MS Angelina Lauro

Oranje in August 1941, shortly after her conversion to a hospital ship
History
Name:	Oranje (1939–1964) Angelina Lauro (1965–1979)
Owner:	Netherland Line (1939–1964) Lauro Lines (1965–1979)
Operator:	Netherlands Lines (1939–1941) Australian Government WWII Service (1941–1946) Netherlands Lines (1947–1964) Lauro Lines (1965–1977) Costa Lines (Chartered 1977–1979)
Port of registry:	1939–1964: Amsterdam,  Netherlands 1964–1979: Naples,  Italy
Builder:	N. V. Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw-Maatschappij,Amsterdam, Netherlands
Yard number:	270
Laid down:	2 July 1937
Launched:	8 September 1938
Completed:	15 July 1939
Out of service:	30 March 1979
Identification:	Call sign: PGOF → IBHO IMO number: 5264077
Fate:	Destroyed by fire on 30 March 1979; sank on 24 September 1979
General characteristics
Tonnage:	24,377 GRT (after refit) 20,117 GRT(originally)
Length:	672.4 ft (204.9 m) (after refit) 656 ft (200 m) (originally)
Beam:	83.6 ft (25.5 m)
Decks:	8
Installed power:	3 x 12-cylinder Sulzer diesels 37,500 hp (28,000 kW) at 145 rpm
Propulsion:	Triple Screw
Speed:	22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) (service) 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) (maximum)
Capacity:	740 passengers, original in 1939

MS Oranje, later known as Angelina Lauro, was a passenger liner, a wartime hospital ship and finally a cruise ship that was burnt out and subsequently lost while being towed for scrap. She sank in a storm in the mid-Pacific, on 24 September 1979. The ship underwent 25 years' service as Oranje, and fifteen as Angelina Lauro. She was a cruise ship for the last seven years of her career.

Oranje was commissioned by the Nederlandsche Stoomvaart Maatschapij (Nederland Line / Netherland Line), and was built in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1938–1939 by the Netherlands Shipbuilding Company. She was launched by Queen Wilhelmina and named Oranje in honour of the Royal House of Orange on 8 September 1938. She undertook sea trials in June 1939 and attained a speed of 26 knots (48 km/h), making her the world's most powerful and fastest motor liner at the time. She was built to carry passengers to the Dutch East Indies. There were plans to use the ready vessel as an auxiliary cruiser in case of war.

As built, Oranje's specifications were: tonnage: 20,117 gross register tons (GRT); length: 199.9 metres (656 ft); width: 25.5 metres (83 ft); draft: 8.8 metres (29 ft); engines: 3 x 12-cylinder Sulzer diesels 37.500 hp (27.964 kW); screws: triple; service speed: 22 knots (41 km/h); passengers: 283 First, 283 Second, 92 Third and 82 Fourth Class (total = 740); passenger decks: 8.

Oranje's first scheduled voyage was from Amsterdam to Jakarta (known at the time as Batavia) in Java, via the Cape of Good Hope. Three days before Oranje left Amsterdam on 4 September 1939, the Germans invaded Poland. By the time the ship arrived in Java the invasion had developed to the full-blown World War II, and due to security reasons Oranje was laid up at Sourabaya in Java from December 1939 until February 1941, at which point the ship's Captain was ordered to sail for Sydney and place his vessel at the disposal of the Australian military. At the same time, the Dutch Government informed the Australian Government that they would bear the cost of Oranje's conversion to a hospital ship. Although sailing under Australian command, Oranje remained crewed by Dutch crew, and continued to sail under the Dutch flag. Oranje was the largest hospital ship operated from Australia, serving for five years throughout multiple theatres of World War II, including the Middle East, Indian and Pacific Campaigns. During this time, Oranje made 41 voyages, carrying Australian and New Zealander soldiers.