HMT Andes
From Our Contribution
 | |
 Harland & Wolff photo | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMT Andes |
| Owner | Royal Mail Lines Ltd |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff, Belfast |
| Yard number | 1005 |
| Launched | 7 Mar 1939 |
| Completed | 24 Sep 1939 |
| Out of service | 4 May 1971 |
| Fate | scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger ship |
| Tonnage | 25,689 tons |
| Length | 643.3 ft (196.1 m) |
| Beam | 83.5 ft (25.5 m) |
| Depth | 43.6 ft (13.3 m) draught 29 ft 3 in (8.92 m |
| Propulsion | Twin screw |
| Speed | 21 knots (39 km/h) |
| Capacity | 4,096 troops; or 528 passengers |
Remarks
SS Andes was built for mail, passenger and refrigerated cargo service from Southampton to Brazil and River Plate but was used as a troopship in World War II immediately after her completion. In troop service she broke three speed records for long-distance voyages. She was one of seven large troop ships that then formed Convoy US 3 from Australia to the Middle East. The others were the Cunard-White Star liners RMS Aquitania, Mauretania and Queen Mary and the Canadian Pacific liners RMS Empress of Britain, Empress of Canada and Empress of Japan.
Armament As troop ship:
- 1 × 6-inch (150 mm) gun
- 1 × 4.5-inch (110 mm) gun
- 2 × QF 12 pounder guns
- 4 × twin Bofors 40 mm guns
- 14 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
- depth charges
- 1 × unrotated projectile AA weapon
First commercial voyage January 1948. Converted to full-time cruise liner 1960, based at Southampton. Sold for breaking up at Ghent, Belgium, for £325,000; handed over 7 May 1971.