SS Independence

History
SS Independence 1951

Name:	1951–1974: Independence 1974: Oceanic Independence 1974–1975: Sea Luck I 1975–1982 Oceanic Independence 1982–2006: Independence 2006–2009: Oceanic 2009–2011: Platinum II
Owner:	1951–1974: American Export Lines 1974–1979: Atlantic Far East Lines 1979–1982: American Hawaii Cruises 1982–1996: American Global Line 1996–2001: American Hawaii Cruises 2001–2003: United States Maritime Administration 2003–2005: California Manufacturing Corp 2005: Norwegian Cruise Line 2005–2009: California Manufacturing Corp
Operator:	1951–1969: American Export Lines 1969–1974: laid up 1974–1976: Atlantic Far East Lines 1976–1980: laid up/rebuilt 1980–1982: American Hawaii Cruises 1982–1996: American Global Line 1996–2001: American Hawaii Cruises 2001–2008: laid up
Port of registry:	1951–1974: New York, United States 1974–1979: Panama City, Panama 1979–present: Honolulu, United States
Ordered:	1950
Builder:	Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts, USA
Yard number:	1618
Laid down:	1950
Launched:	June 3, 1950
Completed:	1951
Acquired:	January 22, 1951
Maiden voyage:	February 10, 1951
In service:	1951–1969, 1974–1976, 1980–2001
Out of service:	2001
Identification:	IMO number: 5160180
Fate:	Grounded and subsequently broken up off Alang, India; 2010-2011
Status:	Broken up
Notes:	One of the last US-flagged liners
General characteristics (as built)
Type:	Ocean liner
Tonnage:	23,719 GRT 7,250 DWT
Length:	208.01 m (682.45 ft)
Beam:	27.18 m (89.17 ft)
Draft:	9.20 m (30.18 ft)
Decks:	12
Installed power:	Two Bethlehem Steel Corporation steam turbines 40,456 kW (combined)
Speed:	22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity:	1,000 passengers
General characteristics (after 1959 refit)
Type:	Cruise ship
Tonnage:	23,754 GRT
Capacity:	395 passengers
General characteristics (after 1974 refit)
Capacity:	950 passengers
General characteristics (after 1980 refit)
Tonnage:	20,221 GRT
Capacity:	1,073 passengers

SS Independence was a US built and flagged ocean liner which entered service in February 1951 for American Export Lines. Between 1974 and 1982 the vessel sailed as Oceanic Independence for Atlantic Far East Lines and American Hawaii Cruises, before reverting to the original name. Independence was then operated by American Global Line between 1982 and 1996, and again American Hawaii Cruises until being laid up in San Francisco in 2001.

In 2006 the ship was renamed Oceanic and, after being mothballed for seven years left San Francisco for Singapore on February 8, 2008. That destination was later changed to Dubai and in 2009 the aged liner left there under tow as the Platinum II for the shipbreaking yards in Alang, India. After having been turned away from those scrap yards due to hazardous materials the then 58-year-old ship was grounded off Alang. There the rusting ship's hull broke in two aft of the smokestacks, making refloating impossible and was scrapped on the spot.

Independence had a sister ship, SS Constitution, which sank while under tow in 1997 en route to be scrapped.

SS Independence, 23,719 GRT, and the 23,754 GRT, SS Constitution were built by Bethlehem Steel Corporation in yard 1618 of its Fore River Shipyard in Quincy Massachusetts for the American Export Lines to operate on the US Mediterranean service. Launched on June 3, 1950 and completed January 1951, the new liner's first master was Captain Hugh Lee Switzer (1898–1991), former captain SS La Guardia, who held that post from 1951 to 1964. Both the Independence and the Constitution sported black hulls and American export lines funnel colors.

On February 10, 1951, Independence departed from North River Pier 84 at the foot of West 44th St in New York on a 53-day, 13,000 plus mile maiden voyage cruise to the Mediterranean during which the ship visited 22 ports in Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Sicily, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Cyprus, Israel, France, Gibraltar and Portugal before returning to New York on April 4.Independence's first regular non-cruise transatlantic sailing departed New York for Genoa on April 12 although that US-Italy service was later changed to run between New York and Naples. In 1959 both ships were sent to Newport News where their forward superstructure was moved 22 feet forward and lifted up by one deck in order to increase First Class passenger capacity by more than 100 berths and altered overall accommodations to 484 First Class, 350 Cabin Class, and 254 Tourist Class passengers. This reconstruction resulted in the loss of half of the glass-enclosed promenade deck and the added height forward. During their heyday, many movies were made on board with such stars as Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr and many others. They also carried high-profile passengers such as President Harry Truman, Alfred Hitchcock, Walt Disney, even King Saud. Both ships continued on the Mediterranean run, however, like most Trans-Atlantic liners of the day, passenger numbers dropped and the service was suspended in 1967.

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