History of MS Stockholm (1946) in Timeline

MS Stockholm, a Swedish American Line ocean liner built in 1946, is most notable for its accidental collision with the Andrea Doria in July 1956. The collision resulted in the sinking of the Andrea Doria off Nantucket, Massachusetts, causing 46 deaths. Initially a transatlantic liner, the Stockholm was later rebuilt as a cruise ship. The incident remains a significant maritime disaster.

1941: Proceeds from Stockholm III sale used

After the 1941 Stockholm was sunk during the war, the proceeds from Stockholm III's sale to the Italians were later used to finance the construction of the ship.

1944: Ship ordered

In 1944, the ship that would become the MS Stockholm was ordered.

September 1946: Launched as Stockholm

In September 1946, the ship was launched as Stockholm by Götaverken in Gothenburg for the Swedish America Line (SAL).

February 1948: Maiden voyage

On 21 February 1948, the MS Stockholm made her maiden voyage from Gothenburg to New York, under the command of Captain Waldemar Jonsson, arriving on March 1.

1952: Joined by MS Kungsholm

In 1952, the Stockholm was joined by the new MS Kungsholm on the transatlantic route.

1953: Capacity expanded; occasional cruises begin

In 1953, the Stockholm's capacity was expanded to 548 people, and the Swedish American Line started scheduling her for occasional cruises out of Morehead City, North Carolina.

February 1955: Used to deport Arne Pettersen

In February 1955, the Stockholm was used to deport Arne Pettersen, the last person to go through Ellis Island, to Gothenburg, Sweden.

July 1956: Collision with Andrea Doria

In July 1956, the Stockholm was involved in an accidental collision with the Andrea Doria off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, which led to the sinking of the Italian liner and 46 fatalities.

1956: Refit adds cinema and pool

A refit in 1956-57 added a cinema to the deck forward end of the main superstructure, and an outdoor pool aft on the Stockholm.

1957: Sailing with new MS Gripsholm

In 1957, MS Gripsholm started sailing and Stockholm was started to be seen as too small and not meeting the current standards of the line.

May 1959: Sold to German company

In May 1959, the Stockholm was sold to an unidentified German company.

1959: Ship's bell recovered

In 1959, the damaged ship's bell of the Stockholm was recovered from the Andrea Doria wreck site.

January 1960: Transferred to East German government

On 3 January 1960, the Stockholm was transferred to the East German government for 20 million Swedish krona and renamed Völkerfreundschaft.

February 1960: New maiden voyage as Völkerfreundschaft

On 23 February 1960, the Völkerfreundschaft made her new maiden voyage and was home-ported in Rostock, Germany.

1960: Transferred to new company

In 1960, the Stockholm was transferred to the new German company.

1961: Ports restricted to communist countries

In 1961, after the Berlin Wall was erected, all ports were restricted to communist countries only, which greatly limited the Völkerfreundschaft's sailing routes.

1964: Management by Free German Trade Union Federation

In 1964, management of the Völkerfreundschaft was transferred to the Free German Trade Union Federation, but it was chartered out to western European countries.

1967: Chartered to Stena Line

In 1967, Stena Line chartered the Völkerfreundschaft for Swedish passengers for half of the year, annually.

1968: Collision with Bundesmarine submarine chaser Najade

In 1968, the Bundesmarine submarine chaser Najade rammed the Völkerfreundschaft during its rescue of East German defector Manfred Semmig.

1970: Defection near Florida Keys

In 1970, a machinist and three medical researchers leapt off the Cuba-bound Völkerfreundschaft near the Florida Keys and were rescued by a small boat.

1975: Losses between 1975 and 1980

Between 1975 and 1980, the Völkerfreundschaft suffered losses that reached 70 million East German marks.

1979: Appearance in East German film

In 1979, the Völkerfreundschaft appeared as the luxury liner Astoria in the East German film "Die Rache des Kapitäns Mitchell" [de], where she collides with a coal freighter in fog.

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1980: Losses between 1975 and 1980

Between 1975 and 1980, the Völkerfreundschaft suffered losses that reached 70 million East German marks.

January 1983: Collision with West German Navy submarine U-26

On 21 January 1983, the Völkerfreundschaft collided with the West German Navy submarine U-26 in the Baltic Sea off the Fehmarn Belt.

1985: Sold due to age and losses

In 1985, the Völkerfreundschaft was sold due to its age and continued losses.

1985: Transferred to Panamanian company and renamed

In 1985, the Völkerfreundschaft was transferred to a Panamanian company, Neptunas Rex Enterprises, its name was reduced to Volker, and it was laid up in Southampton, England. The ship was then renamed Fridtjof Nansen and used as a barracks ship in Oslo.

1989: Sold to Star Lauro Lines

In 1989, ex-Stockholm was sold to the Italian Star Lauro Lines, who intended to convert the liner into a luxury cruise ship.

