Willem Ruys
1947
(Carlo Marquardt CMKR-146)
- Type: Passenger
- Displacement: 21,119 tons
- Dimensions: 631 x 82 ft.
- Machinery: Sulzer geared diesels, twin screw, 38,000 bhp = 22 knots
- Passengers: 900
- Builder: de Schelde Shipyard, Flushing, the Netherlands, 1939-47
- Service: Willem Ruys was built for Royal Rotterdam Lloyd (Dutch flag). Laid down 1939 but little progress was made before the start of WW2 and the German occupation of the Netherlands. Finally launched 1 Jul 1946 and delivered 21 Nov 1947. Maiden voyage 2 Dec Rotterdam-Indonesia. Continued in Rotterdam-East Indies service until 1957. First voyage Rotterdam-New York 1958 and two voyages to Montreal for Europa-Canada Line, then rebuilt by Wilton-Fijenoord for round-the-world service. Now 23,114 tons with accommodation for 275 first class and 770 tourist class, on route: Rotterdam-Suez-Australia-New Zealand-Panama-Rotterdam.
Sold to Lauro Line (Italian flag), 1964; rebuilt by CN Riuniti di Palermo as Achille Lauro. Italy-Australia service and, later, cruising. Bad luck followed the ship, with a serious fire in 1973 while being overhauled at Genoa; a collision with the Lebanese cattle transporter Yousset (which sank) in the Dardanelles 28 Apr 1975, and a terrorist attack by the Palestinian Liberation Front off the coast of Egypt in Oct 1985, which resulted in the death of one passenger, Leon Klinghoffer. Finally the Achille Lauro caught fire 30 Nov 1994 and sank two days later off Somalia; 2 lost.
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