Sitmar Cruises
Encyclopedia
Sitmar Cruises and Sitmar Line were common names for the Societa Italiana Trasporti Marittimi (Italian Society of Maritime Transport); an Italian shipping company founded by Russian émigré Alexandre Vlasov. Vlasov operated cargo and passenger services from 1937 until 1988, when it was sold to the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
(P&O). After the sale of the company, all of its ships were transferred to the fleet of P&O subsidiary Princess Cruises
with some remaining in service to the present day.
SITMAR's first vessel to operate from Australia was the Castelbianco. Amongst the many companies contracted to transport displaced people, SITMAR's vessels were noted for providing higher quality accommodation and food.
During the 1950's, SITMAR became a major passenger shipping company. It offered regular journeys between Australia and Europe for migrants and other passengers. For several years, the company operated journeys between Europe, Central America and South America. SITMAR also engaged in the tourist trade between Europe, the United States and Canada.
The Central America and South America services, and the North Atlantic summer services, were abandoned by 1957. Except one, SITMAR sold its cargo vessels and the company concentrated on passenger routes between Europe and Australia until the early 1970s, when it began operating cruises from North America. The company used the name Sitmar Cruises in Australia, and abandoned the liner trade to operate full-time as a cruise liner in 1974.
In July 1988, Sitmar Cruses was purchased by the P&O Group. In Australia, the operation was re-named P&O-Sitmar Cruises, and in 1991 became P&O Holidays. The company's ship MV Fairstar was the most popular cruise ship sailing from Australia until 1997, when Fair Princess replaced it. It was replaced in 2000 by Pacific Sky.
The Vlasov Group, now renamed V-Ships, currently operates Silversea Cruises.
The IRO charter contracts ended in 1952 and the two ships were extensively rebuilt and used to carry emigrants between Genoa and Central America. This service ended in 1957, and both ships were bought by the Spanish Line.
Vlasov bought two American C3 ships; one was refitted to carry 1,800 passengers and renamed Fairsea (1). It flew the Panamanian flag and set the naming style for future SITMAR ships. At first, Fairsea (1)was used for IRO charters, but later it was used for journeys to Australia and the North Atlantic.
In 1955, SITMAR gained a long-term contract from the Australian government to carry emigrants from Southampton to Australia. The other C3 ship, renamed Fairsky (1) and flying the Liberian flag, was also used for this charter. Castel Felice - originally owned by BI Line and named Kenya - and the Fairstar - a troopship called Oxfordshire purchased from Bibby Line
- also sailed between England and Australia until 1970 when Chandris Lines took over the contract.
Vlasov purchased the ships Carinthia
and Sylvania
in 1968, and tried unsuccessfully to regain the Australian contract. The ships were renamed Fairland and Fairsea (2) and were docked at Southampton for several years. Having lost its contracts, SITMAR entered the cruise market. Fairland and Fairsea (2) were refitted as cruise ships while Fairsea (1) was scrapped in 1969 after a fire in its engine room and Castel Felice was scrapped in 1970 following the loss of the Australian contract.
SITMAR tried to build a favourable reputation in the American cruise market. Fairsky (1) was scrapped in 1977 and the company sought a large ship to replace it. SITMAR failed to obtain the Queen Anna Maria, which was bought by Carnival Cruise Lines
. In 1979 the company bought the Portuguese ship Principe Perfeito and renamed it Fairsky (2). It was due to be converted by 1981 in Spain. However, the conversion was deemed uneconomic and the ship was sold in 1982 to John Latsis. Instead, the company acquired a new ship, the Fairsky (3), in 1984.
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which is usually known as P&O, is a British shipping and logistics company which dated from the early 19th century. Following its sale in March 2006 to Dubai Ports World for £3.9 billion, it became a subsidiary of DP World; however, the P&O...
(P&O). After the sale of the company, all of its ships were transferred to the fleet of P&O subsidiary Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Santa Clarita, California in the United States. Previously a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises PLC, the company is now one of ten cruise ship brands operated by Carnival Corporation & PLC and accounts for approximately 19% share...
with some remaining in service to the present day.
History
SITMAR began when Alexandre Vlasov carried coal in the Mediterranean using two small cargo ships. During the Second World War, these ships were lost to the company. Vlasov re-started SITMAR after the war, and slowly assembled a new fleet of passenger and cargo ships. SITMAR obtained contracts with the International Refugee Organisation (IRO) to take refugees from Europe to Australia and other nations.SITMAR's first vessel to operate from Australia was the Castelbianco. Amongst the many companies contracted to transport displaced people, SITMAR's vessels were noted for providing higher quality accommodation and food.
During the 1950's, SITMAR became a major passenger shipping company. It offered regular journeys between Australia and Europe for migrants and other passengers. For several years, the company operated journeys between Europe, Central America and South America. SITMAR also engaged in the tourist trade between Europe, the United States and Canada.
The Central America and South America services, and the North Atlantic summer services, were abandoned by 1957. Except one, SITMAR sold its cargo vessels and the company concentrated on passenger routes between Europe and Australia until the early 1970s, when it began operating cruises from North America. The company used the name Sitmar Cruises in Australia, and abandoned the liner trade to operate full-time as a cruise liner in 1974.
In July 1988, Sitmar Cruses was purchased by the P&O Group. In Australia, the operation was re-named P&O-Sitmar Cruises, and in 1991 became P&O Holidays. The company's ship MV Fairstar was the most popular cruise ship sailing from Australia until 1997, when Fair Princess replaced it. It was replaced in 2000 by Pacific Sky.
The Vlasov Group, now renamed V-Ships, currently operates Silversea Cruises.
