RMS Pendennis Castle
The ocean liner Pendennis Castle moored at Cape Town in December 1969
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 United Kingdom
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| Route: | Southampton, Las Palmas, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban |
| Builder: | Harland and Wolff, Belfast |
| Launched: | 24 December 1957 |
| Christened: | 10 December 1957 |
| Completed: | November 1958 |
| Maiden voyage: | 1 January 1959 |
| Out of service: | 14 June 1976 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 5273808 |
| Fate: | Scrapped 1980, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Ocean liner |
| Tonnage: | 28,582 GRT (1967, 28,453 GRT. 1972, 28,442 GRT) |
| Length: | 764 ft (233 m) |
| Beam: | 83.6 ft (25.5 m) |
| Draught: | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Installed power: | 46,000 shaft horsepower |
| Propulsion: | steam turbines driving twin screws via reduction gearing |
| Speed: | 22.5 knots (41.7 km/h; 25.9 mph) |
| Capacity: | 197 First Class, 473 Tourist Class |
RMS Pendennis Castle was a Royal Mail Ship, passenger and cargo liner operated by the Union-Castle Line. The vessel served 1959-1976 on a regular route between the UK and South Africa for the Southampton to Las Palmas, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban "Cape Mail" service. After the vessel's disposal by Union-Castle, she was re-named consecutively Ocean Queen, Sinbad, then Sinbad I, however the ship did not return to commercial service.
In 1953 Sir George Christopher assumed leadership of Union-Castle. Early in 1955 the company ordered Pendennis Castle from Harland and Wolff to replace the ageing Arundel Castle which then had over 30 years of service. The new ship's keel was laid on 8 November 1955. On 31 January 1956 the Union-Castle Mail Steam Ship Co.Ltd merged with Clan Line Steamers Ltd. to form British & Commonwealth Shipping Company. The merger resulted in Clan Line people taking the leading role in the new company's management and they immediately decided to improve and enlarge Pendennis Castle even though she was already under construction. The ship had originally been intended as a third example of the Pretoria Castle class, but the fitting of Denny-Brown stabilizers required lengthening amidships and her overall length was increased by 18ft. Pendennis Castle was to be launched on 10 December 1957 but a shipyard strike caused the launching to be cancelled and she was instead simply christened by the Dowager Lady Rotherwick. On 24 December 1957 she was launched without ceremony. After successful sea trials Pendennis Castle was delivered to Union-Castle by Harland and Wolff on 14 November 1958.
RMS Pendennis Castle embarked on her maiden voyage on 1 January 1959. Commanded by Commodore George Mayhew of the Union-Castle fleet, she set out from Southampton bound for Durban. The shipping press voted Pendennis Castle as the "ship of the year"
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