CP Ships

CP Ships was a large Canadian container shipping company, prior to being taken over by Hapag Lloyd in late 2005. CP Ships had its head office in the City of Westminster

City of Westminster

The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...

in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

and later in the City Place Gatwick

City Place Gatwick

City Place Gatwick is an office complex located on the property of London Gatwick Airport in Crawley, West Sussex, England. The complex includes four buildings: The Beehive, an approximately former terminal building at Gatwick Airport located on a site; the BT building, a facility on a site, 2...

development on the property of London Gatwick Airport

London Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...

in Crawley

Crawley

Crawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in West Sussex, England. It is south of Charing Cross, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the 2001 Census.The area has...

, West Sussex

West Sussex

West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...

.

The company became an independent corporation in 2001 when it was demerged by conglomerate Canadian Pacific Limited

Canadian Pacific Limited

Canadian Pacific Limited was created in 1971 to own properties formerly owned by Canadian Pacific Railway, a transportation and mining giant in Canada...

(CP) and was incorporated in Saint John, New Brunswick

Saint John, New Brunswick

City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...

but headquartered in Greater London

Greater London

Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...

. Its 82 ships were registered in a number countries including the UK, Bermuda

Bermuda

Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...

, Liberia

Liberia

Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...

, and Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

and most of the crews were Asian. Its primary ports remain Montreal and Vancouver.

Canadian Pacific Railway

In 1884, the Canadian Pacific Railway

Canadian Pacific Railway

The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...

(CPR) began purchasing sailing ships as part of a railway supply service on the Great Lakes

Great Lakes

The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...

. Over time, CPR became a railroad company with widely organized water transportation auxiliaries including

the Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake Service
Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake Service
The Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake Service, also known as the Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake Steamships, was a division of Canadian Pacific Railway which began operating passenger and cargo shipping routes in the Great Lakes during the late 19th century.-CPR overview:In 1884, CPR began...

(Great Lakes)
the Pacific service
the Canadian Pacific Railway Coast Service
Canadian Pacific Railway Coast Service
The Canadian Pacific Railway Coast Service, also known as the British Columbia Coast Steamships , was a division of Canadian Pacific Railway which began operating Pacific coastal shipping routes in the late 19th century...
the Canadian Pacific Railway Lake and River Service
Canadian Pacific Railway Lake and River Service
The Canadian Pacific River Lake and River Service, also known as the British Columbia Lake and River Service, was a division of Canadian Pacific Railway which began operating passenger and cargo shipping routes along British Columbia's inland waters during the late 19th century.-CPR overview:In...
the Atlantic service
the Ferry service

In the 20th century, CPR evolved into a transcontinental railroad which operated two transoceanic services, which connected Canada with Europe and with Asia. The range of CPR feeder services were aspects of a integrated plan.

Canadian Pacific Steamships

In the early 1880s, CPR garnered sufficient encouragement from talks with the British government in London that plans began to be formalized for establishing trans-Pacific steamship routes between Vancouver and the Far East.

The trans-Pacific services of Canadian Pacific were begun by Sir William Cornelius Van Horne

William Cornelius Van Horne

Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, KCMG was a pioneering Canadian railway executive.-Life and career:Born in 1843 in rural Illinois, he moved with his family to Joliet, Illinois when he was eight years old...

, the Dutch-American builder of the railroad network in 1887. In that year, Sir William chartered three vessels—the SS Abyssinia

SS Abyssinia

The Abyssinia was a British mail liner originally operated by the Cunard Line on the Liverpool–New York route. She later served the Guion Line on the same route and the Canadian Pacific Line in the Pacific...

, the SS Parthia, and the SS Batavia—as a beginning of the CP fleet. Orders were placed for three new ships to be built to CP specifications, and the first of the Empress ships were in regular service by the beginning of the next decade.

In 1891, CPR adopted a new name—the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company (CPSC). The CPSC became one of the many shipping companies operating in and out of Liverpool. This branch of the CPR expanded as people emigrating from Europe to North America provided a larger number of passengers and the company also started holiday cruises. Like other shipping companies, CPSC built larger ships to cope with the demand.

