The SS Vigrid was a Norwegian steam-powered cargo vessel constructed in 1915 by Bergens Mekaniske Verksted in Bergen, Norway. She was launched on October 29, 1915, and completed the following month, designated with yard number 191. The ship measured 74.5 meters (244 feet 5 inches) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 11.5 meters (37 feet 9 inches) and a draught of 4.8 meters (15.8 feet). Her propulsion was provided by a single triple-expansion steam turbine engine generating 885 indicated horsepower (660 kW). With a gross register tonnage (GRT) of 1,617 and a net register tonnage (NRT) of 951, Vigrid was a vessel of modest size but vital function during her active years. During World War I, Vigrid operated under the command of Captain H. M. Jensen, initially owned by Anton Barth von der Lippe’s shipping company in Tønsberg. In August 1917, she was acquired by Johan Waage’s D/S A/S Vigrid of Bergen. Despite Norway’s official neutrality, her merchant fleet played a crucial role in supplying the United Kingdom, with over 2,000 vessels supporting the war effort. The Norwegian merchant navy suffered significant losses, nearly halving its fleet, with 1,892 sailors killed. On December 31, 1917, the Vigrid was torpedoed without warning by the German U-boat U-95, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Athalwin Prinz, in the English Channel, approximately 10 nautical miles west-north-west of Rundelstone Buoy. At the time, she was en route from Barry, Wales, to Rouen, France, carrying 2,102 tons of coal. The attack resulted in the sinking of the vessel, with five crew members lost, including three Swedish citizens, while the captain and thirteen crewmen survived, reaching Penzance, Cornwall. The U-95 was lost shortly thereafter, on January 16, 1918, with all 36 crew members, near Hardelot, France, after sinking 14 ships during her service. The sinking of Vigrid underscores the peril faced by neutral nations’ merchant ships during the war and highlights the strategic importance and vulnerability of maritime supply 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.