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The Fleets
Sicula Oceanica
S.p.A. / Grimaldi SIOSA Line
The Grimaldi brothers (Fratelli Grimaldi) were nephews
of Achille Lauro, the famous Naples shipowner (their mother was Achille's
sister). They
built
up a fleet of cargo ships before World War II. Like Achille Lauro himself,
they decided there was a post-war market for cheap emigrant and refugee
ships, and acquired a number of elderly vessels, which received little
upgrading. The New Zealand steamer Ruahine was purchased in January 1949
and after a refit placed in service between Italy and Central America
as AURIGA. The AURIGA was followed by the CENTAURO (ex- City of Hong
Kong) and LUCANIA (ex- Prince Robert).
The emigrant market eventually became more discerning as
competition increased, and the first comfortable Grimaldi ships were
the ASCANIA and IRPINIA (ex- SGTM ships Florida and Campana), acquired
in 1955. Initial services were from Italy to Central America, but North
Atlantic services were also operated later.
In 1956 they acquired the
VENEZUELA, which had previously been the Compagnie
Générale Transatlantique De Grasse, and later the Canadian
Pacific Empress of Australia. Following
rebuilding for their Italy-West Indies-Venezuela service, her passenger
capacity increased from 664 to nearly 1500 passengers. The VENEZUELA
was lost in 1962, off Cannes. She was replaced in 1965 by the CARIBIA,
originally the Cosulich, later Italia
Line Vulcania. She hit a rock in
1972, again off Cannes and was damaged and laid up at La Spezia.
Subsequently, Grimaldi operated the AUSONIA on cruises
from 1983-96, and carried up to 55 passengers on various freighters around
the world.
One of the brothers then started Grandi Navi Veloci, which
operate large cruise ferries in the Mediterranean.
Many thanks to Henk Jungerius and Ted Finch for their assistance
in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various
sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used
as a guide. If you would like to know more about a vessel, visit the Ship
Descriptions (onsite) or Immigrant
Ship web site.
- Routes:
- Southampton-Spain-Portugal-Madeira-West Indies
- Genoa-Cannes-Barcelona-Teneriffe-West Indies
- Genoa-Naples-Palermo-Gibraltar-Azores-Montreal-Quebec
Funnels & Flag:
Fleet: Passenger ships only
|
 |
 |
 |
| Vessel |
Built |
Years in Service |
Tons |
| Ascania |
1926 |
built by Ateliers & Chantierd de Loire, St. Nazaire
| ex- Florida, 1942 bombed and sunk by German air attack at Bougie,
1944 salvaged and repaired, 1955 purchased from Société Générale
de Transport Maritimes (SGTM) refitted one funnel renamed Ascania,
1967 laid up, 1968 scrapped at La Spezia. |
9,330 |
| Auriga |
1909 |
built by W. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton | ex- Ruahine,
1949 purchased from New Zealand
Shipping Co. renamed Auriga, 1957
scrapped at Savona. |
10,832 |
| Ausonia |
1957 |
built by Cantieri Riuniti dell’ Adriatico, Monfalcone
| ex- Ausonia built for Adriatica SpA di Navagazione, 1978 converted
into a cruise ship managed by Italia Crociere, 1983 sold to Ausonia
Crociere, Naples, (part of Grimaldi SIOSA group) 1998 sold to Louis
Cruise Lines, Limassol, 2004 renamed Ithaca, 2006 renamed Ivory,
2006 sold to Golden Star Cruises renamed Aegean II. |
11,879 |
| Caribia |
1929 |
built by Cantieri Riuniti dell’ Adriatico, Monfalcone
| ex- Vulcania built for Cosulich,
1937 transferred to Italia,
1965 purchased from Italia Soc. Per Azione di Nav. renamed Caribia,
23rd September 1972
hit underwater rock and laid up, 1974 scrapped at Kaohsiung. |
24,469 |
| Centauro |
1924 |
built by Earle's Shipbuilding & Engineering Company
Ltd., Hull | ex- City of Hongkong, 1939-45 troopship, 1951 purchased
from Ellerman’s City Line renamed Centauro, 14th January 1955 went
aground in storm at St George's, Bermuda and scrapped at Savona. |
9,606 |
| Irpina |
1929 |
built by Swan Hunter & W. Richardson Ltd., Wallsend
on Tyne | ex- Campana, 1940 laid up at Buenos Aires, 1943 seized from
Vichy France by Argentina at Buenos Aires renamed, renamed Rio Jachal,
1946 returned to owners, renamed Campana, 1955 purchased from Société Générale
de Transport Maritimes (SGTM) and refitted renamed Irpinia, 1962
refitted one funnel, 1983 scrapped at La Spezia. |
10,816 |
| Lucania |
1931 |
built by Cammell Laird & Co., Birkenhead | ex- Prince
Robert, ferry built for Canadian National
Steamships Co., ex- Charlton
Sovereign 1946, 1951 purchased from Charlton Steam Shipping Co.
(Chandris) renamed Lucania, 1962 scrapped. |
6,723 |
| Urania II |
1926 |
built by Barclay Curle & Co Ltd, Glasgow | ex- Castalia
built for Anchor Line, 1949 sold to Grimaldi Brothers renamed Marengo,
1950 transferred to Sicula Oceanica renamed Urania II, 1954 scrapped
at Osaka. |
6,388 |
| Venezuela |
1924 |
built by Cammell Laird & Co., Birkenhead | ex- De
Grasse, (laid down as Suffren) for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
(French Line), 1953 sold to Canadian
Pacific, renamed Empress of
Australia,
1956 purchased renamed Venezuela, 17th March 1962 grounded at Cannes
and scrapped at La Spezia. |
12,279 |
Sources include: Die
Grossen Passagierschiffe der Welt ( eleven volumes), A. Kludas, Stalling
/ Koehler, 1972-2006. ; North
Atlantic Seaway, N. R. P. Bonsor (5 volumes).
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Last updated: April 10, 2009 and maintained by
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