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Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939 - 1945
Ships starting with P & Q

Ships in Foreign Trade (allied service)

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NS
= the ship was in Nortraship's Fleet
*
= the ship was sunk (or otherwise lost)

D/S
= steam ship
D/T
= steam tanker
M/S
= motor vessel
M/T
= motor tanker
T/T
= turbine tanker

Pa
Name of Ship
Managed By
Tonnage
  • M/S Pacific Express
Biørn Biørnstad & Co., Oslo
3401 gt
Built in Malmö, Sweden 1940.

Fruit carrier built by Kockums Mek. Verksted A/B, Malmö (225), launched on March 28-1940 as Pacific Express for Biørn Biørnstad & Co., Oslo. 3401 gt, 1671 net, 4200 tdwt, 368.7' x 52.2' x 25.5', 8 cyl 2 TEV MAN DM (builders), 6000 ihp.

Laid up for the duration of the war.

Picture of Pacific Express - Source: Sverre Johansens postcard collection.

POST WAR: Delivered on Sept. 10-1945 as Pacific Express to Skibs-A/S Seattle (Biørn Biørnstad & Co.), Oslo. Sold in March-1963 to Erling Hansen Rederi A/S and Skibs-A/S Linea (Erling Hansen), Kristiansand and renamed Ranada. Sold in Oct.-1972 to Wan Lung Nav. Co. S/A, Panama, renamed Wan Chun. Drifted ashore off Ijmuiden in a storm on Nov. 13-1972. Sold for breaking up on the spot. Here are some pictures from the incident (from a Dutch newspaper):
Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3.

  • D/S Pan NS * raised
August Kjerland & Co. A/S, Bergen
1309 gt
Built in Sölvesborg 1922.

See D/S Pan.

  • M/S Panama Express NS
Sigurd Herlofsen & Co. A/S, Oslo
4200 gt
Built in Landskrona, Sweden 1940.

See M/S Panama Express.

  • M/T Pan Aruba NS
Leif Høegh & Co. A/S, Oslo
9231 gt
Built in Newcastle 1931.

A separate page about Pan Aruba has more information as well as a picture of the ship.

  • M/T Pan Europe NS
Leif Høegh & Co. A/S, Oslo
9468 gt
Built in Newcastle 1931.

For more information on this ship and a picture, please see M/T Pan Europe.

  • M/T Pan Norway NS *
Per Holm, Oslo
9231 gt
Built in Sunderland 1931.

M/T Pan Norway has more information, including crew list at the time of loss.

  • M/T Pan Scandia NS
Leif Høegh & Co. A/S, Oslo
9816 gt
Built in Newcastle 1931.

Please continue to M/T Pan Scandia.

  • M/S Para NS
A/S J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, Bergen
3986 gt
Built in Rotterdam 1921. Previous name: San Paulo until 1922.

Read more about M/S Para and some of her war voyages.

  • D/S Pasat *
T. B Torgersen, Oslo
1920 gt
Built in Sunderland 1932. Previous names: Anatolian until 1933, Grande Terre (French), sold to Norway in 1939 and renamed Pasat.

SOLD to Japan? Renamed Koa Maru in 1940. Torpedoed by the American submarine USS Porpoise on Apr. 4-1943 and sunk, position 13 11N 161 57E.

NOTE: The Koa Maru that was sunk by Porpoise is referred to as a "Japanese whaling ship" by Robert Cressman in "The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II". He gives the position for her sinking as 13 10N 162 05E, near Eniwetok atoll (Marshall Islands). This ship is listed as 2023 gt in other sources, so it's possible she had been rebuilt by the Japanese (to whaling ship), or it might be another ship altogether(?).

Related external link:
Porpoise (SS-172) - from DANFS - Submarines, The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting ships.

  • D/S Patria NS *
Oluf Skjeldbred Knudsen, Kristiansand
1341 gt
Built in Kristiansand 1939.

One of the 26 Norwegian ships interned in North and West Africa 1940-1942. See my page about D/S Patria.

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Pe - Pl
  • M/T Peik NS
Hans H. Torgersen & Co. A/S, Tønsberg
6099 gt
Built in Newcastle 1930.

Please see M/T Peik.

