WesWorld

The French merchant fleet consists of almost 2,000 ships over 500 GRT, and about 800 over 1000 GRT. Its total capacity is 2,900,000 GRT.

SS Marianne, 1934

French Passenger Liner laid down 1934

Displacement:
48,425 t light; 49,722 t standard; 64,838 t normal; 76,930 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
1,049.29 ft / 1,033.47 ft x 98.43 ft (Bulges 111.55 ft) x 32.81 ft (normal load)
319.82 m / 315.00 m x 30.00 m (Bulges 34.00 m) x 10.00 m

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Ends: Unarmoured

- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
0.91" / 23 mm 754.59 ft / 230.00 m 32.81 ft / 10.00 m

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Electric motors, 6 shafts, 322,408 shp / 240,516 Kw = 36.00 kts
Range 5,050nm at 36.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 27,208 tons

Complement:
2,031 - 2,641

Cost:
£14.695 million / $58.780 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Armour: 829 tons, 1.3 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 829 tons, 1.3 %
- Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 9,275 tons, 14.3 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 22,171 tons, 34.2 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 16,413 tons, 25.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 16,150 tons, 24.9 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
121,681 lbs / 55,194 Kg = 1,126.7 x 6 " / 152 mm shells or 13.0 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.18
Metacentric height 6.7 ft / 2.0 m
Roll period: 18.1 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.00
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.600
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.26 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 36.52 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 52 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 35
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 15.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 59.06 ft / 18.00 m
- Forecastle (22 %): 45.93 ft / 14.00 m
- Mid (50 %): 45.93 ft / 14.00 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 37.73 ft / 11.50 m (45.93 ft / 14.00 m before break)
- Stern: 39.37 ft / 12.00 m
- Average freeboard: 45.98 ft / 14.01 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 93.2 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 334.0 %
Waterplane Area: 77,537 Square feet or 7,203 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 182 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 147 lbs/sq ft or 718 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.90
- Longitudinal: 2.57
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, rides out heavy weather easily


200 First Class passengers (at 18.88 tons per)
400 Second Class passengers (at 9.44 tons per)
2000 Steerage Class passengers (at 3.54 tons per)

Cargo - 1200 tons
Surface search radar - 20 tons
Misc - 298 tons



SS Normandie, 1930

Normandie, French Passenger Liner laid down 1930

Displacement:
38,632 t light; 39,575 t standard; 47,146 t normal; 53,202 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
922.57 ft / 885.83 ft x 91.86 ft (Bulges 101.71 ft) x 33.30 ft (normal load)
281.20 m / 270.00 m x 28.00 m (Bulges 31.00 m) x 10.15 m

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Ends: Unarmoured

- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
0.39" / 10 mm 623.36 ft / 190.00 m 32.81 ft / 10.00 m

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 217,177 shp / 162,014 Kw = 34.00 kts
Range 4,000nm at 32.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 13,627 tons

Complement:
1,599 - 2,079

Cost:
£9.507 million / $38.029 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Armour: 298 tons, 0.6 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 298 tons, 0.6 %
- Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 6,581 tons, 14.0 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 16,573 tons, 35.2 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 8,514 tons, 18.1 %
Miscellaneous weights: 15,180 tons, 32.2 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
76,453 lbs / 34,679 Kg = 707.9 x 6 " / 152 mm shells or 7.1 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.04
Metacentric height 4.8 ft / 1.5 m
Roll period: 19.5 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.00
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.550
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.71 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 34.14 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 35
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 30.00 degrees
Stern overhang: -6.56 ft / -2.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 63.65 ft / 19.40 m
- Forecastle (25 %): 43.96 ft / 13.40 m
- Mid (70 %): 43.96 ft / 13.40 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 43.96 ft / 13.40 m
- Stern: 43.96 ft / 13.40 m
- Average freeboard: 45.93 ft / 14.00 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 103.5 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 309.6 %
Waterplane Area: 59,125 Square feet or 5,493 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 165 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 132 lbs/sq ft or 645 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.86
- Longitudinal: 3.98
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, rides out heavy weather easily

200 First Class passengers (at 17.6 tons per)
400 Second Cllass passengers (at 8.8 tons per)
2,000 Steerage Class passengers (at 3.3 tons per) 6600

Cargo - 1200 tons
Surface search Radar - 40 tons
Misc - 300 tons



Equipped with an early model RADAR as a navigation aid.

Compagnie de Navigation Mixte

Founded in Marseilles in 1850 with sailing craft equipped with auxiliary engines, hence the name of the company, to operate cargo and passenger services between Marseilles and North Africa. In 1853 operations were extended to South America, but this ceased in 1857 due to lack of trade. A service to the West Coast of Africa was inaugurated in 1894 but the company's main sphere of operations was the Mediterranean.

Routes:

from 1850: Marseilles - Mediterranean and North African ports.
from 1853-1857: Marseilles - South America.
from 1894: Marseilles - West Africa

Fleet: in Gross tonnage

SS Caid, built 1867, 1,121 tons
SS Djebel Amour, built 1931, 2,908 tons
SS Djebel Aures, built 1929, 2,835 tons
SS Djebel Dira, built 1930, 2,835 tons
SS Djebel Nador, built 1937, 3,168 tons
SS Djemila, built 1909, 2,361 tons
SS El Biar, built 1927, 4,564 tons
SS El Djezair, built 1933, 5,790 tons
SS El Kantara, built 1932, 5,079 tons
SS El Mansour, built 1932, 5,818 tons
SS Gouverneur General Cambon, built 1922, 3,509 tons
SS Gouverneur General Lepine, built 1922, 3,509 tons
SS Gouverneur General Tirman, built 1922, 3,509 tons
SS Henri Estier, built 1933, 1,984 tons
SS La Marsa I, built 1891, 2,054 tons
SS La Marsa II, built 1909, 2,734 tons
SS Le Cettois, built 1872, 997 tons
SS Lieutenant Fournaud, built 1901, 2,317 tons
SS Manouba, built 1889, 3,236 tons
SS Mansoura, built, 1891, 2,565 tons
SS Mecanicien Moutte, built 1918, 1,570 tons
SS Moulouya, built 1890, 2,133 tons
SS Oasis, built 1937, 1,327 tons
SS Tafna I, built 1890, 1,398 tons
SS Tell II, built 1938, 1,349 to

