Please note that ships often changed hands and names many times. If an entry is just the name of the vessel followed by a "see..." then that vessel was renamed and you will find the full history under the redirected name.

OANFA 1903
7,902 gross tons. length 482ft x beam 58.2ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 10 knots, accommodation for 12-1st class passengers. Also capacity for 1,200 Mecca pilgrims on deck Launched Jan.1903 by D & W. Henderson, Glasgow for the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co., Liverpool, an Alfred Holt (Blue Funnel Line) subsidiary. She traded on the China - Vancouver - Seattle - North Pacific Coast ports - San Diego route for much of her life. 1931 sold to Japan for scrapping.

OAXACA / DUCA DI GALLIERA 1883
The DUCA DI GALLIERA was a 4,303 gross ton ship, length 400ft x beam 44ft, two funnels, three masts, single screw and a speed of 14 knots. There was accommodation for 98-1st, 108-2nd and 784-3rd class passengers. Built by R.Napier & Sons, Glasgow, she was launched on 15th Dec.1883 as the OAXACA for Cia Trasatlantica Mexicana. Purchased by the Italian owned company La Veloce in 1887, she was renamed DUCA DI GALLIERA. On 21st Mar.1903, she started her first Genoa - Naples - New York voyage and commenced her second and last sailing on this service on 2nd May 1903. Apart from these two voyages, she was used on the Genoa - South America service. Sold in April 1906, she was scrapped the following year. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.3,p.1271]

OCEAN ATHLETE / GOVERT FLINCK / TERNATE / KASERT / HO PING CHI SUI WU / HOPING CHIT / ZHAN DOU 1942
The OCEAN ATHLETE was a standard built "Ocean" type cargo ship, 7,174 gross tons, length 425ft x beam 57ft, built by Todd Bath Iron Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Maine (engines by Dominion Eng.Works, Montreal) and completed in Aug.1942 for the Ministry of War Transport. April 1943 Transferred to the Netherlands Government, renamed GOVERT FLINCK (taken over at Newport News) Rotterdam Lloyd appointed managers. 1946 purchased by Roterdam Lloyd. 1947 renamed TERNATE. 1959 sold to Dah Lien Shipping Co, Hong Kong renamed KASERT. 1960 sold to People's Republic of China renamed HO PING CHI SUI WU and later HOPING CHI. 1980 renamed ZHAN DOU 75 for the Bureau of Marine Administration, Shanghai. 1985 reported scrapped. [The Oceans, Forts and Parks by W. H. Mitchell & L. A. Sawyer] [Merchant Fleets, vol.35 Rotterdam Lloyd by Duncan Haws]

OCEAN CHIEF - Black Ball Line owned two ships named OCEAN CHIEF
1) 1,026 tons, 182ft x 34ft, wooden built ship, built 1853 by J. C. Morton, Thomaston, Maine. Between June 1854 and Dec. 1861 she was used on the Liverpool - Melbourne service and on 23rd Jan.1862 burnt in Bluff Harbour, New Zealand.having been deliberately set on fire by some members of her crew. She was a fast and consistent sailer and made an average passage of 74 days.
2) 930 tons, wooden ship, built 1853 by J. O. Curtis, Medford, Mass as the WILD RANGER. 1862 Purchased by Black Ball Line renamed OCEAN CHIEF and used on the Liverpool - Queensland service. 1866 sold to E, Angel, Liverpool. 1872 sank.

OCEAN KING 1879
Owned by Wm. Ross (King Line). Made one(?) voyage for King Line 19/4/1879 London - Canada, then chartered to Temperley Line and commenced London - Canada sailings 7/6/1879. Wrecked 1891

OCEAN QUEEN see QUEEN OF THE PACIFIC 1857

OCEANA 1888
The OCEANA  was a 6,610 gross ton ship, length 468.3ft x beam 52.1ft (142,75m x 15,88m), two funnels, four masts, single screw and a speed of 15 knots. Accomodation for 250-1st and 160-2nd class passengers. Built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast for the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co, she started her maiden voyage on 19th Mar.1888 when she left London for Columbo, Melbourne and Sydney (and probably intermediate ports). She started her last sailing on this service on 12th May 1905 and then transferred to the London - Bombay route. In March 1912 she was in collision with the German sailing barque PISAGUA in the Straits of Dover and sank six hours later. 14 lives were lost when a lifeboat overturned wile being launched and the wreck was subsequently blown up. [North Star to Southern Cross by John M.Maber] [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O Line]

OCEANA see SCOT / ALFONSO XIII / VASCO NUNEZ DE BALBOA 1890

OCEANIA 1907
The OCEANIA was built in 1907 by A.Stephen & Sons, Glasgow for Unione Austriaca. She was a 5,497 gross ton ship, one funnel, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 15 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 45-1st, 75-2nd and 1,230-3rd class. Launched on 10/9/1907, she sailed on her maiden voyage from Trieste for Patras, Palermo and New York on 26/9/1908. In October 1913 she made her first and only round voyage from Trieste to Quebec and Montreal, and commenced her last round voyage on 30/5/1914, when she left Trieste for Patras, Palermo and New York (dep.24/6/1914). On 3/10/1918 she was mined and beached near Cape Rondoni, and on 15/10/1918 was blown up by the Austrians to avoid falling into Italian hands. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.3,p.1332]

OCEANIA / STAMPALIA 1909
The STAMPALIA was built in 1909 as the OCEANIA by Cantieri Navale Riuniti at Spezia, Italy for La Veloce, Genoa. She was a 8999 ton vessel, 476ft x 56ft., two funnels, two masts, twin screw, speed 16 knots. She had accommodation for 100 1st and 2,400 3rd class passengers. She originally sailed between Genoa, Palermo, Naples and New York. In 1911 she was altered to carry 30 1st, 220 2nd, and 2,400 3rd class passengers and sailed between Genoa, Naples and NY. In 1912 she was renamed STAMPALIA and continued on the same service until 17th August 1916 when she was torpedoed and sunk in the Aegean Sea by the German submarine UB-47. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P. Bonsor]

OCEANIA / VERDI 1950
The OCEANIA was a 12,839 gross ton ship, built in 1950 by CR dell'Adriatico,Trieste for Lloyd Triestino of Genoa. Her dimensions were - length 527ft x beam 69.2ft, one funnel, one mast, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. There was accommodation for 280-1st, 120-2nd and 392-3rd class passengers. She carried a crew of 236. Launched on July 30th 1950, she sailed from Genoa on her maiden voyage to Sydney on 18th August 1951. In 1959 she was rebuilt to 13,139 gross tons and with passenger accommodation for 136-1st and 536-tourist class. On 4th May 1963 she was sold to Italia Societa per Azioni di Navigazione and in July of that year was renamed VERDI. She was rebuilt to 13,226 gross tons and used for the company's Genoa - Central America - Valparaiso service. She was laid up at Genoa in July 1976 and was subsequently scrapped at Spezia. [Great Passenger Ships of the World by Arnold Kludas, vol.5,p.14-15]

OCEANIC 1870
3,707 gros tons, length 420ft x beam 40.9ft, one funnel, four masts (rigged for sail), iron hull, single screw, speed 14 knots, accommodation for 166-1st and 1,000-3rd class passengers. Built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast (engines by Maudslay, Sons & Field, London), she was launched for White Star Line on 27th Aug.1870. On 2nd Mar.1871 she left Liverpool for Queenstown and New York but had to put into Holyhead with overheated bearings and returned to Liverpool. 14th Mar.1871 resumed maiden voyage and arrived New York on 28th March. She started her last voyage on this service on 11th Mar.1875 and was then chartered to the Occidental & Oriental Line for their San Francisco - Yokohama - Hong Kong route. In 1879 she returned to Liverpool for a refit and then sailed back to Hong Kong to resume trans-Pacific sailings. She returned to Belfast in 1895 for re-engining but the plan was abandoned and she was scrapped at London the following year. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.755]

OCEANIC 1899
The OCEANIC was a 17,272 gross ton ship, built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast in 1899 for the White Star Line. Her details were - length 685.7ft x beam 68.4ft, two funnels, three masts, twin screw and a speed of 19 knots. There was accommodation for 410-1st, 300-2nd and 1,000-3rd class passengers. Launched on 14/1/1899, she sailed from Liverpool on her maiden voyage to Queenstown (Cobh) and New York on 6/9/1899. She started her last voyage on this service on 22/5/1907 and on 5/6/1907 commenced her first New York - Plymouth - Cherbourg - Southampton sailing. On 19/6/1907 she started regular sailings between Southampton, Cherbourg, Queenstown and New York and commenced her last voyage on this route on 22/7/1914. Converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser in August 1914, she was wrecked on Foula Island, Shetlands on 8/9/1914. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.760]

OCEANIC / STARSHIP OCEANIC 1963
27,644 gross tons, length 782.3ft x beam 96.6ft, one funnel, one mast, twin screw, speed 26 knots, accommodation for 1,200 single class passengers.
Built 1963 by Cantieri Riuniti dell Adriatico, Monfalcone for the Home Lines, Panama, originally for the Cuxhaven - Havre - Southampton - Quebec - Montreal service, but from Aug.1963 was used exclusively for cruising. On 3rd Apr.1965 she started her first voyage Genoa - Cannes - Naples - Palermo - Algeciras - Halifax - New York and then cruising until 1966. 30th Apr.1966 New York - Palermo - Naples - Messina - Bari - Venice - New York, subsequently cruising with one annual voyage USA - Italy - USA for reconditioning. 1985 sold to Premier Cruise Line, Panama renamed STARSHIP OCEANIC. 1990 registered at Nassau. 1991 Premier Cruise Line taken over by Carnival Cruise Lines. No later info.