  • Pelagos NS *? (if so, raised)
Bruun & von der Lippe, Tønsberg
12 084 gt
Built in Belfast 1901. Previous name: Athenic 1928.

Continue to a separate page about Pelagos for more details, incl. pre war history (and a picture). Also, see my section on the Norwegian Victims of Pinguin which, among other info, has a crew list for Pelagos.

  • M/T Pericles NS *
I. M. Skaugen, Oslo
8324 gt
Built in Gothenburg 1936.

Please follow this link to M/T Pericles for more information, incl. crew list.

  • M/S Peter S NS
Nortraship
274 gt
Built Weymouth, Nova Scotia 1940. Previous name: Celeste M until 1944.

1 of 10 ships transferred to the Norwegian flag in 1944. See my page "Ship Statistics & Misc." under "gains" 1944 for a list of all 10. Peter S was taken over at New York on March 15.

Her voyages are listed on this original image from the National Archives of Norway.

  • M/T Petter NS
Jørgen P. Jensen, Arendal
9109 gt
Built in Copenhagen 1935.

See M/T Petter for more information and a picture of the ship.

  • D/T Petter II NS
Jørgen P. Jensen, Arendal
7417 gt
Built Newcastle 1922. Previous name: Scottish Castle until 1937.

Please continue to D/T Petter II.

  • M/S Pleasantville NS *
A. F. Klaveness & Co. A/S, Oslo
4349 gt
Built in Copenhagen 1929.

More information on this ship and her final fate as well as crew list can be found on my page M/S Pleasantville.

  • D/S Pluto * neutral
B. Stolt-Nilsen & Sønner A/S, Haugesund
1598 gt
Built in Bergen 1918. Previous name: Røvær until 1922.

Info on her final fate is availabe at D/S Pluto - also has a picture.

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Po
  • Pol I, II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX*, X NS
Melsom & Melsom, Larvik
205 - 354 gt
Whale catchers.

Please go to my page about the Pol whale catchers for more information.

  • M/S Polarbjørn NS
Martin Karlsen, Ålesund
324 gt
Built in Narvik 1919.

Seal catcher.

Please continue to M/S Polarbjørn for more info.

  • M/S Polaris NS *
Alb. Hovland, Ålesund
Abt. 178 gt
Built at Sagvåg, Stord 1914.

M/S Polaris has more details on this seal catcher, w/final fate and crew list.

  • D/S Polarland NS *
Rich. Amlie & Sverre Amlie, Haugesund
1591 gt
Built in Bergen, Norway, delivered in Oct.-1923.

D/S Polarland has more information (w/crew list).

  • M/T Polarsol NS
Melsom & Melsom, Larvik
10 022 gt
Built in Glasgow 1939.

I've assembled quite a bit of information on Polarsol's voyages on a separate page - please go to M/T Polarsol.

  • M/T Polartank NS
Melsom & Melsom, Larvik
6536 gt
Built in Glasgow 1930.

An account on Polartank's war voyages can be found at M/T Polartank - also has a picture of the ship.

  • D/S Pollux NS
Det Bergenske Dampskibsselskab, Bergen
1676 gt
Built in Helsingør 1921. Previous name: Gulfaxe until 1922.

See D/S Pollux (includes details on all her war voyages).

  • D/S Polyana NS *
Bucha Godager & Co., Oslo
2267 gt
Built in Toronto, Ontario 1919. Previous names: Canadian Signaller until 1925, Emperor of Halifax until 1929, Skjoldheim until 1940?

See my page about D/S Polyana (includes crew list).

  • M/T Polycastle NS
Einar Rasmussen, Kristiansand
8267 gt
Built in Gothenburg 1939.

Please continue to M/T Polycastle.

  • M/T Polykarp NS *
Einar Rasmussen, Kristiansand
6405 gt
Built in Gothenburg 1931. Previous name: Fanny Høegh until 1936.

M/T Polykarp has more information on the fate of this ship - includes a picture and crew list.

D/S Port Antonio NS *
L. Harboe Jensen & Co., Oslo
1266 gt
Built in Fevig, Norway 1913.

Please follow this link to D/S Port Antonio for information on her final fate and a crew list at the time.

  • Potentilla
Corvette
925 displ. t.
Built in Renfrew, Scotland, launched Dec. 18-1941, completed 1942.

