Africa
1952
(Mare Nostrum MN-26a)
- Type: Passenger
- Displacement: 11,427 tons
- Dimensions: 523 x 68 ft.
- Machinery: Sulzer diesels, twin screw, 16,800 shp = 20 knots
- Passengers: 484 (148 first class, 252 cabin class, 84 tourist class)
- Crew: 215
- Builder: Cantiere Riuniti dell' Adriactio, Monfalcone, Italy, 1952
- Notes: Africa and sister Europa were built for Lloyd Triestino's Express African service. Three near sisters were built in 1951 for their Australian service, and two more in 1953 for Asian routes. Africa departed on her maiden voyage from Trieste to Cape Town in Oct 1952. Built as a three-class liner, but converted in 1960 to two classes. Ports of call were Genoa/Trieste, Venice, Brindisi, Port Said, Aden, Mogadishu, (Mombasa), Dar-es-Salaam, Beira, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth East London, Durban & return to Italy. Departures were based on 3-4 weekly intervals. In 1967 both ships sailed from Trieste to Cape Town with Mombassa added to the schedule. Africa was taken out of service in 1976 and laid up; renamed Protea but broken up in 1980. Europa was sold Sep 1976 to Saudi interests for use as a pilgrim and accommodation ship, but she caught fire and sank at Jeddah 14 Nov 1976, with no casualties.
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