OCEAN MONARCH / VARNA / REINA DEL MAR 1951
13,654 gross tons, length 516.1ft x beam 72.2ft, one funnel, one mast, twin screw, speed 18 knots, built with accommodation for 414-1st class passengers. Built 1951 by Vickers-Armstrong Ltd, Newcastle for Furness, Withy & Co., she was based at New York and was used on the New York - Bermuda service, carrying passengers and fresh water supplies to the island's hotels. (Bermuda has no fresh water supply). 22nd Sep.1966 following the ending of sea passenger services to Bermuda, she was laid up in the River Fal, Cornwall for disposal. 1967 sold to Balkantourist, Varna, Bulgaria to earn foreign currency by cruising. Owned by Navigation Maritime Bulgare, Sofia. 1970 laid up at Perama. Prior to this, her lay ups were seasonal, each winter. 1979 refurbished after so many years laid up, she was renamed VENUS, and then RIVIERA by Trans-Tirreno Express. Owned by Dolphon (Hellas) Shipping SA, Piraeus, Greece. 1981 renamed REINA DEL MAR, but still laid up awaiting finance. Chartered to SUR-Seereisen, Germany for summer cruises and overhauled. 28th May 1981 at Ambelaki. Perama, engine running trials led to an engine room fire which gutted the ship. The burning vessel was towed out to sea, but the tow parted and she went ashore on Salamina Island. Towed off, she again burst into flames and was scuttled at Kynosaura, Perama Bay where she fell onto her side and became a total loss.[Merchant Fleets, vol.37 by Duncan Haws]

ODER 1851
Built in 1851, the ODER was a three masted, ship rigged, wooden construction sailing vessel of 621 gross tons. She carried 25-1st class and 200-steerage class passengers and a crew of 18. She was employed on the Hamburg - New York service of the Hamburg America Line between 1851 and 1868 when she was sold to Mecklenburg owners. [Merchant Fleets in Profile by Duncan Haws, vol.4, Hamburg America Line]

ODER 1861
This was a 694 gross ton steamship, length 200ft x beam 27.5ft, clipper bows, iron hull, rigged for sail and accommodation for 277 passengers in three classes. Launched by C.& W.Earle, Hull in June 1861 for Thos Wilson, Sons & Co, Hull she ran between UK and Scandinavian/Baltic ports. On 16th Oct.1875 she foundered at position 56.14N 04.12E in the North Sea while on passage Liverpool - Gothenburg with general cargo.[Wilson Line by John Harrower]

ODER 1873
The ODER was a 3265 gross ton ship, length 350ft x beam 40.3ft, one funnel, two masts, iron hull, single screw and a speed of 13 knots. Accommodation for 90-1st, 126-2nd and 650-3rd class passengers. Built by Caird & Co, Greenock, she was launched for North German Lloyd, Bremen in Dec.1873. Her maiden voyage started on 23rd May 1874 when she left Bremen for New York and her last voyage on this service started on 26th Apr.1885. Rebuilt in 1886 for the Imperial Mail service to East Asia, she sailed from Bremen on 30th Jun.1886 for Suez and Shanghai. On 30th May 1887 she ran onto rocks on Socotra Island in a storm and was wrecked. The Blue Funnel Line ship CYCLOPS carried 61 passengers and 111 crew to Aden, but four persons were drowned when a lifeboat capsized. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2] [Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen by Edwin Drechsel, vol.1]

OFFENBACH 1900
4,336 gross tons, length 118.87m x beam 14.66m, one funnel, two masts, single screw, speed 12 knots. Built 1900 by Wighham Richardson & Co., Wallsend-on-Tyne for German Australian Line. 1914 On outbreak of war, she sheltered in Sourabaya and in 1919 was ceded to Britain as war reparations and managed by British India Steam Navigation Co. .1921 sold to H. Kayser & Co, Hamburg renamed ANNA KAYSER. 1926 sold to W. Schuchmann, Bremerhaven renamed NORDSEE. 1933 scrapped at Wilhelmshaven.

OHIO / AMAZZONE / RIO SANTA CRUZ 1868
Built by Caird & Co, Greenock in 1868 for North German Lloyd of Bremen, this was a 2,394 gross ton ship, length 290.2ft x beam 39ft, clipper stem, one funnel, two masts (rigged for sails), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. There was accommodation for 84-1st and 600-3rd class passengers. Launched 18th Dec.1868, she sailed from Bremen in March 1869 on her maiden voyage to Southampton and Baltimore. On 6th Sep.1871 she started her first Bremen - Southampton - New York voyage and made 11 round voyages on this route, the last in 1883. Between 1880-81 her engines were compounded by AG Vulvan, Stettin, and she commenced her last Bremen - Baltimore voyage on 3rd Oct.1883. On 24th Mar.1884 she was transferred to the Bremen - South America service and started her last voyage on this route on 25th Nov.1893. Sold in 1894 to Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell & Co (shipbuilders) in part payment for two new ships, she then went to the Argentine Government and was renamed AMAZZONE. She was again renamed in 1897 to RIO SANTA CRUZ and was hulked in 1903. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.546-7]

OHIO 1872
3,104 gross tons, length 343ft x beam 43ft, one funnel, two masts, iron construction, single screw and a speed of 12 knots. There was accommodation for 46-1st, 132-intermediate and 789-3rd class passengers. Built by W. Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia, she was launched for the American Steamship Co on 30th Oct.1872. Her maiden voyage started on 7th Aug.1873 when she left Philadelphia for Queenstown (Cobh) and Liverpool. In 1887 she was fitted with triple-expansion engines and her first class accommodation was rebuilt. Chartered to Inman Line, she started her first Liverpool - New York voyage on 16th Aug.1887 and commenced her thirteenth and last voyage on this service on 20th Feb.1889. On 25th Aug.1895 she started her last Liverpool - Queenstown - Philadelphia sailing and on 27th Jun.1896 commenced New York - Southampton sailings. Her last North Atlantic voyage started on 22nd Aug.1897 when she sailed from Kiel for Southampton and New York and on 5th Mar.1898 she sailed from Philadelphia for San Francisco where she was sold for service on the Pacific. On 26th Aug.1919 she was lost off the coast of Alaska.[North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.3,p.928]

OHIO 1923 / ALBERTIC 1927
18,940 tons, length 590.8ft x beam 72ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw, speed 16 knots, accommodation for 229-1st, 523-2nd and 690-3rd class passengers.
Laid down in as the MUNCHEN by AG Weser, Bremen for North German Lloyd she was launched on 23rd Mar.1920 but never sailed for NGL and on 27th Mar.1923 was transferred to Royal Mail Steam Packet Co., London under the War Reparations Scheme and renamed OHIO. 4th Apr.1923 maiden voyage Hamburg - Southampton - Cherbourg - New York. 15th Oct.1926 last voyage Southampton - Cherbourg - New York. In 1927 Royal Mail S.P. Co. acquired the entire capital of White Star Line and the OHIO was transferred to White Star and renamed ALBERTIC. 22nd Apr.1927 first voyage Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal. 31st Mar.1928 last voyage Liverpool - New York. 14th Apr.1928 first voyage New York - Southampton - Havre - London. 5th May 1928 last voyage London - Havre - Southampton - Quebec - Montreal. 2nd Feb.1929 first voyage Liverpool - Boston - New York. 5th Apr.1930 last voyage Liverpool - Boston - New York. 9th May 1930 resumed Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal sailings. 29th Aug.1930 last voyage Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal and then laid up in the River Clyde. 1934 sold and sailed to Osaka for scrapping. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P. Bonsor]

OIHONNA 1898
The OIHONNA was a Finnish passenger ship, built 1898 by Gourlay Bros & Co, Dundee for the Finland SS Co. (Finska Angfartygs A/B, Helsingfors). Finland was at this time a part of Russia. She was 1,026 gross tons, length 200ft x beam 31.2ft, single screw, speed 12 knots, accommodation for 83-1st, 16-2nd and 64-3rd class passengers. Used on the Stockholm - Finland - St. Petersburg service and Stockholm - Turku - Stettin - Lubeck - Copenhagen service. In 1918 Finland became independent and the ship transferred to the Finnish flag. Between 1944 and 1948 she was used as an accommodation ship for the Soviet Control Commission in Helsinki and was scrapped at Ternuezen in 1960. Her first captain in 1898 was Ernst Hedman but I don't know if he was still in command in 1905. [The White Ships by Thure Malmberg and Arnold Neumann]

OLBIA 1893 see MARTABAN 1873

OLDENBURG / AK-DENIZ 1890
The OLDENBURG was a 5,006 gross ton ship built by Fairfield Co Ltd, Glasgow in 1890 for Norddeutscher Lloyd [North German Lloyd] of Bremen. Her details were - length 415ft x beam 48ft, straight stem, one funnel, two masts, single screw and a speed of 13 knots. There was accommodation for 49-1st, 38-2nd and 1,901-3rd class passengers. Launched on 13/12/1890, she sailed from Bremen on her maiden voyage to Montevideo and Buenos Aires on 11/2/1891. On 11/6/1891 she commenced her first voyage from Bremen to Baltimore, 18/2/1892 her first from Bremen to New York, 22/6/1892 her first from Bremen via Suez to the Far East, and on 26/10/1892 her first from Bremen via Suez to Australia. On 3/3/1904 she started her last Bremen - Far East voyage (8 Round Voyages), 19/1/1905 her last Bremen - Baltimore voyage, and 18/4/1906 her last Bremen to Australia (18 round voyages). She resumed Bremen - South America sailings on 25/8/1906 and on 10/4/1910 commenced her last Bremen - New York crossing (24 round voyages on the North Atlantic). She commenced her final Bremen - S.America voyage on 12/11/1910 and in 1911 was sold to Turkish owners and renamed AK-DENIZ. She was scrapped in 1923. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.556]

OLINDA 1887
1,479 gross tons, length 250ft x beam 36ft, one funnel, two masts, single screw, speed 10 knots, accommodation for 12-1st and 250-3rd class passengers. Built 1887 and launched on 2nd July by J. Blumer & Co., Sunderland (engines by North Eastern Marine Eng. Co., Sunderland) for Linha de Navegacao de J. H. Andresen (Andresen Line), Oporto. She started her maiden voyage in Aug.1887 when she sailed from Sunderland for Oporto, Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, New York and Oporto. Regular Oporto - Lisbon - Azores - New York services started on 12th Apr.1890 and on 15th Dec.1894 she commenced her last Oporto - Lisbon - Azores - New York sailing. She was wrecked on Fisher's Island, New York on 11th Jun.1895.