In the late 19th century, CPR initiated an ocean-going service between the port of Vancouver

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

, British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

and Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, with calls at Japan and China, and later at Manila, Philippine Islands and Honolulu, Hawaii. This service provided a link for CPR's transcontinental railroad

Transcontinental railroad

A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...

passenger and freight services. During 1887, temporary steamship service was initiated on a Vancouver-Yokohama-Hong Kong route. From 1887 through 1941, the Canadian Pacific Railway provided steamship service between Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and Hong Kong with calls at Japan and China, and later at Manila, Philippine Islands and Honolulu, Hawaii. Three ships were built at Barrow-in-Furness in England, and the three sailed together towards Vancouver in 1890, with initial voyages projected for January 15, February 15, and March 15 of the new year. An 11-foot scale model of the ship was put on display in Canadian Pacific's New York offices. In an effort to lure American Chinese passengers to sail with CPR from North America to Shanghai and Hong Kong, prominent members of the Chinese community in New York were invited to examine the scale model and its amenities.

In 1887, steamship routes between Vancouver and Australia were initiated. Cunard sold three ships to CPR for the Australian route—the SS Abyssynia, the SS Parthia, and the SS Batavia.

Fleet expansion

In 1891, CPR and the British government reached agreement on a contract for subsidized mail service between Britain and Hong Kong via Canada. The route began to be serviced by three specially designed Empress liners—the RMS Empress of China

RMS Empress of China (1891)

RMS Empress of China was an ocean liner built in 1890-1891 by Naval Construction & Armament Co., Barrow, England for Canadian Pacific Steamships...

and the RMS Empress of India. Each of these "Empress" steamships sailed regularly in the period from 1891 through 1912. In that year, the Empress of China struck a reef near Tokyo, and she was subsequently towed to Yokohama where she was scrapped. The Empress of India would continue in service through 1914. The third of the three original empresses, the RMS Empress of Japan, sailed regularly from 1891 through 1922. These three ships and the others which comprised the "Empress fleet" carried mail, passengers, and freight speedily across the Pacific for over half a century.

In 1903 the company began operating ships on the Atlantic between Halifax, Nova Scotia

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

and the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. In 1906, two vessels were built in England: the SS Empress of Scotland
Empress of Scotland
Empress of Scotland may refer to one of these Canadian Pacific Steamships ocean liners:* RMS Empress of Scotland , 24,581-gross ton ship capable of 18 knots; scrapped in 1930...

and SS Empress of Ireland. These two practical vessels would gain quite a lot of fame. They each had a full capacity of 1,530 passengers. There were accommodations for 310 first class passengers and 470 second class passengers for people traveling back and forth between Canada and Europe, along with a large capacity for immigrants. The two sisters each had accommodations for 500 third class passengers berthed in simple four-berth cabins, and 250 steerage passengers berthed in vast dormitories. The Canadian Pacific Line transported many immigrants from Europe to Canada, primarily from Great Britain and Scandinavia

Scandinavia

Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...

. In 1914 the Empress of Ireland sank after a collision with the Norwegian freighter Storstad in the St. Lawrence River. In just 14 minutes after the collision, 1,012 of the 1,477 passengers and crew aboard her drowned as she ship foundered.

In 1915, the business had grown to the point where it was spun off into a separate entity formally known as the Canadian Pacific Steamships Ocean Services Ltd.

The new company acquired the successful Allan Line

Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers

The Allan Shipping Line was started in 1819, by Captain Alexander Allan of Saltcoats, Ayrshire, running dry goods from Greenock to sell in Montreal and returning with Canadian produce to sell back in Scotland, a route which quickly became synonymous with the Allan Line...

and expanded to become a major international cargo carrier and operators of luxury passenger liners

Ocean liner

An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...

such as the Empress of Britain and the Empress of Canada.

Like other shipping companies, Canadian Pacific provided ships to carry troops in both World Wars. In WWI, some ships were refitted as Armed merchantmen

Armed merchantmen

Armed merchantman is a term that has come to mean a merchant ship equipped with guns, usually for defensive purposes, either by design or after the fact. In the days of sail, piracy and privateers, many merchantmen would be routinely armed, especially those engaging in long distance and high value...

. In WWII, the CP fleet carried over a million tons of cargo and a million troops and civilians during the Second World War.

In each of the post-war periods, the company sought to compensate for ships lost at sea by expanding its fleet.

Over time, the passenger steamship business changed. By the 1950s, rapidly growing competition from airline

Airline

An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...

s began to cut into the business and the company diversified into tanker fleets and bulk carriers.

