SS Cleveland: Cargo and Cruises

In addition to the floating palaces like Imperator, Hamburg American Line (HAPAG) also operated many smaller, less glamorous, but highly profitable vessels.  Such ships, in fact, made up the bulk of most of the fleet.  In 1908, HAPAG owned a series of vessels designed to offer comfortable amenities for first class but had a large capacity for cargo and steerage passengers.  These vessels were built in a style then in vogue:  medium sized ships with two funnels and four masts (equipped with booms to handle cargo) arranged in a balanced profile.  The multitude of masts were meant to remind potential passengers of sailing vessels. 

SS Cleveland in New York harbor.  1:1250 scale model by Mercator.

The rival White Star Line built a quartet of ships, dubbed “the big four” which were popular and profitable.  HAPAGs’ vessels were competitive in design and accommodation.  They also carried American names in a successful effort to attract emigrants to HAPAG vessels.  These ships included Amerika, President Lincoln, George Washington, and Cincinnati.  The SS Cleveland is one of the most successful of these vessels.

Cleveland passing a freighter.

Cleveland entered service in 1909 on the Hamburg-New York service and also took wealthy passengers on cruises in the off season.  In 1912, she was involved in a collision on approach to New York when the harbor pilot quite literally dropped dead and left the ship without guidance. That was the most dramatic incident of her career.  Unlike many other German liners, Cleveland was in Hamburg at the outbreak of World War I and she spend the duration of the war laid up. 

Note the four masts with sets of cargo booms for handling cargo.

In 1919, she was seized by the Americans and used as a troop ship.  In 1920 she was briefly renamed King Alexander when sailed by the Byron Steamship Company on Mediterranean routes.  In 1923, she was sold to an American company and renamed Cleveland and sold once again in 1926 to her original owners, HAPAG. 

1:1250 scale model and Hamburg American Line advertisement for an around the world cruise, 1912-1913.

Once again under the German flag, she resumed the Hamburg-New York route until 1931 when she was laid up due to the Depression.  As passenger numbers declined during the 1930s, Cleveland was deemed excess tonnage and sold for scrap in 1933.

SS Cleveland (1909-1933) built for HAPAG by Bloom & Voss Shipbuilders, Hamburg, Germany.  16,960 gross tons; 607 feet long, 63 feet wide.  Steam quadruple expansion engines geared to twin screw.  Service speed 15.5 knots.  As built, 2,841 passengers (239 first class, 224 second class, 496 third class, 1,882 steerage).