OLIVETTE 1887
1,678 gross tons, length 274.3ft x beam 35.2ft, iron hull, single screw. Passenger / cargo ship built 1887 by W. Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia for Plant Improvement Co., New Haven. 1901 transferred to Peninsular & Occidental SS Co., New Haven. 12th Jan.1918 wrecked near Bacurnoco off Havana, Cuba on voyage Key West to Havana with general cargo. [Schell Registers]

OLYMPIA 1871
The OLYMPIA was owned by the Anchor Line of Glasgow. She was a 2,051 gross ton ship, length 307.1ft x beam 34.6ft, straight stem, one funnel, three masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 11 knots. There was accommodation for 75-1st, 150-2nd and 500-3rd class passengers. Built by Charles Connell & Co, Glasgow (engines by Finnieston Steamship Work, Glasgow), she was launched on 16/11/1871. In April 1872 she made her maiden voyage from Glasgow to Liverpool, Halifax and St John NB. On 29/5/1872 she commenced her first direct sailing from Glasgow and Moville to New York and in October 1872 started winter sailings from Glasgow to Mediterranean ports, New York and Glasgow. She commenced the eleventh and last Glasgow - New York sailing on 22/8/1874 and between 1873 - 1875 made two London - Halifax - St John NB - New York voyages. Between 1874 and 1897 she completed 61 sailings between Glasgow - Mediterranean - New York - Glasgow and between 1876 - 1877 made two Glasgow - Liverpool - Halifax - St John NB voyages. From 1877 - 1882 she made seven Glasgow - Liverpool - Bombay trips and on 13/5/1881 started her first Barrow - Dublin - New York voyage. She made three voyages on this route, the last starting 20/8/1881 and in March 1890 started a direct Mediterranean - New York service. Her final voyage started on 21/2/1897 when she left Leghorn for Naples and New York (arr.24/3/1897) and on 26/2/1898 she was sold and scrapped in France. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.1,p.457]

OLYMPIC 1910
Built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast for the White Star Line, she was a 45,324 gross ton ship, overall length 883ft x beam 92.5ft, four funnels, two masts, triple screw and a service speed of 21 knots. There was accommodation for 735-1st, 674-2nd and 1,026-3rd class passengers. Her keel was laid on 16/12/1908 and she was launched on 20/10/1910. She commenced her maiden voyage from Southampton to Cherbourg, Queenstown (Cobh) and New York on 14/6/1911. On 20/9/1911 she collided with the British cruiser HMS HAWKE in the Solent, was held to blame for the collision and was repaired at Belfast. She resumed Southampton - Cherbourg - Queenstown - New York voyages on 30/11/1911, but was again taken out of service between 1912-13 for extensive rebuilding after the TITANIC disaster. Rebuilt to 46,359 tons and with a complete inner skin and increased number of lifeboats, she resumed service on 2/4/1913. In October 1914 she made an unsuccessful attempt to tow the battleship HMS AUDACIOUS to port after she had struck a mine, and in September 1915 was taken up as a troop ship. On 12/5/1918 she rammed and sank the German submarine U.103 near Lizard Point and started her first voyage after the Armistice on 8/12/1918 when she left Southampton for Halifax with 5,000 Canadian troops. On 12/2/1919 she started her first Liverpool - Brest - New York voyage and in July 1919 made her last voyage from Halifax to Liverpool as a troop ship. She then sailed to Belfast where she was reconditioned and converted from coal to oil burning. She resumed Southampton - Cherbourg - New York sailings on 25/6/1920 and on 22/3/1924 was in collision with the Furness Line's FORT ST.GEORGE near New York and damaged her stern post. In 1928 her accommodation was altered to 1st, 2nd, tourist and 3rd class and in October 1931 was again altered to carry 618-1st, 447-tourist and 382-3rd class passengers. On 16/5/1934 she rammed and sank the Nantucket lightship in fog, and later the same year came under the ownership of the newly formed Cunard-White Star Line. Her last Southampton - Cherbourg - New York voyage started on 27/3/1935 and she was then laid up at Southampton. Sold in September 1935, she arrived at Jarrow on 13/10/1935 for breaking up, and on 19/9/1937 her hulk was towed to Inverkeithing for final demolition. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.765]

OLYMPOS 1911
2,983 gross tons, built 1911 by Neptunwerft, Rostock for Deutsche Levante Line, Hamburg (not Hamburg America Line). 1919 ceded to Britain as war reparations and managed by Thomas Law & Co. 1921 sold to Ellerman Lines, London renamed RIALTO. 1928 sold to Les Cargos Algeriens, Algiers renamed MADALI. 1940 seized by Germans at Bordeaux and equipped as transport for the proposed invasion of Britain. 1941 chartered to Johs. Fritzen & Sohn, Emden as supply ship to the Channel Islands. 27th Sep.1943 sunk by British torpedo boats near Le Toquet.

OLYMPUS 1860
Built by J.& G.Thomson, Glasgow in 1860 for the Cunard SS Co's Mediterranean service, she was a 1,794 gross ton ship, length 276ft x beam 36.6ft, clipper stem, one funnel, two masts(rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. There was accommodation for 70-1st and 900-3rd class passengers. Launched on 10th jan.1860, she started her first transatlantic voyage on 2nd Jun.1863 when she left Liverpool for Queenstown (Cobh) and New York. She started her eigth and last voyage on this service on 31st May 1864 and between then and 1871 sailed on the Liverpool - Mediterranean service except for one Liverpool - Boston - New York voyage which started 11th Mar.1867. In 1872 she was rebuilt to 2,415 gross tons, lengthened to 340ft, re-engined and fitted with three masts. Her first Liverpool - Boston voyage commenced 4th Apr.1872 and her last voyage on this service started 13th Jul.1881. Between 1872 - 1881 she made mostly Liverpool - Boston sailings but also made some Mediterranean voyages during this period. In 1881 she was sold to the builders in part exchange for the PAVONIA and was scrapped in 1891. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.1,p.147]

OMRAH 1899
The OMRAH was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co, Glasgow in 1899 for the Orient Line. This was a 8,130 gross ton ship, length 490.6ft x beam 56.6ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. She could carry 350 in the first and second class and 500-3rd class passengers. Her maiden voyage from London via Suez to Melbourne and Sydney started on 3rd Feb.1899 and on 3rd Nov.1916 she commenced her last London - Australia sailing. Converted to a troopship, she was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of Sardinia on 12th May 1918. She had left Alexandria for Marseilles with six other transports, carrying troops of the 52nd and 74th divisions and was on her return journey from Marseilles when lost without serious loss of life.[Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines] [North Star to Southern Cross by John M.Maber]

OMSK 1884
1590 gross tons, length 260.7ft x beam 33.5ft, one funnel, two masts (rigged for sail), iron hull, single screw, speed 9 knots. Accommodation for 20-1st and 4-2nd class passengers. Built in 1884 by A/S Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen for DFDS Line, Copenhagen. Launched 16th Aug.1884. 23rd Oct.1884 left Copenhagen for Stettin, in service Baltic - Copenhagen - Spain; 1st Oct.1887 left St.Petersburg inaugurating new service Baltic - Copenhagen - Antwerp - Mediterranean - Black Sea; 28th Aug.1897 arrived St.Petersburg on her last Black Sea voyage; 1897-1906 service mainly Baltic - Copenhagen - North Sea - France - Western Mediterranean; 1907-1914 service mainly Hull - Copenhagen - Libau; 31st Jul.1914 to 16th Jul.1915 detained at Libau due to the Great War; 1915 service Copenhagen - Mediterranean  or Denmark - UK; 15th Jan.1917 on voyage Leith - Genoa with a cargo of coal, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.84, 93 miles West of Bishop Rock. All crew saved. [DFDS 1866-1991 by S.Thorsoe, World Ship Society 1992, ISBN 87-980030-0-3 Book contains two photos of ship]

ONDO 1956
O.N.187146. 5,435 gross tons, length 450ft x beam 62.3ft x depth 23.0ft, single screw, speed 13 knots. Built 1956 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast (Yard No.1554) for Elder Dempster & Co. On 6th Dec.1961 while on voyage Sapele, Nigeria to Riga with a cargo of cocoa beans, she was approaching the Brunsbuttelkoog locks at the entrance to the Kiel Canal. At 1715 as the Cuxhaven pilot boat was approaching the ship in force 10 winds, she capsized. In an effort to avoid the men in the water, the captain of the ONDO stopped the engines and the ship was blown onto the sandbank near Elbe No.2 lightship. The pilot and the boat's crew were lost. ONDO was lightened but could not be refloated and despite several later salvage attempts was eventually abandoned. [Elder Dempster, A Fleet History by J. E. Cowden and J. O. C. Duffy]

ONTARIO 1867
2,889 gross tons, length 323.5ft x beam 43.8ft, clipper bows, two funnels, three masts, wooden hull, single screw, speed 11 knots, accommodation for 125-1st and 500-3rd class passengers. Launched Nov.1866 by George W. Jackman, Newburyport, Mass. (engines by Harrison, Loring, Boston), for the American SS Co. (not to be confused with the American SS Co. of Philadelphia), she started her maiden voyage on 5th Aug.1867 when she left Boston for Liverpool. Her third and last Liverpool - Boston crossing started 27th Dec.1867 and on 3rd Jun.1868 she was sold by auction and laid up until 1870. She made one further New York - Havre voyage on 7th Nov.1870 with supplies for the French in the Franco-Prussian war and returned to NY in Jan.1871 via Newfoundland and Boston. She was then used on the NY - South America service for the United States and Brazil Mail Co. until Sep.1875. In 1877-78 she carried out the round-the-world Woodruff Scientific Expedition and was then laid up at Boston. It is believed that she survived there until 1885 when she was burned for the metal in her hull. [North Atlantic Seaway, vol.2 p.718 by Bonsor] (Funnels - buff with black top)

ONTARIO 1874
3,175 gross tons, length 335.7ft x beam 38.4ft, one funnel, three masts, iron hull, single screw, speed 11 knots, accommodation for 130-cabin and 600-3rd class passengers. Launched on 5th Mar.1874 by A. McMillan & Son Dumbarton (engines by J. & J. Thompson, Glasgow) for the Dominion Line, Liverpool. 3rd Jun.1874 maiden voyage Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal. Winter service to Halifax and Portland. On 13th Jun.1885 she started her first Avonmouth - Quebec - Montreal sailing and her last voyage on this route commenced 23rd Jul.1892. She was then laid up until 1896 when scrapped. [North Atlantic Seaway, vol.2, p.805 by Bonsor]

OPAWA / ANTARCTIC MARU / TONAN MARU 1906
7230 gross tons, length 460ft x beam 60ft (140.21m x 18.29m), one funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 14 knots. Built with accommodation for 6-1st class passengers. Built by Wm.Denny & Bros, Dumbarton, she was launched for the New Zealand Shipping Co on 5th Nov.1906 and sailed between UK and New Zealand with frozen produce. Between 1914-1918 she remained in the company's service carrying food to Britain. In 1928 she was sold to Brunn & von der Lippe, Tonsberg and converted to a whale factory ship. Sold to Japan in 1935 she became the ANTARCTIC MARU, and in 1937 became the TONAN MARU. She became a Japanese war loss in WWII. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.7, New Zealand Shipping Co]

OPHIR 1891
The OPHIR was a 6,814 gross ton ship belonging to the Orient Line. Her dimensions were - length 141,73m x beam 16,29m, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. Built by Napier & Son, Glasgow in 1891, she sailed between London, Suez, Colombo (for coal bunkers), Melbourne and Sydney. She made her last voyage on this service in 1913 and in Jan.1915 was commissioned as an Armed Merchant Cruiser. In 1918 she was purchased by the Admiralty and converted to a hospital ship, 1919 laid up in the River Clyde with other surplus ships, and scrapped in 1922.