Compagnie des Chargeurs Reunis, Havre

Formed in 1872 to operate a service between Havre and Brazil and the River Plate. In 1883 the company acquired the Societe Postale de l'Atlantique which ran a service to Canada and in 1889 commenced a new service to the west coast of Africa. The Compagnie Commerciale des Transports a Vapeur Francais was taken over in 1894 and Chargeurs Reunis thus acquired their services to New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. A new route to South Africa and Madagascar opened in 1896 and lasted until 1905, and a service from Dunkirk to Saigon and Haiphong started in 1901. During 1905 a 'round the world' route was opened from European ports to China and Japan, across the Pacific to Hawaii and the West coast of the USA, Mexico, Punta Arenas, Montevideo and Europe, but ceased in 1911. In May 1928 agreement was reached with the Polish Government for the opening of an emigrant service from Gdynia to Brazil and Argentina and this continued until 1931. In 1929 the company entered the fruit trade and built a fleet of special ships to carry bananas from Africa to France.

Routes:

From 1883: Le Harve - Canada
From 1889: Le Harve - France West Africa
From 1894: Le Harve - New Orleans
From 1896 - 1905: Le Harve - South Africa - Madagascar
From 1901: Dunkirk - Saigon - Haiphong
From 1905 - 1911: Le Harve - China - Japan - Hawaii - American West Coast - Mexico - Punta Arenas - Montevideo - Europe.
From 1928 - 1931: Gdynia - Brazil - Argentina

Fleet: in Gross tonnage

SS Aden, built 1918, 8,190 tons
SS Adrar, built 1920, 5,872 tons
SS Amerique, built 1912, 8,386 tons
SS Amiral Duperre, built 1901, 5,037 tons
SS Amiral Fourichon, built 1901, 5,045 tons
SS Ganteaume, built 1901, 4,505 tons
SS Amiral Jaurequiberry, built 1902, 5,037 tons
SS Amiral Latouche Treville, built 1903, 5,573 tons
SS Amiral Nielly, built 1904, 5,573 tons
SS Amiral Ponty, built 1904, 5,571 tons
SS Amiral Rigault de Genouilly, built 1903, 5,410 tons
SS Amiral Sallandrouze de Lamornaix, built 1904, 5,408 tons
SS Amiral Troude, built 1903, 5,615 tons
SS Amiral Villaret de Joyeuse, built 1912, 5,927 tons
SS Ango, built 1913, 7,393 tons
SS Asie, built 1914, 8,561 tons
SS Aurigny, built 1917, 9,588 tons
SS Bangkok, built 1919, 8,056 tons
SS Baoule, built 1921, 5,874 tons
SS Belle Isel, built 1917, 9,591 tons
SS Bougainville, built 1913, 7,293 tons
SS Camranh, built 1932, 11,700 tons
SS Casamance, built 1921, 5,817 tons
SS Ceylan, built 1907, 7,176 tons
SS Cholon, built 1897, 4,317 tons
SS Dahomey, built 1920, 5,851 tons
SS D'entrecasteaux, built 1921, 7,291 tons
SS Desirade, built 1921, 9,645 tons
SS D'Iberville, built 1922, 7,676 tons
SS Doba, built 1937, 7,096 tons
SS Dupleix, built 1913, 7,418 tons
SS Europe, built 1906, 4,769 tons
SS Forbin, built 1922, 7,291 tons
SS Formose, built 1921, 9,975 tons
SS Fort Archambault, built 1917, 5,549 tons
SS Fort Binger, built 1917, 5,250 tons
SS Fort de Douamount, built 1918, 5,266 tons
SS Fort de Souville, built 1919, 5,229 tons
SS Fort de Troyon, built 1919, 5,206 tons
SS Fort de Vaux, built 1919, 5,186 tons
SS Fort Lamy, built 1919, 5,234 tons
SS Fort Medine, built 1919, 5,355 tons
SS Groix, built 1922, 9,975 tons
SS Guichen, built 1921, 7,677 tons
SS Halgan, built 1921, 7,677 tons
SS Henri Poincare, built 1925, 11,348 tons
SS Hoedic, built 1922, renamed Foucauld I in 1929, 9,975 tons
SS Jamaique, built 1921, 10,123 tons
SS Jouffroy D'abbans, built 1923, renamed Cap Tourane in 1925, 7,676 tons
SS Kaa, built 1936, 783 tons
SS Kakoulima, built 1933, 3,723 tons
SS Katiola, built 1935, 3,891 tons
SS Kerguelen, built 1920, 10,123 tons
SS Kersaint, built 1921, renamed Cap Varelle in 1926, 7,677 tons
SS Kindia, built 1919, 1,972 tons
SS Kita, built 1936, 3,894 tons
SS Kolente, built 1924, 3,723 tons
SS Linois, built 1907, 7,473 tons
SS Lipari, built 1921, 9,954 tons
SS Malte, built 1907, renamed Krakus, for Gdynia - South American emigrant service in 1928, 8,223 tons
SS Ouessant, built 1908, remaned Swiatovid, for Gdynia - South American emigrant service in 1928, 8,497 tons