SS Dwarka
Encyclopedia
SS Dwarka was the second of four "modern D Class" passenger/cargo sister ships of the British India Steam Navigation Company (BI). The only one of the quartet to be built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, SS Dwarka entered service in 1947 on her owners' Persian Gulf
local trades.
Of 4851 gross tons, 399 feet in length and 55 feet wide, the vessel was powered by William Doxford & Sons diesel engines geared to a single screw, giving a service speed of 13.5 knots. Original maximum passenger capacity was 1104 (13 first class, 41 second class and 1050 deck class), with 122 crew. On pages 145/146 of his book "The Last Blue Water Liners", author William H. Miller describes this quartet as "... ships of transport, cargo plus passengers - comfortable but not luxurious, dependable but not speedy - appropriately functional for their time".
After a very long and successful career, SS Dwarka was scrapped at Gadani Beach, Pakistan
, in 1982. SS Dwarka was the final British-India vessel to operate traditional "liner" trades. However the last passenger ship wearing BI livery was SS Uganda
withdrawn in 1985, having previously transferred to the cruise ship
operations of parent company Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
.
Dwarka
is an ancient city of religious significance in the state of Gujarat, on India
's northwest coast.
Twice, very close to the end of the vessel's career, SS Dwarka featured on film. In 1979 the BBC
made a television documentary stressing the ship's unique historic status, which reportedly prompted renewed interest in her from around the world. In 1981, SS Dwarka was used for several location shoots (portraying much earlier BI vessels) in Richard Attenborough
's 1982 released film "Gandhi", about the life of Mahatma Gandhi
.
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
local trades.
Of 4851 gross tons, 399 feet in length and 55 feet wide, the vessel was powered by William Doxford & Sons diesel engines geared to a single screw, giving a service speed of 13.5 knots. Original maximum passenger capacity was 1104 (13 first class, 41 second class and 1050 deck class), with 122 crew. On pages 145/146 of his book "The Last Blue Water Liners", author William H. Miller describes this quartet as "... ships of transport, cargo plus passengers - comfortable but not luxurious, dependable but not speedy - appropriately functional for their time".
After a very long and successful career, SS Dwarka was scrapped at Gadani Beach, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, in 1982. SS Dwarka was the final British-India vessel to operate traditional "liner" trades. However the last passenger ship wearing BI livery was SS Uganda
SS Uganda
SS Uganda was a passenger liner, then cruise ship, hospital ship and troop ship between 1952 and 1986.-Passenger liner:Initially Uganda operated as a passenger/cargo liner of the British-India Steam Navigation Company , between London and East Africa, calling at Gibraltar, Naples, Port Said, Aden,...
withdrawn in 1985, having previously transferred to the cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
operations of parent company Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
P&O
P&O may refer to:* Pickling and oiling raw steel.* Phosphate conversion coating and oiling aluminium, zinc, cadmium, silver, or tin.-Shipping:* Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, a former British shipping and logistics company....
.
Dwarka
Dwarka
Dwarka also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a municipality of Jamnagar district in the Gujarat state in India. Dwarka , also known as Dwarawati in Sanskrit literature is rated as one of the seven most ancient cities in the country...
is an ancient city of religious significance in the state of Gujarat, on India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's northwest coast.
Twice, very close to the end of the vessel's career, SS Dwarka featured on film. In 1979 the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
made a television documentary stressing the ship's unique historic status, which reportedly prompted renewed interest in her from around the world. In 1981, SS Dwarka was used for several location shoots (portraying much earlier BI vessels) in Richard Attenborough
Richard Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough , CBE is a British actor, director, producer and entrepreneur. As director and producer he won two Academy Awards for the 1982 film Gandhi...
's 1982 released film "Gandhi", about the life of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
.
External references
- BI Ship site
- A Short History of British India Steam Navigation
- Clydeside built BI ships
- The Last Blue Water Liners by William H. Miller. Conway Maritime Press, London, 1986 - ISBN 0 85177 400 8