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ITALIA / KUNGSHOLM / JOHN ERICSSON / IMPERIAL BAHAMA HOTEL 1928 The ITALIA of 1950 was built as the KUNGSHOLM (2) for the Swedish American Line in 1928. Built by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (engines by Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen), she was a 21,532 gross ton motorship, length overall 609.2ft x beam 78.2ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 17 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 115-1st, 490-2nd and 970-3rd class. Launched on 17/3/1928, she sailed from Gothenburg on her maiden voyage to New York on 24/11/1928. In April 1932 she was refitted to carry 1st, tourist and 3rd class passengers and on 5/10/1939 commenced her last Gothenburg - New York voyage. Subsequently she was used until December 1941 on New York - West Indies cruises. She was bought by the US government on 13/12/1941, renamed JOHN ERICSSON and served as a US troopship. On 7/5/1946 she was chartered by United States Line and commenced New York - Southampton sailings. In February 1947 she commenced her eighth and last crossing from Southampton to Havre, Cobh and New York and on 7/3/1947 was damaged by fire in New York and repurchased by Swedish American Line. Sailed from New York for Genoa on 21/11/1947 and was refitted and acquired by Home Lines of Panama and renamed ITALIA. After refit, she was 16,777 gross tons and with accommodation for 226-1st, 296-cabin and 800-tourist class passengers. On 8/4/1948 she commenced her first voyage from Genoa to South America, and on 12/6/1979 started her first Genoa - Naples - Lisbon - New York voyage. In 1952 she was altered to carry 213-1st and 1,106-tourist class and on 14/3/1952 started her first New York - Hamburg crossing. On 29/3/1952 she started sailings between Hamburg, Southampton, Halifax and New York and in 1958 was altered to carry 140-1st and 1,150-tourist class. She started her first Cuxhaven - Zeebrugge - Havre - Southampton - Quebec voyage on 23/4/1959 and her first Cuxhaven - Havre - Southampton - Quebec - Montreal voyage on 23/5/1959. Her last Montreal - Quebec - Southampton - Havre - Cuxhaven - Havre - Southampton - Halifax - New York round voyage commenced 28/11/1960 and she then did a single crossing from New York to Halifax, Lisbon, Naples and Piraeus. On 4/9/1962 she resumed sailing between New York, Halifax, Lisbon, Naples, Piraeus, Messina, Naples and New York and subsequently sailed between New York and the Bahamas. In 1964 she became the IMPERIAL BAHAMA HOTEL at Freeport, Grand Bahama Island and on 8/9/1965 arrived at Bilbao where she was scrapped. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P. Bonsor, vol.4,p.1461
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