SS Andrea Doria

The SS Andrea Doria was an ocean liner for the Italian Line (Società di navigazione Italia) homeported in Genoa, Italy. Named after the 16th-century Genoese admiral Andrea Doria, the Andrea Doria had a gross tonnage of 29,100 and a capacity of about 1,200 passengers and 500 crew. For a country attempting to rebuild its economy and reputation after World War II, the Andrea Doria was an icon of Italian national pride. Of all Italy's ships at the time, Andrea Doria was the largest, fastest and supposedly safest. Launched on June 16, 1951, the ship undertook its maiden voyage on January 14, 1953.

Features

Andrea Doria had a length of 697 feet (212 m), a beam of 90 feet (27 m), and a gross tonnage of 29,100. The propulsion system consisted of steam turbines attached to twin screws, enabling the ship to achieve a service speed of 23 knots, with a top speed of 26 knots. Andrea Doria was not the largest vessel nor the fastest of its day: those distinctions went to the RMS Queen Elizabeth and the SS United States, respectively. Instead, Andrea Doria was designed for luxury. Since it sailed the southern Atlantic routes, Andrea Doria was the first ship to feature three outdoor swimming pools, one for each class (first, cabin, and tourist). The ship was capable of accommodating 218 first-class passengers, 320 cabin-class passengers, and 703 tourist-class passengers{{ref|LostLiners2}} on ten decks {{ref|Survivor1}}. With over $1 million spent on artwork and decor of the cabins and public rooms, including a life-size statue of Admiral Doria, many considered the ship to be one of the most beautiful ocean liners ever launched.

Related Topics:
Feet - M - Beam - Gross tonnage - Turbine - Screw - Knot - RMS ''Queen Elizabeth'' - SS ''United States'' - Swimming pool - First-class - Cabin-class - Tourist-class - $

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In a foreshadowing of its fate, the ship was also considered one of the safest of the time. Equipped with a double hull, Andrea Doria was divided into eleven watertight compartments. Any two of these could be filled with water without endangering the ship?s safety. The Andrea Doria also carried enough lifeboats to accommodate all passengers and crew. Furthermore, the ship was equipped with the latest early warning radar. However, even with its technological advantages, the ship had serious flaws related to seaworthiness and safety.

Related Topics:
Double hull - Watertight compartments - Lifeboat - Radar

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Confirming predictions obtained from model testing during Andrea Dorias design phase, the ship developed a huge whenever hit by any significant force. This was especially apparent during its maiden voyage, when Andrea Doria listed twenty-eight degrees after being hit by a large wave off Nantucket. The ship's tendency to list was accentuated when the ship's fuel tanks were nearly empty, which was usual at the end of a voyage {{ref|GreatOceanLiners1}}. The stability issue was one of the topics of focus during the investigations after the collision since the ship's stability was a factor in the crew's inability to use the lifeboats. The design parameters allowed the lowering of the lifeboats at a maximum 20 degrees. Beyond 20 degrees, up to half of the lifeboats could not be deployed.

Related Topics:
Degree - Large wave - Nantucket

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