The SS Maasdam (1921) was a Dutch turbine steamship constructed by Maatschappij voor Scheeps- en Werktuigbouw Fijenoord with yard number 289. Launched on 21 October 1920 and completed on 6 August 1921, she was an imposing ocean liner measuring 465.8 feet (142.0 meters) overall in length and 450.0 feet (137.2 meters) registered. Her beam was 58.2 feet (17.7 meters), with a depth of 37.2 feet (11.3 meters). The vessel’s tonnage was 8,812 GRT, 5,418 NRT, and 11,400 DWT, with cargo holds capable of holding 592,118 cubic feet of grain or 540,238 cubic feet of baled cargo. Her passenger accommodations initially included berths for 990, distributed across first, second, and steerage classes—14 in first class, 174 in second, and 802 in steerage. As part of a new generation of NASM ships, Maasdam was equipped with three Brown-Curtis steam turbines, built by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland. These turbines drove a single screw via double reduction gearing, generating 880 NHP or 4,200 shp, and enabling her to reach a modest speed of 13 knots. Originally she featured two funnels, although the second was a dummy. Maasdam primarily served routes between Rotterdam and the Caribbean, including trips that called at ports such as Antwerp, Bilbao, Havana, and Vera Cruz. Her service history included a notable fire incident off Spain in 1926, when she was about 400 nautical miles from the coast, caused by a blaze in her number 3 hold. She reached Vigo for repairs afterward. Her later career saw a reduction in passenger capacity, especially after her 1935 refit, which removed her dummy funnel and limited her to 90 berths—30 first class and 60 third class. During World War II, she was involved in convoy operations across the Atlantic. Tragically, on 27 June 1941, Maasdam was torpedoed by U-564 while leading Convoy HX 133 southwest of Iceland. The attack caused significant damage, resulting in her sinking after the crew abandoned ship. The sinking resulted in the loss of two passengers and many crew members, with survivors rescued by vessels including the Randa and Havprins. Maasdam’s sinking marked a notable event in her maritime history, exemplifying the peril faced by Allied merchant ships during the Battle of the Atlantic.

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