Additional details can be found on my separate page about Potentilla - includes and acccount on the passage of Convoy SC 104, and several related links that lead to much more information.

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Pr
  • M/T President de Vogue NS
Sigvald Bergesen d.y. & Co., Stavanger
9320 gt
Built in Odense, Denmark 1935.

More information is available at M/T President de Vogue.

  • M/T President Herrenschmidt NS * later raised
Sigvald Bergesen, Stavanger
9103 gt
Built in Malmö, Sweden 1932.

Please continue to M/T President Herrenschmidt.

  • M/S Primero NS *
S. Holter Sørensen, Oslo
4414 gt
Built in Copenhagen 1925. Previous names: Primero until 1928, Sud Argentino until 1930.

More information on this ship is available at M/S Primero. Includes details on her loss and a crew list at the time.

  • D/S Primo NS
Kjell Bruusgaard, Oslo
1840 gt
Built in Middlesbrough 1930.

See D/S Primo.

  • D/S Primula * neutral
Wahl & Co.
1024 gt
Built at Heusden, Netherlands 1918.

According to Jürgen Rohwer this ship was torpedoed and sunk in the afternoon of Dec. 4-1939 by U-31 (Habekost), position 57 15N 01 50E. Jan-Olof, Sweden has told me that "Lloyd's War Losses, Vol. I" indicates she was on a voyage from Oslo to U.K., and agrees with Rohwer's date and position. Charles Hocking also places this incident on Dec. 4, saying she was sunk by mine or torpedo about 120 miles east of Stonehaven (this is just outside the city of Aberdeen, Scotland), voyage from Oslo to England.

Jan-Olof has also sent me a Swedish newspaper article (from Swedish archives) stating that the ship was believed to have struck a mine, and that out of a complement of 15, 7 had been rescued from a raft by a Danish vessel shortly after the sinking and landed in Methil, while the remaining 8 were still missing. 3 of the rescued survivors were injured, but not seriously. Among the missing men was Captain Eivind Wang, the 1st mate and the chief Engineer. This external website adds that the rescuer was the Danish Wm. Th. Malling (scroll down to Dec. 4 on the site).

Related external links:
Casualties
- The following 7 are commemorated at this memorial in Stavern, Norway:
Captain Eivin Christian Wang, Steward Jens Eivind Bentzen, Mate Leif Henrik Foss, Stoker Anker Marensius Kjønniksen, 1st Mate Axel Hjalmar Strømberg, Ordinary Seaman Hans Nikolai Svendsen, and Chief Engineer Ørnulf Sørlie. The Norwegian text says that Primula was in ballast from the U.K. to Oslo, when she struck a mine on Dec. 3-1939 in the North Sea, position 57 12N 01 50E. She broke in two and sank in 2 minutes. 2 lifeboats were destroyed in the explosion and the motor boat got stuck. Out of the 15 on board 8 died. The remaining 7, 3 of whom were injured managed to find a raft, and were rescued and taken to Methil, Scotland.

U-31

  • M/S Prinsdal
Moltzau & Christensen, Oslo
2988 gt
Built in Copenhagen, Denmark 1939.

Launched by Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen (647) on March 23-1939 as Prinsdal for A/S Rendal (Moltzau & Christensen), Oslo

SOLD IN Apr.-1939 to Harald Schuldt & Co., Hamburg, Germany before completion and delivered in June that year as Ahrensburg. According to R. W. Jordan's "The World's Merchant Fleets" she was used by the Kriegsmarine as U-boat target ship at Wesermünde from Dec.-1939. Transferred to Gotenhafen on May 9-1940, then to Memel in 1943. Transferred to Norway on May 21-1944, to Danzig on Oct. 1 that same year. Awarded as war reparation to the Norwegian State in Sept.-1945, renamed Asnes in 1946, managed by Kornelius Olsen, Stavanger, then renamed Thornes that same year for A/S Thor Dahl, Sandefjord, Mona Lisa in 1947 for A/S Titchfield (Alf Torgersen), Oslo. Sold to Italy in 1956, renamed Somalia. Sold in 1965 to Taiwan and renamed Chengchang, then Chung Thai in 1966 (Panama). Sold for breaking up in Nov.1968.

(I realize this was not a Norwegian ship during the war, but since the title of this website is "Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945" I have included ships from the start of 1939 as well).

