Maritime philatelic questions - page 1On these pages, I have placed some questions I have about identification of ships on postal items: stamps, postmarks, machine stamps, letter cards etc. If you think you have an answer, please e-mail me. I will put the answers I get on these pages for other interested collectors. If you need better scans, let me know. If you have a stamp or other postal item showing a ship you want identified, send me a scan and I will put your question on these pages. Q 1. Have the ships on the stamps below been identified yet? DDR 1974, Mi 1984, SG E 1700 and Maldive Islands 1974, Mi 515, SG 508 
 Auke Palmhof supplied the following information on the DDR stamp: "The paddle steamer JAMES WATT depict on this stamp was built in 1821 by the yard of John & Charles Wood, Port Glasgow. Launched June 1821. Tonnage 294 tons burthen, dim. 145.8 x 25.6 x 16.7 ft.. Engine power not given. She carried also sails. 03 Oct. 1821 registered and her first owner's registration dated 19 Nov. 1821 was a group of gentlemen in London. Her first master is given as P. Dall, later as P. Dull. She sailed then between London and Leith. 05 March 1824 She was re-registered to the London & Edinburg Steam Packet Co. London. 20 Sept. 1837 re-registered in London, owner now given as General Steam Packet Co.. Tonnage then given as 466 gross, 295 net., dim. 143.0 x 23.6 x 16.8ft.. She ended her days on the cross-channel service London-Le Havre, her first voyage in this service was in 1840. Register closed on 21 Sept. 1853 annotated 'broken up'. There is not any evidence in the official Customs House registers that she was ever owned in Holland, let alone built there. She was the first steam vessel registered in Lloyds Register." Q2 Does the cancellation below show a specific ship, or is it just a fantasy? 
Q3. Does this stamp represent a specific ship or ship type? I checked the Web for "Germaniawerft" but it seems if they only built submarines and destroyers.....  Bjoern Moritz: "German passenger liner "Rio Bravo", built 1924 for the owner Schuldt at the Germania dockyard at Kiel. 5946 BRT, 3535 NRT, 125,1m * 15,8m * 7,7m; two propeller 12 knots, passengers 176 crew 73. She was in service from Hamburg and Southampton to Havanna and Veracruz from 1924 to 1934. Then sold to Burns, Australia, new name Merkur. Service Sydney to Singapore. 1953 wrecked at Hongkong." Q4. The picture below is on a Belgian postcard. Can anyone identify the liner and the tug?  Carlo Doria supplied the following information: "The ship is certainly the ss ALBERTVILLE (or the twin LEOPOLDVILLE). ALBERTVILLE (5) - builders: Chantier de la Loire, St. Nazaire - 1927; 10.338 GRT; DWT: 155 x 18,9 mt; 4 exp. eng. Hawrthon Leslie; 2 screws; 15 knots; Passengers: 178 1st class, 180 2nd class; Crew: 202. 28 February 1928 Maiden Voyage Antwerp/Matadi. LEOPOLDVILLE (5) - builders: Cockerill of Hoboken (Belgium) - 1928; 11.172 GRT; DWT: 149.49 x 18.9 mt; 4 exp. eng. Cockerill; 2 screws; 15 knots; Passengers: 180 1st class, 180 2nd class; Crew: 237. 8 October 1929 Maiden Voyage Antwerp/Matadi" You can find nice postcards of these ships on http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/2CoBelge.html. Q5. Who can give me more info on the company of Matthias Rohde & Jörgens, which was active in the early 30's in Hamburg? Were they involved in towing, transport, or both? 
Q6. The name and history of this ship on a German postcard?  Gripsholm (II) 1957, Swedish American Line, built at Ansaldo SpA, Genua, 1966 cruise ship, 1975 Navarino (Karageorgie Lines), 1983 Samantha , 1984 Regent Sea (Regent Cruises), 1995 laid up Q7. The name and history of this ship on a Russian envelope (1980)?  Carlo Doria supplied the following information: "ms MARIYA YERMOLOVA - built: 1974 - Brodgradiliste Titovo, Kraljevica (Yugoslavia) - 3940 GRT - DWT: 100,01 x 16,24 x 4,49 m. Engines: 2x8c. Diesel Uljanik - 2 screws - Speed: 17 knots Passengers: 256 Vessel designed for operating in Arctic waters. " Q8. The name and history of this ship on a Russian postcard (1978)?  Carlo Doria supplied the following information: "ms SAKHALIN 1 - built: 1974, Baltya Yard, Kaliningrad. GRT 5025 - DWT119 x 19,82 x 6,2 m. - Engines: 4x6c, Russki diesel with electric drive. - Screws: 1 forward, 1 aft. - Speed: 18 Knots. - Passengers: 72. Train ferry. - Sisterships: Sakhalin 2,3,4,5 - All vessel operated from Kholmsk on Sakhalin Island to the mainland. Q9. The name and history of this ship on a Japanese postcard? Translation of the text?  Information from T. Ishiyama, who has an excellent site about Japanese shipping at http://www.interq.or.jp/white/ishiyama/ (in Japanese): "This is a postcard or handbill of "Shin-Nihonkai Ferry". The ship is the New Suzuran (=Lily), built 1979 at Koyo Yards, Japan; GRT 27.667; DWT 5.619; dimensions 191,8 x 29,4 x 9; engines MAN, 32.000 hp; speed 22 knots; passengers 1.600; beds 472; cars 1.200. She sailed between Otaru (Hokkaido) and Tsuruga (Honshu). Sold 1987? Since 1997 owned by Anek Lines, name: Kriti I, registry port. Chania; flag Greek; line: Ancona - Patras; Ancona - Corfu - Igoumenitsa - Patras. Translation of the text: ********************************************************************************* "Hashirimawarou, Hokkaidou"(Drive(or Travel) around Hokkaido.) Hokkaido (Otaru), Maizuru, Tsuruga, Niigata. (flag) Shin- Nihonkai Ferry. ********************************************************************************* Shin-Nihonkai Ferry official site: http://http://www.snf.jp/ (in Japanese) I introduce "Shin-Nihonkai Ferry" on my site: http://www.interq.or.jp/white/ishiyama/column21.htm and http://www.interq.or.jp/white/ishiyama/column10.htm These web pages are written in Japanese, but you can enjoy pictures. " Q10. The name and history of this ship on a Japanese postcard? Translation of the text?  On this one, also information from T. Ishiyama: "This is a postcard or handbill of "Kansai Kisen".It is one of ferry lines in West Japan. Translation of the text: *********************************************************************** "Tabi No Hirogari Yume Nosete" (Travel around with dreams) It is hard for me to translate it.:-) From Osaka/Kobe To Shikoku, Kyushu, Okinawa "KANSAI KISEN" *********************************************************************** Kansai Kisen official site: http://www.kanki.co.jp/ (in Japanese). " More questions on next page Back to homepage Look here for info on the Brunel ships Great Western, Great Britain and Great Eastern or visit my page with Dutch stamps with ships . Thank you for visiting this page! last update: 25 August 2011 |