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D/S Fridtjof Nansen To Fridtjof Nansen on the "Ships starting with F" page. Manager: Nortraship
Built by North Carolina Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington (60), launched on Jan. 21-1943 as Francis Nash (Barber Steamship Lines and American West Africa Line Inc., New York). Taken over by Nortraship upon delivery on Jan. 31-1943. See also "Gains 1943" on my page "Ship Statistics and Misc." for a list of the other ships added to Nortraship's fleet in 1943.
Experienced an air attack while in Algiers on June 4-1943, taking part in the defense by firing almost 1100 shots from her guns. By July 15 that year she was in New York and ready to sail to the U.K. with Convoy HX 248, general cargo for Manchester. In Jan.-1944 she was scheduled for Convoy HX 274 from New York, but cancelled and instead joined the next convoy, HX 275, bound for Belfast Dock, then Liverpool. On March 26-1944 she was rammed and damaged by the Liberty Ship Stephen C. Foster, when on a voyage from Baltimore to Algiers with general cargo and misc. for the U.S. Army. Captain at the time was Hans O. Christensen, 2nd Mate Kristian Kristiansen, Able Seaman Johan R. Stegane (no other names available). Listed as sailing in Convoy HX 296 from New York in June/July-1944. In Sept. that year she can be found in Convoy HX 310. Follow the links for further info on these convoys - as will be seen, several Norwegian ships sailed in them.
Sold in Oct.-1946 to the Norwegian Government for A/S Odderø (A. I. Langfeldt & Co., Kristiansand). Sold to Lebanon in 1960 and renamed Olga (Purvis Shipping. Co. Ltd., London). Came under the management of Franco Shipping. Co. Ltd., Athens in 1962, then sailed under the Greek flag from 1966 for Olga Cia. Nav. S.A. (same managers). Owned from 1968 by Ourania Shipping Co. Ltd., Cyprus, managed by Franco Shipping. Co. Ltd., Athens & Famagusta. Broken up in Spain in 1971, having arrived Gandia on May 21-1971. Related external link: Back to Fridtjof Nansen on the "Ships starting with F" page. Other ships by this name: Norway had lost 2 steamships by this name to WW I, one built 1897, 3275 gt (Bergh & Helland) - struck a mine (laid by UC 10) and sank off the Galloper Lightship on Jan. 5-1916, cargo of Phosphate, 3 died. The other was built 1881, 2190 gt (P. Bogen) - torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat in the North Sea on May 29-1917. See also this thread on my ship forum. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Liberty Ships in Peacetime, and their Contribution to World Shipping History" I. G. Steward - 1992 - and misc.
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