Other ships by this name: A/S Moltzaus Tankrederi (Moltzau & Christensen), Oslo had another Prinsdal after the war, delivered as such in Jan.-1949, built in Sweden, 3226 gt. Sold to owners in Genoa in 1951 and renamed Giuliana Fassia. Broken up in 1970. Another Prinsdal was delivered to the company in 1958, bilt in France, 9999 gt. Sold and renamed Lilliana in 1967 (Monrovia), became Panamanian Sanil in 1981.

  • M/S Prins Harald NS *
Nortraship
7244 gt
Built Sunderland 1942. Previous name: Launched as Empire Field on Sept. 23-1941, completed Jan.-1942.

One of 19 ships transferred to Nortraship in 1942. Please continue to M/S Prins Harald for more information on this ship and her loss (w/crew list).

  • D/S Prins Olav NS *
Det Nordenfjeldske Dampskibsselskab, Trondheim
2147 gt
Built in Glasgow 1907. Previous name: Alexandra until 1925.

A separate page about D/S Prins Olav has the history of this ship, as well as details on her loss and a crew list at the time.

  • D/S Produce *
Jacob Odland S. S., Haugesund
1171 gt
Built in Christiania 1905.

Pre war history: Delivered in Nov.-1905 from Nylands Verksted, Christiania as Produce to D/S A/S Produce (Hans Kiær & Co.), Drammen, 1171 gt, 743 net, 1686 tdwt, 225' x 33.7' x 19', Triple exp. 139 nhp (by yard). Company sold to H. M. Wrangell & Co. A/S, Haugesund in Oct.-1917, ship and company transferred to Jacob Odland S. S. in Jan.-1938. ("Våre gamle skip").

WW II: Wrecked on North Reef, Parcel Islands on Apr. 3-1940 on a voyage Hong Kong-Bangkok. She broke up rapidly as she was in a very exposed position ("Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam 1824-1962", by Charles Hocking). I assume she was a total loss, but have found no further information on her final fate, nor that of her crew.

Other ships by this name: The company later had another ship by this name, launched as Bruneck for Deutsche Schiffahrts Ges. Hansa, Bremen on Aug. 28-1944, delivered as Produce to D/S A/S Produce (Jacob Odland S. S.) in May-1946. A 2752 gt shelterdecker, built at Gävle, Sweden. Sold in Dec.-1960 to D/S A/S Falkeid (Th. Nordbø jr.), Haugesund and renamed Dana. From May-1968 she sailed as Heaven Dragon of Hong Kong, then in 1969 as Ocean Star under Somalian flag. Damaged by fire while in Manilla on Dec.-28-1971, sold "as is" in 1972 and renamed Ocean Trader, arrived Kaohsiung, Taiwan on Jan. 16-1973 for breaking up. ("Våre gamle skip"). The company must have had yet another ship by this name, ex Thorsaga - see a message in my Guestbook.

  • D/S Profit NS *
Jacob Odland S. S., Haugesund
1608 gt
Built in Bergen 1918. Previous name: Utsire until 1926.

D/S Profit has more info on the ship, as well as details on her final fate (and a picture).

  • D/S Prominent NS *
Jacob Odland S. S., Haugesund
2232 gt
Built in Kowloon, Hong Kong 1919.

Continue to D/S Prominent for more information on this ship and her final fate.

  • D/S Promise NS
Jacob Odland S. S., Haugesund
1291 gt
Built at Papendrecht 1920. Previous name: Gitterø until 1926.

More information is available on my page about D/S Promise.

  • D/S Pronto NS
Jacob Odland S. S., Haugesund
2201 gt
Built in Holland 1921. Previous name: Lombardia until 1923.

See D/S Pronto.

  • D/S Prosper NS
Jacob Odland S. S., Haugesund
2232 gt
Built in Kowloon, Hong Kong 1917.

Please continue to D/S Prosper for more information.

  • D/S Proteus NS *
Jacob Odland S. S., Haugesund
1679 gt
Built in Sunderland 1902.

See my page about D/S Proteus.

Q
  • M/S Quest NS
Ivar Austad, Tromsø
209 (214?) gt
Built in Risør 1917.

More information is available by following this link to M/S Quest.

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