met by hostile looters, who hoisted the ladders and prevented the party to board the vessel.
After a protest by the Captain a small coastguard vessel sailed out and chased the looters from the vessel.
St Pierre a rocky island with not much grass, did have about 200 lawnmowers after the stranding, a German officer of the ship made the remark, that a good merchant could make good money to import grass seed on the island.
After 10 days the fog lifted, and the passengers and crew left the island by ferry to New Foundland and then to Gander, New Foundland, onward flying to Europe.
To retain the tread of pollution from the 300-ton of oil on board, the appointed Atlantic Salvage and Dredging from Halifax send out equipment to remove the oil. To make a clean job the company decided to burn out the remaining oil>
The tops of the oil tanks were blown off, and a mattress was prepared, topped with hay old tires and then more hay, soaked with diesel oil and gasoline.
Thirty openings were blown in the vessels portside to give additional draft, and a long fuse was laid out from the mattress, when the fuse was lighted and reached the mattress a huge fire began, what burned for sixty-one hours, the still remaining oil was later removed with 90 gallons of chemicals.
Till today the remains of the wreck can be seen.
St Pierre et Miquelon 2005 0.75 Euro, sg?, scott?
Sources: Register of Merchant Ships Completed in 1954. Merchant Ships World Built Vol. III 1955.
Shipwreck at St Pierre by J.P.Andrieux. Modern Shipping Disasters 1963-1987 by N.Hook