Dundalk Bay
The Dundalk Bay began life in 1936 as the German cargo vessel Nurnberg, one of five sister ships built by Bremer Vulkan for North German Lloyd's West Coast America service. Her dramatic career would span wartime naval service, controversial immigrant transport operations, and cargo trading.
Pre-War Service
Launched in 1936 at Bremer Vulkan's Vegesack yard, the Nurnberg was designed as a cargo vessel with accommodation for 12 passengers. She operated alongside her sister ships Dresden, Leipzig, Munchen and Osnabruck on routes between Bremen and America's West Coast.
Wartime Service
Following the outbreak of World War II, the German Navy requisitioned the vessel for conversion to a minelayer. She was later modified to serve as a depot ship and stationed in Copenhagen, where Allied forces found her in good condition in May 1945. Seized as a war prize, she briefly served Britain as a depot ship.
Immigration Transport Service
The vessel was purchased by H.P. Leneghan and Sons Ltd of Belfast (Irish Bay Line) and renamed Dundalk Bay. Following renovation in Trieste, she was converted to carry emigrants with austere accommodations for 1,025 passengers in former cargo spaces. Reports suggest she gained a poor reputation for passenger comfort.
Her immigrant transport career included:
- March 15-April 16, 1949: Trieste to Sydney carrying 1,028 passengers
- Subsequent voyages to New Zealand and Melbourne
- 1950: Two sailings from Naples to Australian ports
- Final Australian arrival in Newcastle on October 17, 1950
Final Years
By mid-1951, Dundalk Bay was reconverted to cargo configuration for general tramping duties. In 1953, she was sold to Duff, Herbert & Mitchell of London and renamed Westbay. After five more years of tramp cargo service, she ended her days at the Hamburg shipbreaking yard of Eisen und Metall AG, returning to the country of her construction.
Key Facts
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Built | 1936, Bremer Vulkan, Vegesack |
| Gross Tonnage | 7,105 tons |
| Dimensions | 452 ft x 56 ft (137.8m x 17m) |
| Propulsion | Diesel engine, single screw |
| Speed | 15 knots |
| Passenger Capacity | 12 (as cargo ship), 1,025 (as emigrant carrier) |