Iberia

The Iberia (3) was a passenger liner built for P&O by Harland and Wolff Ltd in Belfast. She was the third P&O vessel to carry this name, which referenced the Iberian Peninsula where the company first established its mail service. The ship's distinctive livery featured a white hull and superstructure, yellow funnel, and red boot-topping.

Construction and Design

Launched on January 21, 1954, Iberia was built as a sister ship to Arcadia, though distinguished by her more tapered, rakish funnel. The vessel was fitted with H & WS.R.G. and D.R.G. steam turbines generating 42,500 shaft horsepower, driving twin screws for a service speed of 22 knots.

Service History

Iberia commenced her maiden voyage from London to Sydney on September 28, 1954. She operated on P&O's traditional route calling at Suez, Bombay, Colombo, Fremantle, Melbourne, and Sydney as part of a three-ship 'shuttle' service. Initially based in London, her home port was later changed to Southampton. Throughout her career, she underwent numerous refits, including the installation of full air conditioning in all public and crew areas.

Notable Incidents

In 1956, Iberia collided with the oil tanker Stanvac Pretoria. Both vessels sustained significant damage, though fortunately there were no casualties. Temporary repairs were made until she could reach London. In November 1963, she struck a large whale in the Indian Ocean, requiring the captain to reverse at full speed to free the ship. The whale did not survive the encounter.

Final Years

The announcement of Iberia's withdrawal in April 1972, at just 18 years of age, was met with shock and disbelief. After being laid up in Southampton, she was sold to Taiwanese ship-breakers, departing Southampton in June 1982. She arrived at Kaohsiung in September 1982, where she was joined by the P&O liner Orcades for scrapping.

Key Facts

Specification	Details
Built by	Harland and Wolff Ltd, Belfast
Dimensions	719 ft (219.1m) x 91 ft (27.7m)
Draught	31 ft (9.4m)
Gross Tonnage	29,779
Passenger Capacity	Initially 673 first class, 733 tourist class; later 1,384 one class
Crew	700
Passenger Decks	Seven
Service Speed	22 knots