Gil Eannes (ship)

The Gil Eannes, moored in Viana do Castelo
History
Portugal
Name:	Gil Eannes
Namesake:	Gil Eanes
Builder:	Viana do Castelo Naval Shipyards
Launched:	1955
In service:	1955
Out of service:	1973
Identification:	IMO number: 5130587
Status:	Preserved as a museum ship and hostel in Viana do Castelo, Portugal
General characteristics
Displacement:	4,854 t
Length:	322.99 feet (98.45 m)
Beam:	45.00 feet (13.72 m)
Draught:	7.87 feet (2.40 m)
Propulsion:	Two engines of 1,400 BHP each
Speed:	12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph)

The Gil Eannes is a former Portuguese hospital ship, now permanently moored in the Port of Viana do Castelo, serving as museum ship and youth hostel.

The official name of the ship is written according to the old spelling of the Portuguese language, but occasionally it appears written with the modern spelling Gil Eanes.

Between 1955 and 1973, Gil Eannes was the flagship of the Portuguese White Fleet that operated in the codfish fishing in the seas of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and Greenland. As the flagship of the White Fleet and besides her main function as hospital ship, the Gil Eannes served also as maritime authority, mail ship, tug, ice breaker and general support ship for the Portuguese fishing vessels.

Gil Eannes was designed to replace a ship with the same name, as hospital and support ship for the Portuguese White Fleet. The first Gil Eannes was the former German merchant ship Lahneck, captured by the Portuguese authorities in 1916. The Lahneck was then renamed Gil Eannes, being transformed and employed as auxiliary cruiser by the Portuguese Navy, during World War I. In 1927, she was adapted to hospital ship and sent, for the first time, to the seas of Newfoundland in support to the Portuguese fishing fleet. In 1937, she started to support the White Fleet on a regular basis, in 1942 being transferred from the Portuguese Navy to the Portuguese guild of codfish fishing ship owners (Grémio dos Armadores de Navios da Pesca do Bacalhau).

The Grémio dos Armadores de Navios da Pesca do Bacalhau ordered a new ship to replace the first Gil Eannes. The new Gil Eannes was built by the Viana do Castelo Naval Shipyards, in 1955. She was designed as a state of the art hospital ship, also being able to provide a wide range of services in support to the Portuguese fishing vessels. So besides hospital, the ship served as tug, icebreaker, mail ship and supply ship. The ship also served as the Portuguese maritime authority for the White Fleet, when it was operating in the high seas, for this role carrying on board a naval officer who acted as harbourmaster.