Fleet
- CastelbiancoCastelbiancoCastelbianco is a comune in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about 80 km southwest of Genoa and about 40 km southwest of Savona...
(1947–52) - Castel Bianco (1952–57)
- Castel Felice (1952–70)
- Castel Forte (1950–60)
- CastelverdeCastelverdeCastelverde is a comune in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 70 km southeast of Milan and about 8 km northwest of Cremona....
(1950–53) - Castel Verde (1953–57)
- FairlandFairlandFairland may refer to:* Fairland, Indiana, United States* Fairland, Maryland, United States* Fairland, Oklahoma, United States* Fairland, Roanoke, Virginia, United States* Fairland , a cruise ship* Fairland , the first container ship...
(1968–71) - Fairsea (1) (1949–69)
- Fairsea (2) (1971–88)
- FairskyFairskyFairsky was a passenger ship managed by the Sitmar Line, best known for her service on the migrant passenger route from Britain to Australia from 1958 to the early 1970s. In her later career, she operated out of Australia as a popular cruise ship, until striking an unmarked wreck in 1977 which...
(1) (1958–77) - FairskyFairskyFairsky was a passenger ship managed by the Sitmar Line, best known for her service on the migrant passenger route from Britain to Australia from 1958 to the early 1970s. In her later career, she operated out of Australia as a popular cruise ship, until striking an unmarked wreck in 1977 which...
(2) (1979–82) - FairskyFairskyFairsky was a passenger ship managed by the Sitmar Line, best known for her service on the migrant passenger route from Britain to Australia from 1958 to the early 1970s. In her later career, she operated out of Australia as a popular cruise ship, until striking an unmarked wreck in 1977 which...
(3) (1984–88) - TSS FairstarTSS FairstarThe Twin Screw Steamer TSS Fairstar was a popular Australian based cruise ship operating out of Sydney for 22 years...
(1964–88) - FairwindFairwindFairwind may refer to one of the following ships:* RMS Sylvania, an ocean liner which sailed under the name SS Fairwind between 1968 and 1988* MV Fairwind, an Australian ship wrecked off the New South Wales coast in 1950...
(1971–88) - Sitmar FairMajesty (1988)
- Sitmar Fairwind (1988)
- Vassar Victory (1947)
- Wooster Victory (1947–50)
Fleet History
Vlasov operated cargo ships flying the Greek, Italian and the United Kingdom flags before and during the Second World War. SITMAR ships carried a letter "V" on their funnels, standing for "Vlasov". After the war, Vlasov purchased the former American troop ships Wooster Victory and Vassar Victory, chartering them to the IRO. Wooster Victory, first operated under its original name, was renamed Castelverde whilst Vassar Victory was immediately renamed Castelbianco. Both vessels flew the Italian flag.The IRO charter contracts ended in 1952 and the two ships were extensively rebuilt and used to carry emigrants between Genoa and Central America. This service ended in 1957, and both ships were bought by the Spanish Line.
Vlasov bought two American C3 ships; one was refitted to carry 1,800 passengers and renamed Fairsea (1). It flew the Panamanian flag and set the naming style for future SITMAR ships. At first, Fairsea (1)was used for IRO charters, but later it was used for journeys to Australia and the North Atlantic.
In 1955, SITMAR gained a long-term contract from the Australian government to carry emigrants from Southampton to Australia. The other C3 ship, renamed Fairsky (1) and flying the Liberian flag, was also used for this charter. Castel Felice - originally owned by BI Line and named Kenya - and the Fairstar - a troopship called Oxfordshire purchased from Bibby Line
Bibby Line
The Bibby Line is a British company concerned with shipping and marine operations.Its parent company, Bibby Line Group Limited, can be traced back to the shipbroking partnership of Bibby & Hall, which was founded in 1801. It is and always has been based in Liverpool...
- also sailed between England and Australia until 1970 when Chandris Lines took over the contract.
Vlasov purchased the ships Carinthia
RMS Carinthia (1956)
RMS Carinthia was an ocean liner built in 1956 as one of the four Saxonia class ships. She sailed for Cunard Line from her completion until 1968 when she was sold to for Sitmar Line, rebuilt into a full-time cruise ship and renamed SS Fairsea. She sailed with Sitmar until 1988, when Sitmar was sold...
and Sylvania
RMS Sylvania
RMS Sylvania was an ocean liner built in 1957 by John Brown & Co , Glasgow, Scotland for the United Kingdom-based shipping company Cunard Line. She was the last Cunard Line vessel built specifically for transatlantic crossings...
in 1968, and tried unsuccessfully to regain the Australian contract. The ships were renamed Fairland and Fairsea (2) and were docked at Southampton for several years. Having lost its contracts, SITMAR entered the cruise market. Fairland and Fairsea (2) were refitted as cruise ships while Fairsea (1) was scrapped in 1969 after a fire in its engine room and Castel Felice was scrapped in 1970 following the loss of the Australian contract.
SITMAR tried to build a favourable reputation in the American cruise market. Fairsky (1) was scrapped in 1977 and the company sought a large ship to replace it. SITMAR failed to obtain the Queen Anna Maria, which was bought by Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival Cruise Lines is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Doral, Florida, a suburb of Miami in the United States. Originally an independent company founded in 1972 by Ted Arison, the company is now one of eleven cruise ship brands owned and operated by Carnival Corporation & plc...
. In 1979 the company bought the Portuguese ship Principe Perfeito and renamed it Fairsky (2). It was due to be converted by 1981 in Spain. However, the conversion was deemed uneconomic and the ship was sold in 1982 to John Latsis. Instead, the company acquired a new ship, the Fairsky (3), in 1984.