The SS Gjøa was a steam-powered cargo vessel constructed in 1906 by J. L. Thompson & Sons at their North Sands shipyard in Sunderland, England. Launched on November 29, 1906 (yard number 449), the ship was delivered to her owner, Harald Eie of Bergen, in January 1907 after successful sea trials. She measured 346 feet 5 inches (105.59 meters) in length between perpendiculars and had a beam of 50 feet 8 inches (15.44 meters). Her mean draft was 22 feet 9 inches (6.93 meters). The vessel's hull was made of steel, and she was rated at 3,645 gross register tons (GRT), 2,364 net register tons (NRT), and had a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 6,200. Powered by a single triple-expansion steam engine with cylinders measuring 24½ inches, 40 inches, and 66 inches in diameter and a 45-inch stroke, the Gjøa's engine produced 307 nhp. This propulsion system drove a single screw propeller, enabling the ship to reach speeds of up to 11 knots (approximately 12.7 mph). Immediately after her delivery, Gjøa was chartered for cargo transport to South America. Her maiden voyage commenced from Sunderland on January 19, 1907, with a stop at Port Talbot on January 23 for loading. She was loaded with £40,000 worth of dynamite and coal, then departed for Iquique, calling at Madeira on February 17 and proceeding via Cape Verde Islands. On February 24, 1907, the Gjøa ran aground on a reef off the island of Maio. Over the following two weeks, her crew discharged most of her cargo into Praia's harbor, except for 600 tons of dynamite that had to be jettisoned. The ship sustained significant damage, with water entering all her holds and her bottom severely compromised. Despite efforts to refloat her, she remained grounded in an exposed position and ultimately broke up and was abandoned in early April 1907. The Gjøa’s brief but eventful service history underscores her role as a cargo vessel in early 20th-century maritime trade, particularly in the context of North Atlantic and South American routes.

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