Batory
1936
(Risawoleska RI-251)
- Type: Passenger
- Displacement: 14,287 gross tons
- Dimensions: 526 x 71 x 25 ft.
- Machinery: 2 CRDA/Sulzer 9-cylinder diesels, twin screw, 14,000 BHP = 18 knots
- Passengers: 770 (280 first class, 75 interchangeable, 415 third class)
- Crew: 260
- Builder: Cantiere Riuniti Dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone, Italy, 1936
- Service: Built in Italy for Gdynia-America Shipping Lines Ltd. Batory and sister Pilsudski were paid for by a barter agreement in exchange for Polish coal in the value of L3m. Her regular service was from Gdynia and Copenhagen to New York, and she made winter cruises from New York to the Caribbean. In Sep 1939 she left Poland with many Polish patriots on board and made for Sweden, and then to Canada and the United States. Initially she was laid up but then enlisted as an Allied troopship, taking troops to Norway in Apr 1940. Postwar she was returned to Gdynia-America in Apr 1946. Following a refit that increased her accommodation to 450 first and 450 tourist class, she resumed Gdynia-New York service. However in Apr 1951 she was denied entry to New York as an undesirable eastern-bloc ship. In Aug 1951 made her first voyage Gdynia-Bombay-Karachi. Refitted at Bremerhaven 1957 for 76 first class and 740 tourist class passengers. First voyage Gdynia-Montreal Aug 1957. Eventually she was retired as a floating hotel at Danzig in 1969 and then sold to breakers at Hong Kong in 1971.
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