SS Australis

I sailed on the Australis in 1974 from Sydney to Southampton, stopping at New Zealand, Suva, Acapulco, both ends of the Panama Canal and Port Lauderdale. From 1971 to 1974 my Mum, Dad and I stayed in Hong Kong. We came back to the UK on the Australis as a round the world trip. I was thinking about the Australis, so I decided to find out what happened to her and also a bit about her.

The Australis was built in 1940 and named SS America. Her first Maiden voyage was on 10th August 1940 with 775 passengers, returning on 22nd August, after a cruise to San Juan.

In May 1941 SS America was requisitioned to serve during WWII to assist in troop carrying and was named USS Westpoint AP23 (Armoured Personnel Carrier). The SS America's hull had been completely repainted to a grey colour, giving her the war time name 'Grey Ghost'.

After the war SS America was given back to United States Lines and on 14th November 1946, the America sailed for Cobh, Southampton and Le Havre. This was the start of her career in commercial service. Over the next few years United States Lines started running into financial difficulties. SS America's voyage on 9th - 27th October 1963 was to be her last for United States Lines.

SS America was sold to Chandris Lines in 1964, she was re-registered SS Australis (Australian Lady). Over the first 9 months Chandris converted the liner at Piraeus, her three class accommodation became one class. The renovations were gradually completed over 3 years gaining the Australis around 350 extra cabins. Her first voyage on 21st August 1965, was to steam West through the Mediterranean Sea. She made her arrivals at Rotterdam and Southampton before returning to the Mediterranean and then the Suez Canal. Once clear of the canal, Australis stopped at Aden, Colombo, Freemantle, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland and Wellington. Her main role was bringing English, Dutch, German, Greek, Yugoslav and Italian immigrants to Australia, whilst also accommodating full paying passengers for round the world trips. In 1977 Chandris decided to withdraw her from service as the passenger trade by sea dropped away.

In 1978 the Australis was sold by Chandris to Venture Cruises of New York, she was renamed 'America'. Venture Cruises intention was to create short cruises. On 30th June 1978 she set sail but was arrested shortly after by order of the US District Court for non-payment of debts. On 3rd July 1978 the America left for a 5 day cruise to Nova Scotia, upon her return she was met with $2,500,000.00 worth of claims from irate passengers. Further problems and cancellations saw all her bookings and therefore all her trips cancelled. Overbooking, plumbing problems, poor accommodation and poor management were just a few of the complaints mentioned. The US Public Health Service gave the America an inspection score of 6 out of 100, only 2 other ships had ever scored so low. The US District Courts ordered the America to be auctioned on 28th August 1978.

Chandris re-purchased her in 1980, named her 'Italis' and advertised 3 day cruises in the Mediterranean. Her forward funnel was removed in an attempt to modernise her as new liners had only one funnel. Italis remained moored near Piraeus, rather than put out to sea. The ship was unfortunately in bad need of new engines, however the costs involved were too much and due to her age she was sold.

Italis was sold to Inter Commerce Corporation in 1980 to be used as a floating hotel in Beirut, but this fell through. She was named 'Noga' but remained in Piraeus and never really sailed under that name. She was actually purchased and had been destined to be Prison ship in an American port.

Noga was sold again in 1984 and was then named 'Afterdoss', Arabic for 'Paradise'. Still in Piraeus, she was eventually towed to the centre of the harbour area and anchored. Afterdoss stayed there for 10 years being neglected. It was said that the new owners were awaiting the price of scrap metal to climb and it was stated she wouldn't sail again.

In 1994, now known as 'American Star', she was considered again as a floating hotel off the island of Phuket. She left Greece for another refit and was taken under tow by the Ukrainian tug Neftegaz 67. The American Star was on her way to Thailand, not to be scrapped, but to be converted into a floating hotel.

On 15th January 1994, whilst being towed in the Atlantic Ocean near the Canary Islands, a storm raged for many days and in rough weather the towlines broke and the American Star was adrift with no power and four salvage crew on board. Over the following days, Neftegaz 67 and a Spanish tug Punta Mayor, sent to assist, attempted unsuccessfully to get a towline on board. On 17th January 1994 the four crewmen were winched by helicopter to safety from the doomed ship. The same morning American Star went aground. American Star was left unsalvaged, due to arguments between insurance companies, ownership and salvage and the long delays and pounding seas caused the liner to break in half.

On 6th July 1994 she was declared a total loss.

American Star now lies wrecked off the coast of Fuerteventura. All that remains is the bow of the ship, sitting on the beach and rusting away.