OPHIR 1904
4,726 gross tons, length 406.6ft x beam 47.1ft, one funnel, two masts, single screw, speed 14 knots, accommodation for 60-1st, 37-2nd, 34-3rd and 30-4th class passengers. Built by Kon. Maats. De Schelde, Flushing, she was launched on 27th Aug.1904 for Rotterdam Lloyd, Rotterdam and started her maiden voyage to the East Indies on 26th November. Between 1914-1916, although Holland was a neutral country, she was routed via the Cape of Good Hope as the Mediterranean was a war zone. 1917-1918 routed via the Panama Canal for similar reason. In 1918 she was put on the Java - San Francisco mail service, but on 20th Mar.1918 she was seized at Honolulu by U.S. Authorities and handed to the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor. She then sailed between New York and Europe for the Naval Overseas Transportation Service. On 8th Nov.1918 she left Gibraltar when an internal explosion and fire caused her to return and she sank at Gibraltar. Salvaged in 1919 and compensation paid to Rotterdam Lloyd, she was towed back to the U.S and was handed over to the U.S. War Department at Newport News. Feb.1920 sold to Beaver Steamship Co, New York. 1925 scrapped. [Merchant Fleets, vol.35 by J. Cooper and D. Haws]

ORAMA 1911
ORAMA was a short lived ship. She was 12,927 gross tons, length 569ft x beam 64.2ft, two funnels, two masts, triple screw, speed 18 knots, accommodation for 240-1st, 210- 2nd and 630-3rd class passengers. Built by John Brown & Co, Clydebank, she was launched for the Orient Line on 28th Jun.1911. On 10th Nov.1911 she started her maiden voyage from London via Suez to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and stayed on this service until 1914 when she was commissioned as an Armed Merchant Cruiser. On 19th Oct.1917 she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U.62 south of Ireland while escorting a convoy.[Great Passenger Ships of the World by Arnold Kludas, vol.1, ISBN 0-85059-174-0 contains photo]

ORAMA 1924
19,777 gross tons, 632ft x 75.2ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw, speed 18 knots. Accommodation for 1,700 passengers. Built by Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness in 1924 for the Orient Line, she started her maiden voyage from London to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on 15th Nov.1924. Converted to a troopship in 1940, she was used to transport the British Expeditionary Force to Norway following the German Invasion. On the 8th June 1940, she was 300 miles West of Narvik, together with the aircraft carrier HMS GLORIOUS, two destroyers and an oil tanker, when she was spotted by aircraft from the German High Seas Fleet comprising SCHARNHORST, GNEISENAU and ADMIRAL HIPPER. All five Allied ships were sunk with heavy loss of life. ORAMA lost 19 killed and 280 taken prisoner. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines]

ORANIA 1921
9,763 gross tons, length 137.24m x beam 18.10m, two funnels, two masts, twin screw, speed 15 knots, accommodation for 154-1st, 68-2nd, 120-intermediate and 850-3rd class passengers.
Built 1921 by Workman, Clark & Co., Belfast for Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyd (Royal Holland Lloyd), Amsterdam, she made her maiden voyage from Amsterdam to Las Palmas - Pernambuco - Bahia - Rio de Janeiro - Santos - Montevideo and Buenos Aires in 1922. On 19th Dec.1934 she was rammed and sunk in Leixoes Harbour by the Portuguese ship LOANDA and subsequently scrapped.

ORANJE / ANFA 1903
4,413 g.t., 397.6ft x 45.7ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 14 knots. Passenger ship with accommodation for 72-1st, 32-2nd and 16-3rd class passengers. Completed May 1903 by Mij. voor Scheeps en Werktuigh Fijenoord, Rotterdam for N.V. Stoomvaart Mij. Nederland, Amsterdam. Holland to Dutch east Indies route. 1923 sold to Cie. de Navigation Paquet, Marseilles renamed ANFA. 1936 scrapped at Genoa [Register of Merchant Ships Completed in 1903 by Starke / Schell]

ORANJE / ANGELINA LAURO / ANGELINA 1938
The ANGELINA LAURO was built by Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij, Amsterdam (engines by Sulzer Bros, Winterthur) in 1937-8 as the ORANJE for the Nederland Line. She was a 20,565 gross ton ship, overall length 656.3ft x beam 83.5ft (200,03m x 25,45m) one funnel, one mast, triple screw and a speed of 21 knots. There was accommodation for 283-1st, 283-2nd, 92-3rd and 82-4th class passengers. Launched on 8th Sep.1938, she made two Amsterdam - Madeira cruises before starting her first scheduled voyage between Amsterdam, Cape of Good Hope and Batavia. From Dec.1939 to Feb.1941 she was laid up at Sourabaya and from July 1941 to July 1946 was used as an Australian hospital ship, although remaining under the Dutch flag. Between 1947 - 1957 she sailed Amsterdam - Southampton - Djakarta (Batavia), and from 1958 - 1960 sailed Amsterdam - Southampton - Suez - Singapore - Australia. Rebuilt in Amsterdam in 1959 to 20,565 gross tons and with accommodation for 323-1st and 626-tourist class passengers. She started her first round-the-world voyage on 7th Sep.1960 when she left Amsterdam for Southampton, Suez, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Panama, Port Everglades, Bermuda, Southampton and Amsterdam. On 26th Feb.1961 she started her first voyage to the same ports, but in the opposite direction. Her last voyage on this service started 4th May 1964 having made 16 round voyages, 8 in each direction. Sold to the Italian owned Lauro Line in Sep.1964, she was rebuilt at Genoa and renamed ANGELINA LAURO. Extensively damaged by fire in 1965 while rebuilding, she was completed in 1966 as a 24,377 gross ton ship, length 674.2ft (205,50m), accommodation for 189-1st, 377-interchangeable and 1,050-tourist class passengers. Between 1966-7 she sailed Bremen - Southampton - Italy - Suez - Australia - New Zealand and return voyages. 1967-72 Southampton - Italy - South Africa - Australia - New Zealand and return. From 1971 onwards she made some homeward voyages via South America. In May 1971 she made one voyage from Australia to New Zealand, Tahiti, Acapulco, Panama, Port Everglades, bermuda, Southampton and was then used exclusively for cruising. Chartered to Costa Lines in 1978 and renamed ANGELINA, she was destroyed by fire on 31st Mar.1979 at St Thomas, Virgin Islands. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.4,p.1759]

ORARI 1906
7207 gross tons, length 460ft x beam 60ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 14 knots. Built by Wm Denny & Bros, Dumbarton in 1906 for the New Zealand Shipping Co and sailed London - New Zealand. 1909 collided with sailing ship LOUDON HILL near the Falkland Islands and both ships had to put into Montevideo for repairs. 1914 used for transporting part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to Alexandria. 1927 scrapped at Glasgow.

ORBITA 1914
The ORBITA was built in 1914 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast for the Pacific Steam Navigation Co of London. She was a 15,495 gross ton vessel, length 550.3ft x beam 67.3ft, one funnel, two masts, triple screw and a speed of 14 knots. There was accommodation for 190-1st, 221-2nd and 476-3rd class passengers. Launched on 7/7/1914, she was at first used as an auxiliary cruiser and later fitted as a troopship. On 26/9/1919 she commenced her first voyage for PSNCo when she sailed from Liverpool for Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo and Valparaiso. On 30/4/1921 she was chartered to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co and commenced sailings from Hamburg to Southampton, Cherbourg and New York, to take advantage of the post war lack of German liners and the resumption of European emigration to the USA. On the 1/1/1923 she was transferred to RMSPCo and in February 1923 her 1st and 2nd class accommodation became cabin class. In July 1926 she was converted to oil fuel and refitted to carry cabin class, tourist third cabin class, and 3rd class passengers. She commenced her last voyage from Southampton to Cherbourg, New York, and Liverpool 10/9/1926 and in was then resold to PSNCo. On 4/11/1926 she commenced sailings on the Liverpool - Panama Canal - Valparaiso service and continued on this route until 1940 when she was converted to a troopship. She was scrapped at Newport, Monmouthshire in 1950. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.4,p.1520] [South Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor,p.164] [Great Steamers White and Gold, A History of the Royal Mail Ships and Services by R.Baker & A.Leonard]

ORCADES 1947
28,472 gross tons, length 711ft x beam 93.5ft, one funnel, one mast, twin screw, speed 22 knots. Accommodation for 773-1st and 772-tourist class passengers. Built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow, she was launched for Orient / P&O Line on 14th Oct.1947 and started her maiden voyage on 22nd Aug.1948 when she left Tilbury for Melbourne and Sydney. On 22nd Aug.1955 she started her first London - Panama - San Francisco - Vancouver - Auckland - Sydney - Suez - London voyage. Refitted in 1959 to carry 631-1st and 734-tourist class passengers and in 1958 sailed from London for Melbourne, Sydney and trans-Pacific services to San Francisco and Vancouver. 1964 Refitted as a one class ship with accommodation for 1,635 passengers and in 1966 came solely under the ownership of P & O Lines. Laid up at Southampton in Oct.1972, she was scrapped at Taiwan the following year. [Great Passenger Ships of the World, vol.4 by Arnold Kludas]

ORCANA / ALBINGIA / GRODNO / ARGONAUT 1893
The ORCANA belonged to Pacific Steam Navigation Co. She was 4803 gross tons, length 401ft x beam 47.7ft, one funnel, four masts, single screw, speed 11 knots. Accommodation for 70-st and 675-emigrant class passengers. Built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, she was launched on 7th Mar.1893 and started her maiden voyage on 19th Jul.1893 when she left Liverpool for South America. She was mainly a cargo ship but carried emigrants from Spain and Portugal to South America. Between 1899 and 1903 she became Transport No.40 and was used as a military transport and hospital ship for the Boer War. Sold to the Hamburg America Line in 1904, she was renamed ALBINGIA. Transferred to the Russian Government for collier duties in 1906 and renamed GRODNO, she reverted to Germany in 1907 and became the ALBINGIA again. In April 1917 she was seized by the US Government and renamed ARGONAUT and was sunk by the German submarine U.82 off Bishops Rock on 5th Jun.1918. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.8, Pacific Steam Nav.Co]

ORCOMA 1908
11,546 gross tons, length 511.6ft x beam 62.2ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 14.5 knots, accommodation for 246-1st, 202-2nd, 106-intermediate and 456-3rd class passengers. 247 crew. Launched on 2nd Apr.1908 by Wm. Beardmore & Co., Dalmuir. Glasgow for Pacific Steam Navigation Co., Liverpool, she started her maiden voyage on 27th Aug., when she left Liverpool for the West Coast of South America via Straits of Magellan. She was the largest and fastest vessel on the South American Pacific coast route at the time. From Mar.1915 she served as an Armed Merchant Cruiser with the 10th Cruiser Squadron on the Northern Patrol, fitted with 6 x 6inch guns and 2 x 6 pounder guns. On 7th Nov.1919 she reverted to PSNCo service via the Panama Canal and in 1923 was modernised and converted from coal to oil fuel. Jun.1933 scrapped at Blyth having been replaced by the REINA DEL PACIFICO. [Merchant Fleets, vol.8 by Duncan Haws]

