The SS Antigua was a United Fruit Company passenger and refrigerated cargo liner, completed as part of a series of six nearly identical ships built between 1931 and 1932. Constructed at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation’s Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts, Antigua was the first of the series built by Bethlehem, featuring advanced design elements to accommodate both banana cargo and passenger service. The vessel measured approximately 7,035 gross register tons (GRT), with an overall length of 447 feet 10 inches and a beam of 60 feet. Its design included a displacement of about 10,928 tons at waterline, with a draft of 24 feet. Antigua was powered by Babcock & Wilcox boilers and General Electric turbo-electric transmission, enabling a service speed of 17.5 knots, with trial speeds reaching up to 19 knots. The ship was equipped with large refrigerated cargo holds—16 compartments located in two insulated holds forward and two aft, with York Ice Machinery refrigeration units—designed to carry bananas, general cargo, and perishable items like meat at low temperatures. Its passenger accommodations were luxurious for a cargo liner, with a capacity of up to 113 first-class passengers, and amenities such as a swimming pool and a deck ballroom, reflecting ocean liner features. Originally operating on routes between San Francisco and Central America, Antigua later shifted to a route from New York to Cuba and Guatemala. The vessel was also designed for mail and valuables transportation, including a specialized mail compartment and a bullion room. In 1941, Antigua was delivered to the War Shipping Administration and designated as the Mizar-class stores ship AF-17, though it never received a naval crew or was fully commissioned. During World War II, it operated under WSA, with modifications including armament for defense. Postwar, Antigua resumed commercial service in the Caribbean and Central America. In 1957, the ship was sold to Swedish owners and renamed Tortuga, continuing operation until she was scrapped in 1964. Antigua’s design, combining cargo refrigeration, passenger amenities, and wartime utility, highlights her significance as a versatile vessel of the interwar and wartime periods.

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