The Canadian Pacific fleet expanded in bursts, responding to changed economic conditions and perceived changes in the market for passenger liner travel. The evolution of this fleet mirrors some of those developments.

The following table focuses on Canadian Pacific's trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic ocean liners.

**Canadian Pacific Steamship Fleet**
Active service	Name	Launch year	Maiden voyage	Other names	Notes	Loss year
Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001... (1884–1915)
1887	SS Abyssinia SS Abyssinia The Abyssinia was a British mail liner originally operated by the Cunard Line on the Liverpool–New York route. She later served the Guion Line on the same route and the Canadian Pacific Line in the Pacific...	1870	1870	.	Australia route	1891
1887	SS Parthia.	1870	1870	.	Australia route	1956
1887	SS Batavia.	1870	1870	.	Australia route	1924
1891	RMS Empress of China RMS Empress of China (1891) RMS Empress of China was an ocean liner built in 1890-1891 by Naval Construction & Armament Co., Barrow, England for Canadian Pacific Steamships... .	1890	1891	.	Pacific, 1891–1911	1912
1891	RMS Empress of India RMS Empress of India (1891) RMS Empress of India was an ocean liner built in 1890-1891 by Naval Construction & Armament Co., Barrow, England for Canadian Pacific Steamships... .	1890	1891	SS Loyalty (1914–1919)	Pacific, 1891–1914; war service, 1914–1919 (British Raj British Raj British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion... /Gwalior Gwalior state Gwalior State was an Indian kingdom and princely state ruled by the Maratha dynasty. The state took its name from the old town of Gwalior, which, although never the actual capital, was an important place because of its strategic location and the strength of its fort. The state was founded in the... )	1919
1891	RMS Empress of Japan RMS Empress of Japan (1891) RMS Empress of Japan, also known as the "Queen of the Pacific", was an ocean liner built in 1890-1891 by Naval Construction & Armament Co., Barrow, England for Canadian Pacific Steamships... .	1890	1891	.	Pacific, 1891–1914; war service, 1914–1919; Pacific, 1919–1922	1926
1906	RMS Empress of Britain.	1905	1906	SS Montroyal, 1924–1930	Atlantic, 1906–1914; war service, 1914–1919; Atlantic, 1919–1930	1930
1906	RMS Empress of Ireland RMS Empress of Ireland RMS Empress of Ireland was an ocean liner built in 1905 by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland for Canadian Pacific Steamships... .	1906	1906	.	Atlantic, 1906–1914	1914
1913	RMS Empress of Asia RMS Empress of Asia RMS Empress of Asia was an ocean liner built in 1912-1913 by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland for Canadian Pacific Steamships... .	1912	1913	.	Pacific, 1913–1914; war service, 1914–1919; Pacific, 1919–1941; war service, 1941–1942	1942
1913	RMS Empress of Russia RMS Empress of Russia The RMS Empress of Russia was an ocean liner built in 1912-1913 by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland for Canadian Pacific steamships . This ship regularly traversed the trans-Pacific route between Canada and the Far East... .	1912	1913	.	Pacific, 1913–1914; war service, 1914–1919; Pacific, 1919–1939; war service, 1940–1945	1945
1914	RMS Empress of France RMS Empress of France (1914) RMS Empress of France, formerly the SS Alsatian was an ocean liner built in 1913-1914 by William Beardmore and Company at Glasgow in Scotland for Allan Line.... .	1912	1914	SS Alsatian (1914–1918)	Atlantic (1912–1914); war service (1914–1917); Atlantic (1918–1934)	1934
1914		1914	-	-	Requisitioned by the Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service... on completion. Exploded and sank 27 May 1915	1915
1914		1914	-	-	Requisitioned by the Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service... on completion. Served with Royal Navy until 1929.
Canadian Pacific Steamships Ocean Services Ltd. (1915–1971)
1921	RMS Empress of India.	1907	1908	Originally German liner SS Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm SS Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm SS Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm was an ocean liner for North German Lloyd from her launch in 1907 until the end of World War I. After the war, she briefly served as USS Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm for the United States Navy returning American troops from France... (1907–1919, 1919–1921); USS Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm (1919); briefly named SS Empress of China ; SS Montlaurier (1923–1925); SS Montieth (1925); SS Montnairn (1925–1929)	Atlantic, 1908–1914; in neutral Norway for duration of war then used as troopship by US. Atlantic, 1920–1929	scrapped 1929
1922	RMS Empress of Australia	1913	1919	SS Tirpitz (1919–1921); SS Empress of China (1921)	Atlantic, 1919–1939; war service, 1939–1951	1952
1922	RMS Empress of Scotland RMS Empress of Scotland (1906) RMS Empress of Scotland was the later name of an ocean liner built in 1905-1906 by Vulcan AG shipyard in Stettin for the Hamburg America Line. The ship was launched as the SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria; she regularly sailed between Hamburg and New York until the outbreak of war in Europe in 1914... .	1905	1906	SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria (1906–1919, 1919–1921); USS Kaiserin August Victoria (1919)	Atlantic, 1906–1914; inactive, 1914–1919; Atlantic, 1920–1930	1930
