SS Orania (1922)

SS Orania
History
Name	Orania
Owner	Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyd
Port of registry	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Builder	Workman, Clark and Company
Yard number	379
Launched	21 October 1921
Completed	23 February 1922
Acquired	23 February 1922
Maiden voyage	15 March 1922
In service	15 March 1922
Out of service	19 December 1934
Identification	Call sign: PGOB
Fate	Sank in a collision with Loanda on 19 December 1934
General characteristics
Type	Passenger ship
Tonnage	9,763 GRT
Length	137.24 metres (450 ft 3 in)
Beam	18.10 metres (59 ft 5 in)
Depth	12.42 metres (40 ft 9 in)
Decks	4
Installed power	Four steam turbines
Propulsion	Two screws
Sail plan	Amsterdam - Buenos Aires
Speed	15 knots
Capacity	Accommodation for 128 First class, 104 Second class & 878 Third Class passengers
Crew	250
Notes	Two masts and two funnels

SS Orania was a Dutch Passenger ship that sank in a collision with Loanda in Leixões, Portugal on 19 December 1934 while she was travelling from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Construction

Orania was built at the Workman, Clark and Company shipyard in Belfast, United Kingdom and launched on 21 October 1921 before being completed on 23 February 1922. The ship was 137.24 metres (450 ft 3 in) long, had a beam of 18.10 metres (59 ft 5 in) and a depth of 12.42 metres (40 ft 9 in). She was assessed at 9,763 GRT and had four steam turbines driving two screw propellers. The ship could reach a speed of 15 knots and had accommodation for 128 First class, 100 Second class & 878 Third Class passengers. She had two sisterships: Flandria and Zeelandia.

Early career

Orania sailed on her maiden voyage from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Buenos Aires, Argentina on 15 March 1922. She would go on to sail this route throughout her career and was mainly used in the emigration of Eastern Europeans to South America, but also had refrigeration units which could transport many tropical foods from South America to Europe.

Sinking

SS Orania capsizing after being rammed by SS Loanda on 19 December 1934.

Orania was on a routine voyage from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Buenos Aires, Argentina while carrying 121 passengers and 158 crew, when she lay at anchor in Leixões, Portugal to disembark passengers on 19 December 1934. While passengers were disembarking Orania at 1.30 pm, the Portuguese cargo ship Loanda steamed into the harbour at full speed without authorization and could not avoid a collision with Orania. Loanda struck Orania amidships on her port side and the collision was caught in a series of pictures. The damage to Orania extended from her promenade deck down to the waterline and the ship quickly took on water, causing the ship to list over to port. All passengers and crew on Orania were successfully evacuated before the ship capsized and sank about 50 minutes after the collision.

Wreck

The wreck of Orania was declared a total loss and the British firm Cox & Danks Shipbreaking Co. were able to scrap the wreck in situ by the end of 1936.