SS Bremen (1929)

Type

Ocean Liner

Period

20th Century

Nation

Germany

Overview: The SS Bremen was a German-built ocean liner constructed for Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL) to run the transatlantic route between Bremerhaven and New York. Launched in 1928 and entering service in 1929, she and her sister ship Europa were the two most advanced high-speed steam turbine liners of their day, and their rivalry sparked international competition among nations to build fast, prestigious ocean liners in the interwar years. Specifications: She measured about 938.6 ft (286.1 m) overall with a beam of 101.9 ft (31.1 m), a gross tonnage of 51,656 GRT and displacement around 55,600 tons. Four sets of geared steam turbines drove quadruple propellers, generating up to 135,000 shp for a design speed of 27 knots, and she carried over 2,100 passengers across four classes. She was notable as one of the first large commercial ships fitted with a bulbous (Taylor-type) bow, contributing to fuel efficiency and speed. Service History: On her maiden voyage in July 1929, Bremen captured the westbound Blue Riband from RMS Mauretania with an average speed of 27.83 knots, and set an eastbound record on her return crossing, the first liner to break two records on consecutive voyages. She also pioneered ship-to-shore airmail delivery, catapult-launching a floatplane at sea to speed mail to New York ahead of her arrival. At the outbreak of World War II she made a dramatic dash back to Germany via Murmansk to avoid seizure by the British. Notable Facts: In 1941 Bremen was gutted by fire while laid up at Bremerhaven, reportedly set by a disgruntled crewman; her burnt-out hull was later scrapped to the waterline, towed to Nordenham, and sunk by explosives in 1946, with remains still visible at low tide. Her striking low, streamlined profile, twin funnels (later heightened to reduce smoke nuisance), and record-breaking speed make her a popular and recognizable subject for interwar ocean liner scale models.