1922	RMS Empress of Canada RMS Empress of Canada (1922) RMS Empress of Canada was an ocean liner built in 1920 for the Canadian Pacific Steamships by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland. This ship -- the first of two CP vessels to be named Empress of Canada -- regularly traversed the trans-Pacific route... .	1920	1922	.	Atlantic, 1922–1939; wartime service, 1939–1943	1943
1928	RMS Duchess of Athol.	1927	1928	.	Atlantic, 1928–1939; war service, 1939–1942	1942
1928	SS Duchess of Bedford.	1928	1928	RMS Empress of France RMS Empress of France (1928) RMS Empress of France was an ocean liner built in 1928 by John Brown at Clydebank in the United Kingdom for the Canadian Pacific Steamships and launched as the SS Duchess of Bedford in 1928... (1947–1960)	Atlantic	1960
1929	SS Duchess of Richmond.	1928	1928	RMS Empress of Canada (1947–1953)	Atlantic, 1929–1939; war service, 1939–1947; Atlantic, 1947–1953	1953
1929	SS Duchess of York.	1928.	1929.	Keel laid down as Duchess of Cornwall	Atlantic, 1929–1939; war service, 1939–1943	1943
1930	RMS Empress of Japan RMS Empress of Japan (1930) RMS Empress of Japan was an ocean liner built in 1929-1930 by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland for Canadian Pacific Steamships . This ship -- the second of two CP vessels to be named Empress of Japan -- regularly traversed the trans-Pacific route... .	1929	1930	RMS Empress of Scotland (1942–1958); SS Hanseatic (1958–1966)	Pacific, 1930–1942; war service, 1942–1947; Atlantic, 1948–1958	1966
1931	RMS Empress of Britain RMS Empress of Britain (1931) The RMS Empress of Britain was an ocean liner built between 1928 and 1931 by John Brown shipyard in Scotland and owned by Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. This ship — second of three CP vessels named Empress of Britain — provided scheduled trans-Atlantic passenger service from spring to autumn... .	1930	1931	.	Atlantic, 1931–1939; war service, 1939–1940	1940
1942	RMS Empress of Scotland RMS Empress of Japan (1930) RMS Empress of Japan was an ocean liner built in 1929-1930 by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland for Canadian Pacific Steamships . This ship -- the second of two CP vessels to be named Empress of Japan -- regularly traversed the trans-Pacific route... .	1929	1930	RMS Empress of Japan RMS Empress of Japan (1930) RMS Empress of Japan was an ocean liner built in 1929-1930 by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland for Canadian Pacific Steamships . This ship -- the second of two CP vessels to be named Empress of Japan -- regularly traversed the trans-Pacific route... (1930–1942); SS Hanseatic (1958–1966)	Pacific, 1930–1942; war service, 1942–1947; Atlantic, 1948–1958	1966
1947	RMS Empress of Canada RMS Empress of Canada (1929) SS Duchess of Richmond was an ocean liner built in 1928 for Canadian Pacific Steamships by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland. In 1947 she was renamed SS Empress of Canada... .	1928	1929	SS Duchess of Richmond (1929–1947)	Atlantic, 1929–1939; war service, 1939–1947; Atlantic, 1947–1953	1953
1948	RMS Empress of France RMS Empress of France (1928) RMS Empress of France was an ocean liner built in 1928 by John Brown at Clydebank in the United Kingdom for the Canadian Pacific Steamships and launched as the SS Duchess of Bedford in 1928... .	1928	1928	SS Duchess of Bedford (1928–1947)	Atlantic, 1928–1839; war service, 1939–1947; Atlantic, 1948–1960	1960
1953	RMS Empress of Australia RMS Empress of Australia (1924) SS De Grasse was an ocean liner built in 1920-1924 by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, United Kingdom for the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique, and launched in February 1924.-Canadian Pacific:...	1924	1924	SS de Grasse (1924–1953); Venezuela (1956–1962)		1962
1956	RMS Empress of Britain.	1955	1956	SS Queen Anna Maria (1964–1975) SS Carnivale (1975–1993) SS Fiesta Marina (1993–1994) SS Olympic (1994–1997) SS Topaz (1998–2008)	Atlantic, 1956–1976; Caribbean, 1976–1994	2008
1957	RMS Empress of England RMS Empress of England RMS Empress of England was an ocean liner built in 1956-1957 by Vickers-Armstrongs, Newcastle, United Kingdom for the Canadian Pacific Steamships. The ship was launched in 1956; and she undertook her maiden voyage in 1957... .	1956	1957	SS Ocean Monarch (1970–1975)	Atlantic, 1957–1970	1975
1961	RMS Empress of Canada RMS Empress of Canada (1961) RMS Empress of Canada was an ocean liner built in 1961 by Vickers-Armstrongs, Walker-on-Tyne, England for the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. This ship, the third CP vessel to be named Empress of Canada, regularly traversed the transatlantic route between Canada and Europe for the next decade... .	1960	1961	SS Mardi Gras (1972–1993); SS Olympic, SS Star of Texas, SS Lucky Star, SS Apollo, and SS Apollon	Atlantic, 1961–1972; Caribbean (1972–2003)	2003