ORDUNA 1913
The ORDUNA was built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast in 1913 for the Pacific Steam Navigation Co. She was a 15,507 gross ton ship, length 550.3ft x beam 67.3ft, one funnel, two masts, triple screw and a speed of 14 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 240-1st, 180-2nd and 700-3rd class. Launched on 2nd Oct.1913, she left Liverpool on her maiden voyage to Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo and Valparaiso on 19th Feb.1914. She made two voyages on this run and was then chartered to Cunard Line and used on their Liverpool - New York service until 1919. On 1st Apr.1920 she resumed Liverpool - Rio - Montevideo - Valparaiso sailings and on 28th May 1921 commenced Hamburg - Southampton - New York voyages under charter to Royal Mail Steam Packet Co, who purchased her in 1923. Rebuilt in 1926 to oil burning engines, and with accommodation for 234-1st, 186-2nd and 483-3rd class passengers. In 1927 she returned to Pacific Steam Nav. Co and resumed Liverpool - Rio - Montevideo - Valparaiso service. In 1930 she transferred to Liverpool - Panama - Valparaiso sailings, and stayed on this route until 1940. In July 1940 she sailed from Liverpool to Lisbon, repatriating French nationals after the fall of France, and on this voyage, sailed fully illuminated at night under an international safe conduct guarantee. In February 1941 she was requisitioned as a troopship. After the fall of Madagascar, she carried the Vichy French governor and his staff from Tamatave to Durban and on her homeward voyage, carried 500 French naval officers and ratings to the UK to join the Free French forces. On the fall of Abyssinia, she took part of the West African Division from Berbera to Durban where they were transhipped, and later was employed ferrying American troops from Oran to Naples in the final phases of the Italian campaign. In August 1945 she was the commodore ship of the invasion force which was to re-occupy Malaya, and after the surrender of Japan, she carried 1,700 prisoners of war from Rangoon to Liverpool in September. After this she carried out trooping voyages to the East Indies, Indo-China and Japan and in October 1946 carried away the last British troops from French North Africa. She completed her last trooping voyage from Liverpool to Singapore and back in Nov.1950. By then, after 10 years of steady trooping, with little time for refit or proper maintenance and 36 years old, she was in poor shape and of little use as a passenger ship. Therefore in 1951 she was sold for scrap and broken up at Dalmuir. [South Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor][P.S.N.Liner "Orduna" by J.H.Isherwood, Sea Breezes Magazine, March 1965]

OREGON 1882
The OREGON was built by C.Connell & Co, Glasgow in 1882 for the Dominion Line of Liverpool. She was a 3,672 gross ton ship, length 360.7ft x beam 40.3ft, one funnel, four masts, iron construction, single screw and a speed of 12 knots. There was accommodation for 80-cabin, 60-intermediate and 1,200-3rd class passengers. Launched on 23/12/1882, she sailed from Liverpool on her maiden voyage to Halifax and Portland on 15/3/1883. On 3/5/1883 she commenced her first voyage from Liverpool to Quebec and Montreal. Later, her masts were reduced to two and on 19/6/1895 commenced her last Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal voyage. In 1896 she was sold to Furness Line and immediately chartered to Hamburg America Line. She commenced a single round voyage on 18/7/1896 from Hamburg to Montreal and on 15/9/1896 tramsferred to the Hamburg - New York service. On 10/10/1896 she commenced sailing for Furness Line between New York, Naples, Genoa and Leghorn, for 4 round voyages, the last starting 8/7/1897. In Sept.1897 she was scrapped at Genoa. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2, p.806] [Posted to The ShipsList by Ted Finch - 30 November 1997]

OREGON 1883
7,375 gross tons, length 50ft x beam 54.2ft (152,70m x 16,52m), two funnels, four masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 18 knots. Accommodation for 340-1st, 92-intermediate, 10-3rd and 1,000-steerage class passengers. Built by John Elder & Co, Glasgow, she was launched for the Guion Line on 23rd Jun.1883. Her maiden voyage started 6th Oct.1883 when she sailed from Liverpool for Queenstown (Cobh) and New York. In Apr.1884 she made a record passahe from New York to Queenstown of 7d 2h 18m at an average speed of 17.12 knots. Her last voyage for the Guion Line started on 10th May 1884 when she sailed from Liverpool for Queenstown and New York. Sold to Cunard SS Co in May 1884 she resumed the same service and made other record passages. Taken up by the British Admiralty as an Armed Cruiser in 1885 for a few months due to the Russian war scare, she returned to service in November of that year. On 14th Mar.1886 she was sunk in collision with an unknown schooner (probably the CHARLES MORSE) while 18 miles east of Long Island, New York. She sank almost immediately, but the entire complement of nearly 900 passengers and crew were saved by the North German Lloyd liner FULDA. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.1,p.96; vol.2,p.711]

ORFORD (HMS) 1928
HMS Orford was a troop transport ship. She was a 19,941 ton ship, built at Barrow by Vickers Shipbuiding in 1928 for the Orient Steam Navigation Co. Used as a passenger liner to Australia and New Zealand until 1939 when she was requisitioned. On 1st June 1940 she was bombed and set on fire off Marseilles, subsequently beached and abandoned. In 1947 she was refloated and scrapped at Savona. [North Star to Southern Cross by J.M.Maber]

ORIENT 1879
The ORIENT was built in 1879 by John Elder, Glasgow for the Orient Steam Navigation Co.Ltd. She was a 5,386 gross ton ship, length 460ft (140,21m) x beam 46.3ft (14,12m) x depth 35ft (10,67m). She had two funnels, four masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 15 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 120-1st, 130-2nd, 300 steerage class, or 1,500 troops. Launched on 5th June 1879, she sailed from London on her maiden voyage to Melbourne and Sydney via the Cape on 3rd Nov.1879 and returned via Suez. In 1884 she had electric light installed and in 1898 was modernised, rebuilt to 5,453 tons, and fitted with triple expansion engines to give her a speed of 17 knots. In Nov.1899 she became a troopship for the Boer War and on 17th July 1903 resumed commercial services to Sydney. Her last sailing on this service commenced on 23rd July 1909 and in 1910 she was sold to Italian ship breakers and renamed ORIC for her final voyage to Italy where she was scrapped. [Merchant Fleets in Profile by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines] [North Star to Southern Cross by John M.Maber]

ORINOCO 1886
4,434 gross tons, length 409.8ft x beam 45ft, clipper bows, two funnels, three masts (rigged for sail), single screw, speed 14 knots, accommodation for 257-1st and 26-2nd class passengers. Built by Caird & Co, Greenock, she was launched for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co on 13th Sep.1886. This was the company's first steel hulled ship and their first to be fitted with electric light. She started her maiden voyage from Southampton to the West Indies under Captain Jellicoe on 2nd Dec.1886 and in 1897 took part in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Naval review at Spithead. She continued on the West Indies route and on 21st Nov.1906 collided off Cherbourg with the North German Lloyd liner KAISER WILHELM DER GROSSE, four of whose passengers were killed. Subsequently repaired and in 1909 she was scrapped in the Firth of Forth during which she was badly damaged by fire.[Merchant Fleets, vol.5 by Duncan Haws] [Great Steamers White & Gold by R. Baker & A. Leonard (contains photo)]

ORION 1935
O.N.164493, 23,371 gross tons, length 665ft x beam 82ft, one funnel, one mast, twin screw, speed 20 knots, built with accommodation for 486-1st and 653-tourist class passengers. Built 1935 by Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness (Yard No.697) for the Orient Steam Navigation Co (P & O owned a controlling 51% interest in the company at this time). Launched remotely by wireless from Australia by the Duke of Gloucester, she started her maiden voyage from Tilbury to Australia on 28th Sep.1935. On 17th Sep.1940 she was requisitioned as a troopship and in Sep.1941 was damaged in collision with HMS REVENGE but repaired. In Apr.1946 she was released for reconditioning and in Jan.1947 with accommodation for 546-1st and 706-tourist class passengers, returned to her owners. 1960 transferred to ownership of P & O-Orient Lines and completed her last Australia voyage in May 1963. She was then chartered to Firma Otto Friedrich Behnke for service as an accommodation ship during the International Horticultural Exhibition at Hamburg and later sold to Belgian shipbreakers and scrapped at Tamise. [P & O, A Fleet History by S. Rabson & K. O'Donoghue]

ORISSA 1895
5,317 gross tons, length 421ft x beam 48.7ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 15 knots, accommodation for 70-1st, 104-2nd and 456-3rd class passengers. Built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast for the Pacific Steam Navigation Co, she was launched on 15th Dec.1894 and started her maiden voyage to Valparaiso on 11th Apr.1895. Between 1899 and 1904 she became Boer War Transport No.18 and brought home Lord Kitchener, Sir John French and Sir Ian Hamilton from Capetown at the end of the war. In 1906 she was berthed at Valparaiso during the earthquake and was used as a refugee accommodation ship. On 25th Jun.1918 she was torpedoed and sunk by the UB.73 while on voyage from Liverpool to Philadelphia and 21 miles southwest of Skerryvore, with the loss of six lives.[Merchant Fleets vol.8 by Duncan Haws]

ORITA 1903
Built by Harland and Wolff, Belfast for Pacific Steam Navigation Co in 1903, this was a 9,266 gross ton ship, length 485.4ft x beam 58ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 14 knots. There was accommodation for 169-1st, 111-2nd and 528-3rd class passengers and she carried 172 crew. Launched on 15th Nov.1902, she was the largest vessel on the Liverpool - West Coast of South America route at the time. Her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Valparaiso and Callao via Cape Horn started on 8th Apr.1903 and she continued this service until 10th Feb.1919 when she started her first Liverpool - Panama Canal - Callao - Valparaiso sailing. However the east coast route via Montevideo and Cape Horn proved more profitable and predominated. 1931 scrapped at Morecambe.[Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.8, Pacific Steam Nav.Co]

ORIZABA 1886
6,077 gross tons, two funnels, four masts, single screw, speed 12.5 knots, accommodation for 126-1st, 154-2nd and 412-3rd class passengers. Built by the Barrow Shipbuilding Co, Barrow for the Pacific Steam Navigation Co's Orient Line service to Australia. Her maiden voyage started 30th Sept.1886 when she left Southampton* for Suez, Melbourne and Sydney. On 17th Feb.1905 she ran aground and was wrecked in a dense smoke haze caused by bush fires off Garden Island, Fremantle. [North Star to Southern Cross by J.M.Maber] [Merchant Fleets, vol.8 by Duncan Haws] * Her sister ship OROYA sailed from Tilbury so it is not clear whether ORIZABA sailed from Southampton on her maiden voyage only, or used it as a regular departure port.

