SS Léopoldville (1929)
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| History | |
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 Belgium
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| Name: | SS Léopoldville |
| Operator: |
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| Port of registry: | Antwerp |
| Builder: | John Cockerill SA, Hoboken, Antwerp |
| Completed: | 1929 |
| Identification: |
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| Fate: | Sunk on 24 December 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | |
| Length: | 478 ft 8 in (145.90 m) |
| Beam: | 62 ft 2 in (18.95 m) |
| Draught: | 25 ft 9.75 in (7.8677 m) |
| Depth: | 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m) |
| Installed power: | 1,019 nhp 8-cylinder quadruple expansion steam engine with exhaust turbine |
| Propulsion: | Twin screw propellers |
| Speed: | 16-knot (30 km/h) |
| Capacity: |
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| Crew: | 213 plus 24 DEMS gunners |
SS Léopoldville was a 11,509 GRT passenger liner of the Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo. She was converted for use as a troopship in the Second World War, and on December 24, 1944, while sailing between Southampton and Cherbourg, was torpedoed and sunk by the U-486. As a result, approximately 763 soldiers died, together with 56 of her crew.
Léopoldville was 478 feet 8 inches (145.90 m) long, with a beam of 62 feet 2 inches (18.95 m). She had a depth of 35 feet 0 inches (10.67 m) and a draught of 25 feet 9.75 inches (7.8677 m). She was assessed at 11,256 GRT, 6,521 NRT. The ship was propelled by an 1,019 nhp two 4 cylinder Quadruple expansion steam engines which had cylinders diameters of 28 25⁄16 inch (73.5 cm), 33 7⁄8 inch (86 cm), 48 7⁄16 inch (123 cm) and 68 7⁄8 inch (175 cm) diameter by 48 7⁄16 inch (123 cm) stroke. The engines drove twin screw propellers. She had 8,458 cubic feet (239.5 m3) of refrigerated cargo space.
She was built for the Compagnie Maritime Belge as the fifth to bear the name Léopoldville and initially served on the route between Belgium and its African colony, the Belgian Congo. She was allocated the Belgian Official Number 120 and the Code Letters MLTP. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to ONLB. In 1937, she was reassessed as 11,509 GRT, 6,941 NRT.
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