Notable CP figures

Captain Ronald Niel Stuart
Ronald Niel Stuart
Ronald Niel Stuart VC DSO RD RNR was a British Merchant Navy commodore and Royal Navy captain who was highly commended following extensive and distinguished service at sea over a period of more than thirty-five years...

VC
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...

RD
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve
The Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve was a medal awarded in the Royal Naval Reserve of the United Kingdom to officers with at least fifteen years of active duty...

RNR
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...

(1886–1954) was highly decorated for his service in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

during the first World War I. In addition to his British decorations, he was honoured with the French Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...

and the United States' Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...

while serving in the Royal Navy during the First Battle of the Atlantic. The remainder of his naval career was spent with Canadian Pacific. A special warrant was written in 1927 which allowed him to fly the Blue Ensign
Blue Ensign
The Blue Ensign is a flag, one of several British ensigns, used by certain organisations or territories associated with the United Kingdom. It is used either plain, or defaced with a badge or other emblem....

from any ship, mercantile or military, which he commanded. In 1934, he was named Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...

of the CPS fleet and was placed in command of the 42,000 ton liner RMS Empress of Britain on her transatlantic route. In 1937, he was promoted to company superintendent, a role followed by the job of general manager at Canadian Pacific's London office. He retained this job for 13 years, including through the difficult experiences of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

when London's dockyards were badly damaged by the London Blitz. During this period, he was made a part-time naval aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...

to King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...

in 1941 – a position he held part–time throughout World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.
Captain Sir Samuel Robinson
Samuel Robinson (sea captain)
Commander Sir Samuel Robinson KBE, RNR , born in Hull, England, was an early 20th century British-Canadian mariner, a Commander in the Royal Naval Reserve established under the Naval Reserve Act of 1859, and a captain of luxury liners in the fleet of Canadian Pacific Steamship Ocean Service Ltd....

KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

(1870–1958) served 37 years at sea on Canadian Pacific vessels. He earned international acclaim as captain of the RMS Empress of Australia which was at Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...

in Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...

during the devastating Great Kanto Earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...

of 1923. He would be credited with saving the ship, his crew and passengers, and more than 3,000 others during the unfolding catastrophe. Robinson's honours included Commander of the British Empire (CBE); Knight Commander of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

(KBE); Order of the Chrysanthemum
Order of the Chrysanthemum
is Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the collar of the Order was added on January 4, 1888. Although technically the order has only one class, it can either be awarded with collar , or with grand cordon...

