The SS Bulgaria was a notable early 20th-century passenger-cargo steamer built in 1898 by Blohm & Voss in Steinwerder, Germany, for the Hamburg-American Line (Hapag). Constructed with a steel hull, Bulgaria measured approximately 501 feet 4 inches (152.8 meters) in length, with a beam of 62 feet 2 inches (18.9 meters) and a draft of 30 feet 10 inches (9.4 meters). Her hold depth was 40 feet 6 inches (12.3 meters). She had a gross register tonnage of 10,237, net register tonnage of 7,305, and a deadweight capacity of 13,000 long tons. Designed to serve as a passenger and cargo vessel, Bulgaria featured accommodations for 300 second-class passengers and 2,400 third-class passengers, manned by a crew of 89. Powered by twin quadruple-expansion steam engines with cylinders ranging from 21 to 66.5 inches and a 48-inch stroke, steam was supplied by two double-ended and two single Scotch boilers operating at 200 psi. This propulsion system produced about 4,200 indicated horsepower, enabling her to reach a service speed of approximately 13 knots. Bulgaria was equipped with ten watertight bulkheads, four decks, two masts, and a single smokestack, reflecting her robust design for transatlantic voyages. Her service history began with her maiden voyage from Hamburg to Halifax and New York on April 10, 1898. She quickly gained a reputation for resilience, notably surviving a severe hurricane in February 1899 that caused extensive damage, including the loss of her rudder and multiple hatches, and the tragic trampling of over 100 horses on her deck. Despite the ordeal, Bulgaria was rescued by nearby ships, and her crew and passengers were commended for their conduct. She contributed significantly to immigration, notably recording a record 20,729 immigrants arriving in New York in 1907. In 1913, after brief service under the name SS Canada for Unione Austriaca, she reverted to Bulgaria and resumed her Hamburg–Baltimore route. With the outbreak of World War I, her service was suspended, and she was laid up in Baltimore. Seized by the U.S. government in 1917, she was repurposed as a cargo and animal transport under the names USAT Hercules and USAT Philippines. Postwar, she served as a U.S. troop transport USS Philippines (ID-1677), helping to repatriate American soldiers from France. Decommissioned in 1919, she was converted into a merchant cargo ship, renamed SS Philippines, and operated briefly in Europe before being laid up and ultimately broken up in 1924. Bulgaria’s extensive service history and resilience highlight her significance in maritime history, especially as a vessel that endured through major historical events and contributed to transatlantic immigration and wartime logistics.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.