Goya
Originally built as the Kamerun for the Woermann Line's Hamburg-West Africa service, this vessel began life as a cargo ship but went on to serve multiple roles including wartime repair ship and post-war refugee transport. She was one of a pair of ships ordered for the West African trade, along with her sister ship Togo.
Pre-War Construction and Design
The vessel was built by Bremer Vulkan at their Gegesack yard, being launched on May 17, 1938 and completed on June 28, 1939. As Kamerun, she was designed primarily as a cargo vessel with accommodation for just 12 passengers.
Wartime Service
With the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Kamerun was in Hamburg when the German Navy commandeered her on November 13, 1939. She was converted into a repair ship and served in this capacity throughout the entire war.
Post-War Refugee Transport
In 1947, as part of war reparations, the vessel was ceded to the Norwegian Government and allocated to A/S Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, who renamed her Goya. Initially fitted out as a cargo ship, she found a new purpose in 1949 when Mowinckels secured a contract from the International Refugee Organisation. The vessel was converted to accommodate 900 people in segregated dormitories constructed in the cargo holds.
Between 1949 and 1951, Goya made numerous voyages transporting displaced persons to Australia and New Zealand:
- March-May 2, 1949: Genoa to Adelaide (907 passengers)
- June 22, 1949: Naples to Fremantle
- August 19, 1949: Naples to Sydney
- December 26, 1949: Naples to Melbourne
- February 28, 1950: Melbourne arrival
- May 26, 1950: Bremerhaven to Melbourne
- August 16, 1950: Bremerhaven to Newcastle
- November 7, 1950: Bremerhaven to Melbourne (924 passengers)
- 1951: Piraeus to New Zealand
- December 8, 1951: Final passenger voyage to Melbourne
Later Career and Fate
In 1953, the vessel returned to cargo service and underwent several ownership and name changes:
- Reina under TJ Skogland
- Svanhold under T Matiand Jr
- Hilde under Skibs A/S Hilde
- Melina under Meldaf Shipping Co of Greece (1964)
The vessel ended her 30-year career when she arrived at Kaohsiung on July 19, 1969, for breaking.
Key Facts
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Built | 1939 by Bremer Vulkan, Gegesack |
| Gross Tonnage | 6,996 tons |
| Dimensions | 438 x 58 ft (133.8 x 18 m) |
| Propulsion | Diesel/single screw |
| Service Speed | 15 knots |
| Original Passenger Capacity | 12 |
| Post-war Refugee Capacity | 900 |