ORIZABA / DUQUE DE CAXIAS 1918
7582 gross tons, length 423ft x beam 60ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw, speed 17 knots, accommodation for 306-1st, 60-2nd, 60-3rd and 1,000-4th class passengers. Built for the Ward Line (New York & Cuba Mail Steamship Co), New York in 1918 by W.Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia. She started sailings repatriating US troops from Brest to New York on 14th Jan.1919 and commenced her eighth and last voyage on this route on 22nd Nov.1919. In Jan.1920 she started her first New York - Havana - Coruna - Santander - Bilbao sailing and started her last crossing on this service when she left Santander for New York on 12th Aug.1921. Subsequently used on the New York - Havana route, but made one voyage chartered to United States Lines from New York to Glasgow in Sep.1939. In 1941 she became a US troopship (one funnel) and in 1946 was sold to the Brazilian Navy and renamed DUQUE DE CAXIAS.[North Atlantic Seaway, vol.4,p.1484 by N.R.P.Bonsor]

ORLANDO / ALGERIE / DZEZAIR / VELISSARIOS / UMIT / UMID 1869
The ORLANDO was a 1,473 gross ton ship, built by C & W. Earle, Hull for Thos. Wilson, Sons & Co. Her details were - length 260.4ft x beam 32.2ft, one funnel, two masts, accommodation for 44-1st, 36-2nd and a considerable number of steerage class  passengers. Launched in Dec.1869 and used on the Baltic and North Sea routes, she was lengthened to 274ft, 1,610 gross tons in 1878 and re-engined in 1897. Sold to P. Castanie, Oran in 1909 and renamed ALGERIE, again renamed DZEZAIR in 1913, and sold to J. Avranitidi, Constantinople in 1914 and named VELISSARIOS. In March 1914 she was laid up at Constantinople and in Nov.1914 was inspected by German and Turkish Naval officers for possible use as a transport, but rejected as being in too poor a condition. In 1916 she was taken up by the Turkish navy due to heavy losses of Turkish ships and placed under the management of Osmanli SS Co. Renamed UMIT she was again laid up in 1919 until 1922 when she was used as an army transport in the Black Sea. In 1923 she was sold to Turkish owners and renamed UMID, and on 17th Mar.1924 was wrecked on the breakwater at Carodia while on passage to Crete to rescue Turkish refugees.[Wilson Line by John Harrower]

ORMONDE 1917
The ORMONDE was built in 1917 by John Brown, Clydebank for the Orient Steam Navigation Co. She was a 14,982 gross ton ship, length 580.5ft x beam 66.6ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. Accommodation for 278-1st, 195-2nd and 1,000-3rd class passengers.She carried a crew of 380. Launched in June 1918, she was completed as a troopship and didn't start her maiden voyage from London to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane until 15th Nov.1919. She was converted from coal to oil burning in 1923 and in 1933 was refitted with one-class accommodation. Requisitioned as a troopship in 1939, she took part in the evacuations from Norway and France. In Nov.1942 she was present at the North African landings and later at Sicily and Italy. In 1944 she was based at Bombay for Far East trooping work and returned to commercial service in 1947 as an emigrant vessel to Australia. She was sold for breaking up at Dalmuir, Scotland in Dec.1952. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines.] [North Star to Southern Cross by John M.Maber]

ORMUZ / DIVONA 1886
6,031 gross tons, length 482ft x beam 52ft, two funnels, four masts (rigged for sail), single screw and a speed of 18 knots. Accommodation for 106-1st, 170-2nd and 120- steerage class passengers. Built by Fairfield Shipbuilding Co, Glasgow, she was launched for the Orient Steam Navigation Co. on 29th Sep.1886. Her maiden voyage started on 3rd Feb.1887 when she left London for Suez, Melbourne and Sydney and she continued the UK to Australia service until Aug.1911. In 1912 she was sold to Cie de Navigation Sud-Atlantique, renamed DIVONA and used on the South America service until 1922 when she was scrapped.[Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines]

ORMUZ / ZEPELLIN / DRESDEN 1914
The ORMUZ was built in 1914 by Bremer Vulkan, Vegesack, Bremen as the ZEPELLIN for North German Lloyd. She was a 14,588 gross ton ship, length 550ft x beam 67.3ft (167,64m x 20,52m), two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 16 knots. There was accommodation for 292-1st and 882-3rd class passengers. Launched on 9th Jun.1914, she was surrendered to Britain on 26th Mar.1919 and in 1920 was purchased by the Orient Line and renamed ORMUZ. Renovated throughout, she commenced her first UK - Australia voyage on Dec.11th 1921. In 1927 she was sold back to North German Lloyd and renamed DRESDEN. She was wrecked on the coast of Norway on Jun.20th 1934 while cruising, having struck a rock on Boku Island. Beached near Blikshavn, Karmoy Island as a safety precaution, she commenced to list the following day and by 8 am the next morning, lay on her side as a total loss. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines.]

ORONSA 1906
7,970 gross tons, length 141.81m x beam 17..16m, one funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 15 knots, accommodation for 150-1st, 130-2nd and 800-3rd class passengers.
Launched on 26th May 1906 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast for Pacific Steam Navigation Co., she started her maiden voyge on 13th Sep.1906 from Liverpool to Pernambuco, Montevideo, and Valparaiso. On 28th April 1918 she was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine off Bardsey Island.

ORONSAY 1925
20,043 gross tons, length 659ft x beam 75ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw, speed 19 knots. Accommodation for 1,836 passengers in two classes. Built 1925 by John Brown Ltd, Clydebank for the Orient Steam Navigation Co., she started her maiden voyage on 7th Feb.1925 when she left London for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. In Dec.1938 she made one voyage extended to New Zealand ports, but then reverted to regular sailings. In 1939 she was converted to a troop transport and on 9th Oct.1942 was torpedoed and sunk by the Italian submarine ARCHIMEDE in the Atlantic about 500 miles SW from Freetown in position 04.29N 20.52W while sailing on government service on voyage Capetown to the UK via Freetown. She was carrying 50 RAF personnel, 20 Distressed British Seamen, 8 DEMS personnel, 1,200 tons of copper and 3,000 tons of oranges. The Master, Capt. N. Savage, 281 crew, 15 gunners, 25 RAF personnel, DBS and DEMS were rescued by HMS BRILLIANT, landed at Freetown where they transferred to the Union-Castle liner CAERNARVON CASTLE and sailed on 15th Oct.1942 for Glasgow. 6 crew were lost. 37 crew, 1 gunner and 25 RAF personnel were picked up by the Vichy French warship DUMONT D'URVILLE and a French merchant ship and landed at Dakar where they were taken prisoner.

ORONSAY 1950
The ORONSAY was a 27,632 gross ton ship, length 708ft x beam 93.5ft, one funnel, one mast, twin screw, service speed 22 knots. There was accommodation for 668-1st and 883-tourist class passengers and she carried a crew of 622. Built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow, she was launched for the Orient Line on 30th Jun.1950 and started her maiden voyage from London (Tilbury) to Sydney on 16th May 1951. On 1st Jan.1954 the service was extended beyond Sydney to Los Angeles and in May 1960 she was integrated into P&O-Orient Line. She became wholly owned by P&O in 1966 and was eventually scrapped at Taiwan in 1975. [Great Passenger Ships of the World by Arnold Kludas, vol.5, ISBN 0-85059-265-8 (contains photo)]

ORONTES / BRITISH TRADE 1902
The ORONTES was a 9,028 gross ton ship, length 156,54m x beam 17,73m, one funnel, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. Built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding Co, Glasgow, she was launched for the Orient Line. Her maiden voyage started 24th Oct.1902 when she left London for Suez, Melbourne and Sydney. In Oct.1916 she became a troopship and resumed her Australia service on 25th Oct.1919 with calls at Gibraltar, Toulon, Port Said, Colombo, Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and an extension to Brisbane. Laid up in the Thames in 1921, she was sold the following year for conversion into an exhibition ship and renamed BRITISH TRADE. Repossessed five months later by Orient Line and reverted to ORONTES. Scrapped in 1926.

ORONTES 1929
The ORONTES was the second ship with this name owned by the Orient Line (part of the P&O group). She was a 20,097 gross ton ship, length 638.2ft x beam 75.2ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. There was accommodation for 460-1st and 1,112-3rd class passengers. Built by Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness in 1929, she commenced her maiden voyage in June when she started a Mediterranean cruise and joined the Australia service on  26th Oct.1929 when she sailed from London (Tilbury) for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. In 1940 she was converted to a troopship and took part in the North Africa landings in Nov.1942. In 1943 she was present at the Sicilian landings at Avola, and put ashore 4,000 troops from her landing barges. She then returned with a fresh load of troops which she landed at Salerno, Italy. In 1945 she was engaged in trooping to the Far East in preparation for the invasion of Japan and in 1947-48 was reconditioned as a one-class ship. She resumed the London - Australia service on 17th June 1948 and continued on this service until March 1962 when she arrived at Valencia, Spain for scrapping. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient & Blue Anchor Lines][North Star to Southern Cross by John M.Maber]

OROTAVA 1889
5,857 gross tons, length 430ft x beam 49.2ft (131,06m x 15,01m), two funnels, four masts, single screw and a speed of 14 knots. Accommodation for 126-1st, 120-2nd and 400-3rd class passengers. Built by Naval Construction & Armament Co, Barrow in 1889 for the Pacific Steam Navigation Co, she made two voyages on the Liverpool - Valparaiso service before being transferred to Orient Line management. Her first voyage from London via Suez to Melbourne and Sydney started on 6th Jun.1890. In 1896 while coaling at Tilbury, she capsized and sank with the loss of four lives, but was raised and reconditioned, and resumed Australia sailings in Feb.1897. Requisitioned as a troopship in 1899 for the Boer War, she resumed service to Australia on 13th Mar.1903. In Feb.1906 ownership passed to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co when they purchased Pacific Steam Nav.Co. Her last Australia voyage started on 5th Mar.1909 and she then transferred to the London - West Indies service. Requisitioned in Oct.1914 and converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser, she served with the 10th Cruiser squadron until Nov.1916 and was the returned to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. In 1919 she passed to the ownership of the Shipping Controller, London (managed by RMSPCo.) and was eventually scrapped in Nov.1921. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O Line; vol.5, Royal Mail Line, vol.8, Pacific Steam Nav.Co.] [Register of Merchant Ships Built in 1921 by W. A. Schell]