(Japan); Order of St John of Jerusalem, the Silver Medal (UK); Lloyd's Medal for Meritorious Service (UK); Medal of Honour, Red Ribbon (Japan); Order of the White Elephant
Order of the White Elephant
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant is the most awarded order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam.The Order consists of eight classes:...

(Siam); Cross of the Second Class of the Order of Naval Merit (with white badge) (Spain).
Captain John Wallace Thomas
John Wallace Thomas
Captain John Wallace Thomas CBE was a Newfoundland merchant mariner who served with distinction in the First and Second World Wars.-Royal Naval Reserve:...

CBE (1888–1965) served with distinction in both first and second World Wars. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his handling of the RMS Empress of Scotland during an attack by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....

off the coast of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

on November 9, 1940. Captain Thomas was the only member of the Canadian merchant navy to have been honoured with the CBE during that war.

In 1971, the company changed its name to CP Ships Ltd. Container ships were added to the fleet in response to changing times. | 1971>

CP SHIPS FLEET
Active Service	Vessel Name	Launch Date	Maiden Voyage	Other Names	Notes	Loss Date
1970	CP Voyageur ^‡	1970	1970	Andes Voyageur, Louisiane, Cedar Voyageur, Biokovo, Montreal Venturer, Canmar Valiant, MSC Rebecca	Atlantic	1997
1971	CP Explorer ^‡	1961	1962	Beaverpine, Moira, Trade Container	Atlantic.	1986
1971	CP Trader ^‡	1971	1971	Andes Trader, San Lorenzo, Canmar Spirit	Atlantic	2001
CP Discoverer ^‡	1971	1971	Andes Discoverer, Mississippi, Canmar Venture	Atlantic	2001
^‡ As of December 2010, no photograph or other image of this ship has yet been uploaded.

In 1984, CP Ships entered a joint venture with Compagnie Maritime Belge

Compagnie Maritime Belge

-History:The CMB was founded in 1895 under the name Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo . At the request of Leopold II of Belgium and with support from British investors, a maritime connection was opened with Congo Free State. On 6 February 1895 the CMB ship Léopoldville was the first to leave port...

called Canada Maritime to secure North Atlantic container traffic for its rail facilities in Montreal. This "new" company prospered and the fortunes of CP Ships revived in the early 1990s and in 1993 Canadian Pacific bought out its partner in Canada Maritime, and that company was merged in CP Ships reviving the fleet. The next decade saw the company grow through acquisition. In April 1995 CP Ships purchased the Cast Group out of a bankruptcy proceeding, and subsequently bought Lykes Lines in July 1997 also out of bankruptcy, Contship Containerlines

Contship Containerlines

Contship Containerlines was a global container carrier operating from 1969 to 2005 in the India/Pakistan, Levant, Australia/New Zealand, South America and Asia trade, mainly to and from Europe....

in October 1997 at a profitable level, Australia-New Zealand Direct Line in December 1998 also being profitable, Ivaran Lines

Ivaran Lines

Ivarans Rederi AS was a merchant steamship company founded in Norway by Ivar Anton Christensen in 1902.The flag was red with a white "C" in the middle, for the founder's family name: Christensen ....

in May 1998 (unprofitable), TMM Lines (unprofitable, 50% in January 1999, rest 50% in January 2000), in August 2000 Christensen Canadian African Lines

Christensen Canadian African Lines

Christensen Canadian African Lines was a Norwegian cargo shipping company that traded between Canada and Africa between 1948 and 2000.-History:...

(CCAL) at small profitability and Italia Line in August 2002 at breakeven

Breakeven

In economics & business, specifically cost accounting, the break-even point is the point at which cost or expenses and revenue are equal: there is no net loss or gain, and one has "broken even"...

business results. By 2001 it was the seventh largest carrier in the world, and dominated the North Atlantic. When it was spun off into a separate company it represented 8% of Canadian Pacific's revenues and was a source for a large portion of CPR's rail traffic — much originating from CP Ships' Montreal Gateway Terminals.

Soon after gaining its independence the company suffered from a general economic slowdown; however, it recovered much faster than its competitors and returned to profitability in 2002. By 2004 the global shipping industry was booming, and consolidating, and CP became the target of a number of take over rumours.

