| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Namesake | Elisabethville (now Lubumbashi) |
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Route | Antwerp – Matadi (1924–40) |
| Builder | J Cockerill SA, Hoboken |
| Yard number | 562 |
| Launched | 19 May 1921 |
| Completed | November 1921 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 439 ft 1 in (133.83 m) |
| Beam | 57 ft (17.37 m) |
| Draught | 37 ft (11.28 m) |
| Depth | 34 ft 1 in (10.39 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 ×quadruple expansion steam engines |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h) |
| Capacity | 700 passengers in one class |
| Sensors & processing systems | wirelessdirection finding (by 1930) |
| Notes | sister ship:Thysville |
Elisabethville was an 8,851 GRTocean liner which was built in 1921 forCompagnie Belge Maritime du Congo. In 1930 the company became Compagnie Maritime Belge. She served theAntwerp -Matadi route, connectingBelgium toBelgian Congo.
Elisabethville was named after a city in what was thenBelgian Congo. The city is nowLubumbashi, which is the second largest city in theDemocratic Republic of the Congo, only behind the capitalKinshasa.
In 1940Elisabethville was requisitioned by theMinistry of War Transport (MoWT) for use as atroopship. She briefly returned to merchant service in 1946 before being requisitioned again in 1947 for further troopship duties, and rechristened theEmpire Bure.
She was then laid up before being sold in 1950 to Charlton Steamship Co. and was renamedCharlton Star. In 1958 she was sold to Greek owners and renamedMaristrella, serving until she was scrapped in 1960.
Elisabethville was built byJ Cockerill SA,HobokenBelgium for Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo.[1] Her yard number was 562.Elisabethville was launched on 19 May 1921 and completed in November 1921.[2] She had an exactsister ship,Thysville, that was completed in June 1922.
The ship was 439 feet 1 inch (133.83 m) long, with a beam of 57 feet (17.37 m) and a depth of 34 feet 1 inch (10.39 m).[3] As built, her tonnages were 8,178 GRT and 4,869 NRT.[4] She had accommodation for 700 passengers in a single class.[5]
The ship had twinquadruple expansion steam engines,[2] with cylinders of 48-inch (120 cm)stroke and 23-inch (58 cm), 33-inch (84 cm), 47-inch (120 cm) and 67-inch (170 cm)bore. The engine was built by SA J Cockerill,Seraing, Belgium.[3] Between them they developed 964NHP, giving her a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h). The engines were fed by six 215lbf/in2 single-ended boilers with a total heating surface of 14,100 square feet (1,310 m2). Her boilers were heated by 18 corrugated furnaces with a grate surface of 345 square feet (32 m2).[3]
Elisabethville was operated byCompagnie Belge Maritime du Congo, which in 1930 became Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB).[5] She was used on theAntwerp –Matadi route.[6] In 1930Elisabethville was rebuilt, which increased her tonnage to 8,351 GRT. She was placed under the management of Agence Maritime Internationale.[4]
In 1940 she was requisitioned by the MoWT for use as a troopship under the management ofLamport & Holt Line,[1] entering service on 16 December 1940. On 3 February 1947 she was returned to CMB, returning toAntwerp on 7 March. On 18 MarchElisabethville was requisitioned by the Ministry of Transport and renamedEmpire Bure.[4] In 1949 she was laid up inHoly Loch.
In 1950 she was sold to Charlton Steamship Co and renamedCharlton Star.[1] The ship was refitted as an ocean liner by Beliard, Crichton & Co,Greenock. She was towed toAntwerp by thetugTurmoil, arriving on 3 April 1950.Charlton Star was operated under the management of Chandris (England) Ltd.[4] In 1952, during theSuez Crisis,Charlton Star was used as an accommodation ship atTobruk.[7] She served until 1957 when she was laid up atLa Spezia,Italy.[1]
In 1958Charlton Star was sold to Navigation Maristrella SA,Monrovia and renamedMaristrella, operating under the management of AJ & DJ Chandris,Greece.[1][4] She served with Chandris for a couple of years before she was scrapped atOsaka,Japan, arriving for scrapping on 19 January 1960.
Official numbers were a forerunner toIMO Numbers.Empire Bure andCharlton Star had the United KingdomOfficial Number 181651.Maristrella had the LiberianOfficial Number 1219.[2]
Elisabethville used thecode letters MENV until 1933[3] and thecall sign OPEA from 1934.[8]
A painting ofElisabethville on her maiden voyage in May 1921 was made by Belgian artistEugeen Van Mieghem.[6]