OROYA 1886
6,057 gross tons, length 474ft x beam 49.3ft (144.47m x 15.03m), two funnels, four masts, single screw, speed 12 knots, accommodation for 126-1st, 154-2nd and 412-3rd class passengers. Launched by the Barrow Shipbuilding Co, Barrow on 31st Aug.1886 for the Pacific Steam Navigation Co, she started her maiden voyage on 17th Feb.1887 between London - Suez - Melbourne and Sydney for the Orient Line service. On 4th Mar.1895 she went aground in the Bay of Naples and was severely damaged, but repaired. In Feb.1906 she was transferred to Royal Mail Steam Packet Co ownership, but continued on the Australia service until commencing her last voyage on 16th Apr.1909. She was then scrapped at Genoa. [Merchant Fleets, vols.1 & 8 by Duncan Haws]

ORSOVA 1909
The ORSOVA was a 12,036 gross ton, 18 knot, two funnelled passenger liner built by John Brown, Clydebank in 1909 for the Orient Steam Navigation Co. There was passenger accommodation for 290-1st, 126-2nd and 660-3rd class. She started her maiden voyage from London via Suez to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on 25/6/1909. In May 1915 she became a troop transport but made two commercial voyages to Australia in 1916. On 14/3/1917 she was torpedoed near the Eddystone light, but beached at Cawsand Bay and subsequently towed to Devonport for repair. She resumed the London - Sydney - Brisbane service on 22/11/1919 and in 1933 was converted to a "one class" vessel. She made her last London - Australia sailing on 20/6/1936 and was broken up at Bo'ness in October 1936.[North Star to Southern Cross by John M.Maber]

ORSOVA 1954
28,790 gross tons, length 722.9ft x beam 90.7ft, one funnel, twin screw, speed 22 knots, accommodation for 1,500 passengers. Launched by Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness on 14th May 1953 for the Orient Steam Navigation Co, she started her maiden voyage from Tilbury to Sydney on 17th Mar.1954. In Apr.1955 she transferred to the London - Sydney - San Francisco - London service and in May 1960 her owners became P & O - Orient Lines. In 1966 P & O bought out the last of the Orient Line shares and she came under the ownership of P & O. Line. 1969 rebuilt to 29,091 gross tons. 14th Feb.1974 arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan for scrapping.[Great Passenger Ships of the World, vol.5 by Arnold Kludas]

ORTEGA 1906
7,970 gross ton passenger ship, one funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 15 knots. Built 1906 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast for the Pacific Steam Navigation Co. There was accommodation for 160-1st, 128-2nd, 300-3rd class passengers and 500 emigrants in 'tween deck dormitories.
Launched on 22nd Mar.1906, she started her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo, and Valparaiso on 19th July. When war was declared in 1914 she was at Montevideo en route for Callao. On 16th Sep.1914 she left Valparaiso for Liverpool and was chased by the German cruiser DRESDEN and when ordered to stop on Sep. 19th she entered the uncharted Nelson Strait and led by two lifeboats which were taking depth soundings, she steamed 100 miles and entered the Straits of Magellan where she was met by the Chilean warship ADMIRAL LYNCH.
In 1918 she was used to transport US troops to France and on 31st Jan.1919 started the first sailing to Valparaiso via the Panama Canal. On 4th Dec.1924 she reverted to the Cape Horn route to Chile and on 3rd Mar.1927 started her last voyage to Valparaiso. She was then scrapped at Briton Ferry.

ORTONA / ARCADIAN 1899
7,945 gross tons, length 500ft x beam 55.3ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 14 knots. There was accommodation for 130-1st, 162-2nd and 300-3rd class passengers. This was a one-off ship and had no sister ships. Built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness, she sailed on her maiden voyage from London on 24th Nov.1899 for Suez, Melbourne and Sydney for the joint Orient Line - Pacific Steam Nav. Co. service. In June 1902 she became a troop transport to South Africa and on 9th Oct.1903 returned to the Australia service. In Feb.1906 she was acquired by Royal Mail Steam Packet Co together with the rest of the PSNC Australian fleet and on 30th Apr.1909 started her last Australia voyage. Converted to a cruise ship with accommodation for 320-single class passengers in 1910 and renamed ARCADIAN, she became a troopship in 1915. Used as a headquarters ship for Sir Ian Hamilton at Gallipoli, and on 15th Apr.1917 she was torpedoed in the Eastern Mediterranean while en-route from Salonika to Alexandria with troops. Out of 1,335 aboard, 279 were lost. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient amd Blue Anchor Lines; vol.5, Royal Mail and Nelson Lines; vol.8, Pacific Steam Nav. Co]

ORUBA / ORION 1889
The ORUBA was built in 1889 by Barrow Shipbuilding Co, Barrow-in-Furness for Pacific Steam Navigation Co's UK - Valparaiso service. She was a 5,852 gross ton ship, length 430ft x beam 49.2ft (131,06m x 15,01m), two funnels, four masts, single screw and a speed of 14 knots. There was accommodation for 126-1st, 120-2nd and 400-3rd class passengers. In 1890 she was transferred to the Orient Line service and sailed from London on 4th July 1890 for Melbourne and Sydney via Suez. In Feb.1906 she was transferred to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co and continued on the Australia service until Oct 16th 1908 when she commenced her last sailing to Australia. She was then placed on RMSP's service to Buenos Aires. Purchased by the British Admiralty in 1914 and rebuilt to represent the battleship, HMS ORION, she was scuttled at Mudros Harbour, Lemnos Island, Greece as a breakwater in 1915. [North Star to Southern Cross by John M. Maber] [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines; vol.5, Royal Mail & Nelson Lines; vol.8, Pacific Steam Nav.Co.]

ORVIETO 1909
The ORVIETO was an Orient Steam Navigation Co ship (they came under the control of P&O Line in 1919). She was a 12,133 gross ton ship, length 535.3ft x beam 64ft (163,17m x 19,51m), two funnels, two masts, triple screw and a speed of 18 knots. There was accommodation for 235-1st, 186-2nd and 696-3rd class passengers. Built by Workman Clark, Belfast in 1909, she started her maiden voyage from London to Suez, Melbourne and Sydney on 26th Nov.1909. In 1914 she was commissioned as a minelayer and was later converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser. She resumed London - Sydney - Brisbane service on 1st Nov.1919 and commenced her last voyage on this route on 30th Aug.1930. She was scrapped the following year.[North Star to Southern Cross by John M. Maber][Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines]

OSCAR II  1901
The OSCAR II was built by A.Stephen & Sons, Glasgow in 1901 for the Scandinavian-American Line of Denmark. She was a 9,956 gross ton vessel, length 500.8ft x beam 58.3ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 15 knots. There was accommodation for 150-1st, 140-2nd and 900-3rd class passengers. Launched on 14/11/1901, she sailed from Copenhagen on her maiden voyage to Christiania(Oslo), Christiansand and New York on 12/3/1902. In 1915 she was chartered to Henry Ford for his peace pilgrimage to Europe. In March 1921 her accommodation was altered to cabin class and 3rd class, and in May 1928 altered again to Cabin, tourist and 3rd class. On 17/12/1930 she commenced her last voyage from Copenhagen to Oslo, Christiansand, New York (dep 5/1/1931), Christiansand, Oslo and Copenhagen. She was scrapped at Blyth in 1933. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.3,p.1240]

OSLO 1906
2296 gross tons, length 290ft x beam 39.1ft, one funnel, two masts, single screw, built with accommodation for 95-1st, 32-2nd and 90-steerage class passengers in permanent accommodation with provision for 400 sterrage in temporarry berths. Completed 19th May 1906 by Earle's Shipbuilding & Eng. Co, Hull for Thos. Wilson & Sons Ltd, Hull and used on the Scandinavia / Baltic to UK service. 21st Aug.1917 torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U.87 off Shetland while on passage Trondheim to Liverpool with passengers and copper ore. One passenger and two firemen were lost.[Wilson Line by John Harrower]

OSLOFJORD / FULVIA 1949
The OSLOFJORD was built by Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw, Amsterdam (engines by Stock & Co, Hengelo) in 1949 for the Norwegian-America Line. She was a 16,844 gross ton ship, length overall 577 ft x beam 72.3ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 19 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 266-1st class and 359-tourist. Launched on 2nd Apr.1949, she sailed on her maiden voyage from Oslo on 26th Nov.1949 for Copenhagen, Christiansand, Stavanger, Bergen and New York. Fitted with stabilisers in Nov - Dec.1957 and was extensively refitted to 16,923 tons and with accommodation for 179-1st and 467-tourist passengers in 1966-7. Her last New York - Christiansand - Copenhagen - Oslo crossing started on 20th Oct.1967 and she was chartered to Costa Line of Italy in 1970 and renamed FULVIA. On 19th July 1970 she caught fire following an engine room explosion, while 140 miles North of Las Palmas and the passengers and crew were taken off by the French ship ANCERVILLE. After an attempt to tow the FULVIA to port, she sank the following day. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.4,p.1443]

OSNABRUCK 1907 / CALULU 1914
4,240 gross ton cargo ship, 388ft x 51.0ft, single screw, speed 12 knots. Built 1907 by Flensburger Schiffsbau Ges., Flensburg for the German Australian Line, Hamburg. On 5th Aug.1914 on arrival at Sydney she was seized by Australian authorities and renamed CALULU. In 1918 was transferred to the Commonwealth Line of Steamers, London for use on the UK - Australia service. 1925 sold to Anglo-China Navigation Co., Hong Kong. 1931 sold to Peng Fah Wing S.S. Co., Hong Kong. 1932 sold to Anglo-Danish Shipping Co., Copenhagen. 1933 sold to Ming Sing S.S. Co., Shanghai renamed SUNG PENG. Sold for scrapping in 1937 and broken up in 1939.

OSTERLEY 1909
This was a 12,129 gross ton ship, length 535ft x beam 63.2ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. There was accommodation for 280-1st, 130-2nd and 900-3rd class passengers. Built by London & Glasgow Shipbuilding Co, Glasgow for the Orient Steam Nav.Co. she started her maiden voyage on 6th Aug.1909 when she left London for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane via Suez. In June 1917 she was requisitioned as a troop transport, came through the war unscathed and returned to commercial service in Jan.1919. She led a comparitively uneventful life and was eventually broken up in Glasgow in 1930.[Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines]

OSWESTRY GRANGE / ROSCOMMON 1902
The OSWESTRY GRANGE was built in 1902 by Workman, Clark at Belfast for Houlder Brothers Ltd. She was a 6592 gross ton, twin screw, steel, one funnelled, four masted steamer with dimensions of 450.5 x 55.2 x 30.6ft.and a speed of 13 knots. Accommodation for 24-1st and 15-2nd class passengers. In 1906 she joined the joint Federal-Houlder-Shire Line service which served Australian ports, terminating at Port Calmers, NZ. In 1912 Houlder Bros. disposed of most of their interests in the Australian trade and the OSWESTRY GRANGE was sold to the Union Steamship Co of New Zealand and renamed ROSCOMMON and was torpedoed and sunk by the U-53 on 21.8.1917 off Tory Island, Northern Ireland. [Merchant Fleets, vol.38 by Duncan Haws] There is a photo of this ship as the ROSCOMMON in "Union Fleet" by Ian Farquhar, ISBN 0-959783-47-4 which should be available on inter-library loan.