During its independence, CP Ships operated its seven distinct brands (Ivaran and CCAL were not operated as brands after takeover but were absorbed into the Lykes brand) and used the slogan "Regional Focus, Global Scale." However, prior to being bought out by Hapag Lloyd, CP Ships had already made the decision to get rid of the brand identities and operate solely with the CP Ships brand. For the CP Ships brand they had mostly unlogoed CPSU brown dry box containers (some had the flag on the back door but no wording) as well as refrigerated containers.

TUI AG-Hapag-Lloyd

On August 21, 2005, German

Germany

conglomerate

Conglomerate (company)

A conglomerate is a combination of two or more corporations engaged in entirely different businesses that fall under one corporate structure , usually involving a parent company and several subsidiaries. Often, a conglomerate is a multi-industry company...

TUI AG

TUI AG is a German multinational travel and tourism company headquartered in Hanover. Until 2001 it was an industrial and transportation company named Preussag AG, which in the mid-1990s decided to reinvent itself as a tourism, shipping, and logistics company...

offered to acquire CP Ships Limited for €

Euro

The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...

1.7 billion (US$2.0 billion) in cash, and merge it with TUI's Hapag-Lloyd

Hapag-Lloyd

Hapag-Lloyd is a German transportation company comprising a cargo container shipping line, Hapag-Lloyd AG, which in turn owns other subsidiaries such as Hapag-Lloyd Ships and a cruise line, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises which is now integrated into TUI AG, Hanover...

division.

On August 30, 2005, Ship Acquisition Incorporated, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of TUI AG made a formal offer for 100% of CP Ships shares. The deal was approved by the boards of both CP Ships and TUI AG and was presented to CP Ships shareholders for approval.

On October 19, 2005 CP Ships and TUI AG jointly announced that 89.1% of CP Ships shareholders, representing 84,095,325 common shares, had accepted Ship Acquisition Inc.'s August 30 offer. The shares were to be taken up the next day, followed by payment of $21.50 USD per share on October 25, 2005. Following the purchase and merger, TUI AG's combined Hapag-Lloyd and CP Ships fleet will comprise the fifth largest by capacity in the worldwide container shipping market.

International identifiers

SCAC codes

CP Ships (UK) Limited: CPSU
CP Ships USA, LLC: CPSP
Hapag-Lloyd: HLCU and HLXU

Operator Codes

CP Ships (UK) Limited: CPS
CP Ships USA, LLC: CPP
Hapag-Lloyd: HLL

9000 Series Codes

Hapag-Lloyd: 9529

BIC Codes

CP Ships: CPSU
Hapag-Lloyd: HLCU, HLXU
ex Australian New Zealand Direct Line: AZLU
ex CAST Line: CASU
ex Canada Maritime: CMUU
ex Contship Containerlines
Contship Containerlines
Contship Containerlines was a global container carrier operating from 1969 to 2005 in the India/Pakistan, Levant, Australia/New Zealand, South America and Asia trade, mainly to and from Europe....

: CSQU, HAMU, PLVU, CLGU, TLEU, PSBU, PCRU, FANU (Fantainer)
ex Flota Mercante Grancolombiana: FMGU
ex Ivaran Lines
Ivaran Lines
Ivarans Rederi AS was a merchant steamship company founded in Norway by Ivar Anton Christensen in 1902.The flag was red with a white "C" in the middle, for the founder's family name: Christensen ....

: IVLU
ex Italia Line: ITAU
ex Lykes Lines: LYKU
ex Tecomar: TEMU
ex Transportacion Martima Mexicana: TMMU

Head office

Earlier in its life, CP Ships had its head office at Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...

in the City of Westminster

City of Westminster

in London

London

. Later in its life, CP Ships had its head office at Gatwick Airport., in the City Place Gatwick

City Place Gatwick

office complex,
In 2004 the company announced that it would move its head office from Trafalgar Square to Gatwick. After Hapag-Lloyd

Hapag-Lloyd

acquired CP Ships, in 2006 Hapag-Lloyd announced it would cut 500 positions at Gatwick.

External links

CP Ships (Archive)
White Empress fleet list: 20 vessels
New York Public Library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...

Digital Gallery:
- NYPL ID 97712, unknown photographer: Empress of Canada, portside view
- NYPL ID 97717, unknown photographer: Empress of Scotland, starboard view

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Canadian Pacific Railway

Canadian Pacific Steamships

Fleet expansion

Notable CP figures

CP Ships

TUI AG-Hapag-Lloyd

International identifiers

Head office

See also

Further reading

External links