OTAVI / LULU BOHLEN 1907
5,463 gross tons, length 380ft x beam 47.4ft, one funnel, two masts, grey painted hull, single screw, speed 11 knots. Built by Russell & Co for Charles Barrie and Co, Glasgow, she was launched on 28th Nov.1904 as the DEN OF MAINS. Purchased while building by the Woermann Line, Hamburg, she was completed as the LULU BOHLEN and used on the Hamburg - West Africa service. On 2nd May 1907 she was purchased by Hamburg America Line, renamed OTAVI and used on the same service but she made one Hamburg - New York voyage with 1,274-3rd class passengers, arriving on 27th May 1907. In 1914, at the outbreak of the Great War she was interned at Las Palmas (some records say Barcelona) and in 1919 was ceded to France as war reparations. Operated by Cyprien Fabre, Marseilles until 19th Feb.1922 when she was resold to Hamburg America Line. Scrapped in Holland in 1924. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.5,p.1813] [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.4, Hamburg America Line]

OTRANTO 1912
The OTRANTO of 1912 was a 12,124 gross ton ship, length 535.3ft x beam 64ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 280-1st, 130-2nd and 900-3rd class and she carried a crew of 350. Built by Workman, Clark, Belfast in 1909 for the Orient Steam Navigation Co, she sailed from London on 1st Oct.1909 on her maiden voyage to Suez, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. In 1914 she was converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser and on 6th Oct.1918 she was wrecked at Islay after colliding with the P&O ship KASHMIR. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines]

OTRANTO 1926
The OTRANTO was a 20,026 gross ton ship, length 192,63m x beam 22,91m, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. Accommodation for 572-1st and 1,114-3rd class passengers. Built by Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness, she was launched for Orient Line (which had come under the control of P&O Line in 1919) and her maiden voyage from London (Tilbury) to Brisbane started on 9th Jan.1926. In 1939 she was fitted as a troopship and in 1942 became an assault ship and took part in the North African, Sicilian and Italian landings. Refitted to carry 1,412-tourist class passengers and overhauled in 1948-49, she resumed Australia sailings on 14th Jul.1949 when she sailed from London for Sydney and continued this service until starting her last voyage to Australia via Capetown on 13th Feb.1957. She was then scrapped at Faslane, Scotland. [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines] [Great Passenger Ships of the World by Arnold Kludas, vol.3]

OTTAWA 1854
1,275 gross tons, length 238,8ft x beam 29.2ft, clipper bows, one funnel, three masts, iron hull, speed 10 knots, accommodation for 100 passengers. Launched 1853 by John Laird & Co., Birkenhead as the OTTAWA for Canadian Steam Navigation Co., Liverpool. 3rd.Mar.1854 maiden voyage Liverpool - Portland, 5th Sep.1854 started fourth and last transatlantic voyage Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal. Sep.1854 to 1855 requisitioned for use as a Crimean War transport. 1856 sold to P & O Lines and used on the Suez - Bombay and later Bombay - Hong Kong routes. 1872 sold to R. W. Hutchinson, Hong Kong, 1873 sold to Peter Landberg & Sons, Batavia renamed GENERAAL VAN SWIETEN. 29th Apr.1881 sprang a leak off Atjeh, towed into deep water and sunk by gunfire. [P & O, A Fleet History by Rabson & O'Donoghue] [North Atlantic Seaway, vol.1, p.266 by Bonsor]

OTTAWA / MANITOBAN 1865
Built by Laird Bros, Birkenhead in 1865 as the OTTAWA for the British Colonial Steamship Co. of London, she was a 1,810 gross ton ship, length 287ft x beam 35.2ft (87,47m x 10,73m), clipper stem, one funnel, three masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. There was accommodation for 25-1st plus steerage passengers. Launched on 13 May 1865, she sailed from London on her maiden voyage to Quebec and Montreal on 16 August 1865. After one more voyage on this route, she started a single round voyage between London and New York on 14 Dec.1865, and on 15 Sept.1866 started a single round voyage from Copenhagen to Gothenberg, Christiansand and New York. On 24 March 1867 she started her first voyage between Antwerp and New York under charter to the US / Belgian company, Hiller & Strauss. She made her third and last sailing on this service on 24 June 1867, and in 1868 was purchased by the Allan Line of Liverpool. She commenced sailing for this company on 19 May 1868 when she left Glasgow for Quebec and Montreal. Her last voyage on this service commenced 27 Sept.1871 and in 1872 she was rebuilt to 2,395 gross tons, lengthened to 338.8ft (103,25m), fitted with compound engines by the builders, and renamed MANITOBAN. She resumed Glasgow - Quebec - Montreal sailings on 23 June 1872 and on 7 June 1876 commenced a single round voyage between London, Quebec and Montreal under charter to the Temperley Line of London. On 15 March 1879 she started her first Glasgow - Boston sailing and on 21 Nov.1884 her first from Glasgow to Philadelphia. She made a sailing from Bossekop in Alta, Norway on 4th February 1898 with 538 reindeer and 78 Sami people, (herders with their familys) for New York destined for Alaska and on 3rd December 1898 commenced her final voyage between Glasgow and Boston. She was scrapped in 1899. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P. Bonsor, vol.1, p.312]

OTTOMAN 1890
4843 gross tons, length 403.8ft x beam 45.6ft,one funnel, four masts, single screw and a speed of 12 knots. Built by Laird Bros, Birkenhead, she was launched for the Dominion Line on 2nd Sep.1890. Chartered to the Warren Line, she started Liverpool - Boston sailings on 8th Dec.1890 and on 23rd Apr.1896 started her first Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal voyage for the Dominion Line. Her last regular voyage on this service (apart from occasional sailings in 1898-99) started on 2nd Nov.1897. From 1901 she sailed between either Liverpool or Avonmouth and Portland until 1911 when she was scrapped at Preston.[North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.808]

OTWAY 1909
12,077 gross tons, length 163,32m x beam 19,25m (535.8ft x 63.2ft), two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 18 knots. Accommodation for 280-1st, 130-2nd and 900-3rd class passengers. Built for the Orient Steam Nav.Co by Fairfield & Co, she started her maiden voyage on 9th Jul.1909 when she left Tilbury for Suez, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. In 1915 she was converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser and on 22nd Jul.1917 was torpedoed and sunk in the Minches while serving with the Northern Patrol.[Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.1, P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines]

OURCQ / AMERICAN FARMER / VILLE DE LIEGE 1920
7,556 gross tons, length 436.9ft x beam 58.2ft, single screw, speed 15 knots, passenger / cargo ship. Built 1920 by American International Shipbuilding Corp., Hog Island, Pa. as the OURCQ for the US Shipping Board, Philadelphia. 1922 became US Army Transport, 1923 to US Shipping Board, NY, 1924 renamed AMERICAN FARMER, same owner. 1929 owned by United Stataes Lines, NY, 1931 to United States Lines of Nevada (Roosevelt SS Co), NY, 1936 United States Lines (International Mercantile Marine Co), NY, 1940 sold to Soc. Maritime Anversoise S.A, Antwerp renamed VILLE DE LIEGE. 14th Apr.1941 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.52 in position 59.50N 29.30W on voyage New York to Liverpool.[Register of Merchant Ships Completed in 1920 by Starke / Schell]

OXFORDSHIRE / SAFINA-AL-ARAB 1912
8,648 gross tons, length 474.6ft x beam 55.3ft, one funnel, four masts, twin screw, speed 15 knots, built 1912 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast for the Bibby Line. Completed on 17th Sep.1912 she was used on the Liverpool - Suez - Colombo - Rangoon service. 1914 converted to a 562 bed hospital ship, she was used for cross channel army hospital duties. In 1915 she became the base hospital ship at Mudros and was present at the ANZAC withdrawal from the Dardanelles. 1916 served in the Persian Gulf and then in German East African waters. 1918 returned to English cross channel hospital work. 1919 Decommissioned, she had made 235 hospital voyages, carried 50,000 wounded and steamed 172,000 miles as a hospital ship. 1920 converted to oil fuel and resumed commercial service. 1939 again converted to a hospital ship and based at Freetown. 1942 sent to the Mediterranean and in 1944 damaged by a bomb near Bari. Then sent to the Far East and later loaned to the US 7th Fleet for the invasion of Okinawa. 1945 used to repatriate freed prisoners from Hong Kong and 1946 became Army hospital ship and used to bring sick home from the Far and Near East. She also sailed Basra - Bombay with Indians and made four North Atlantic voyages with refugees. 1948 carried troops home from Palestine and was then decommissioned. Reconditioned, she was put onto the emigrant service to Australia for the International Refugee Organisation. 1950 returned to Mediterranean trooping. 1951 sold to Pan-Islamic SS Co, Karachi, renamed SAFINA-AL-ARAB and used on the pilgrim trade between Karachi and Jeddah, also on the Karachi - Chittagong service. 1958 scrapped at Karachi. [Merchant Fleets, vol.29 by Duncan Haws]

OXFORDSHIRE / FAIRSTAR 1957
20.586 gross tons, length 613ft x beam 78.1ft, twin screw, service speed 17 knots. Accommodation for 220-1st class, 100-2nd, 180-3rd, 1,000 troops. Crew 409. Built by Fairfield, Glasgow and launched for Bibby Line on 15th Dec.1955. Delivered on 13th Feb.1957 as a troop transport, the Ministry Of Transport bore a share of the cost. In 1962, the MOT ended the contract and returned the ship to the Bibby Line. Chartered to the Fairline Shipping Corp (Sitmar) for six years in 1963, she went to Schiedam to be rebuilt for the Australia service. In Mar.1964 the Fairstar Shipping Corp, Monrovia bought the ship and renamed her FAIRSTAR. Because of a dockyard dispute, the rebuilding was completed at Harland & Wolff at Southampton and she emerged in May 1964 as a 21,619 gross ton ship with accommodation for 1,870 single class passengers. She sailed from Southampton to Brisbane and was then used for cruising from Australia. I have no later info on this ship.

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