1993: Towed to Genoa

In 1993, the ship was towed to a shipyard in Genoa, Italy, but was labeled "the ship of death" due to the collision with Andrea Doria.

1994: Refit completion

Following the completion of the refit in 1994, the ship was named Italia I, then Italia Prima, later sailing as Valtur Prima primarily to Cuba.

2002: Chartered by Festival Cruises

In 2002, the ship was chartered by Festival Cruises for a five-year period and was renamed Caribe.

2004: Sold to Portuguese-based operator

In 2004, the Festival Cruises plans fell through and the Caribe was sold to a Portuguese-based operator.

2005: Renamed Athena

In 2005, the Caribe was renamed Athena and registered in Portugal. She was later reflagged to Cyprus, operating for Classic International Cruises.

October 2006: Caught in hurricanes

In October 2006, on a transatlantic cruise, the Athena was caught in two violent hurricanes, causing a fatality and passenger mutiny threats. The ship safely arrived in Halifax before continuing to New York.

December 3, 2008: Attacked by pirates

On December 3, 2008, the Athena was attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, but the crew prevented boarding using water cannons, and a US Navy aircraft caused the pirates to flee.

2009: Chartered to Phoenix Reisen

In 2009, the Athena was chartered to German cruise operator Phoenix Reisen and repainted.

September 2012: Detained in Marseille

On 17 September 2012, the Athena was detained in Marseille, France, for unpaid fuel bills.

2013: Bought by Portuscale Cruises and renamed

Early in 2013, the Athena was bought by Portuscale Cruises, renamed Azores, revamped in Marseille, and entered Portuscale Cruises service after a charter.

March 2014: Charter begins

In March 2014, the charter began with a cruise from Lisbon, Portugal, to Bremerhaven, Germany.

November 2014: Charter concludes

In November 2014, the charter concluded in Genoa, Italy.

January 2015: First voyage

In January 2015, Azores' first voyage was from Avonmouth Docks to the Caribbean.

April 2015: Blocked from port

In April 2015, the ship was blocked from port due to unpaid debts, stranding passengers aboard until the issue was resolved.

March 2016: Service as Astoria begins

In March 2016, the ship began service as Astoria.

March 2016: Renamed Astoria

In March 2016, the ship was renamed Astoria by Cruise & Maritime Voyages.

May 2016: Subchartered to Rivages du Monde

From May 2016, the Astoria was subchartered to French tour operator Rivages du Monde.

June 2016: Departure from CMV fleet announced

In June 2016, CMV announced that Astoria would be leaving the CMV fleet after her final cruise on April 27, 2017, from London Tilbury.

February 2017: Astoria to remain in CMV fleet

In February 2017, CMV announced that Astoria would remain in the CMV fleet until 2018.

March 2017: Subcharter to Rivages du Monde ending

Until March 2017, the Astoria was subchartered to French tour operator Rivages du Monde.

April 27, 2017: Final cruise announced

In June 2016, CMV announced that Astoria would be leaving the CMV fleet after her final cruise on April 27, 2017, from London Tilbury.

2018: Astoria to remain in CMV fleet until 2018

In February 2017, CMV announced that Astoria would remain in the CMV fleet until 2018.

December 2019: Start of Winter Cruising

In December 2019, the Astoria began its winter cruising season in the Sea of Cortez from Puerto Peñasco, Mexico.

January 2020: End of Winter Cruising

In January 2020, the Astoria's winter cruising season, which began in December 2019, was cut short due to unspecified delays in dry dock.

June 2020: Crew Hunger Strike and Vessel Arrest

In June 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and CMV's bankruptcy, 47 Astoria crew members initiated a hunger strike, demanding unpaid wages and repatriation. Subsequently, the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency arrested the vessel in June 2020, preventing its departure without arranging repatriation for stranded foreign crew members.

September 2020: Stockholm's bow and anchors discovered

In September 2020, Atlantic Wreck Salvage discovered Stockholm's bow and anchors near Andrea Doria's final resting place.

December 2020: Astoria Laid Up in Rotterdam

In December 2020, the Astoria was towed to Rotterdam and laid up.

2020: Company ceases operations

In 2020, Cruise & Maritime Voyages ceased operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, after which the Astoria was laid up.

March 2021: Astoria Put Up for Auction

On March 1, 2021, the Astoria was put up for auction with a minimum sale price of €10 million.

July 2021: Astoria Purchased by The Roundtable LLC

In July 2021, The Roundtable LLC, an affiliate of Brock Pierce, purchased the Astoria, with plans to return it to service. They also acquired the Funchal with the intention of converting it to a hotelship.

July 2021: No Offers Received for Astoria Until July

Until July 2021, the auction of the Astoria that started in March 2021 received no offers. The ship remained in custody pending decisions by owners and creditors.

February 2022: Ship Breaks Loose and Crashes

In February 2022, the Astoria broke loose from her moorings during a storm and crashed into the container ship Seatrade Orange.

December 2022: Astoria Listed for Sale on Yachtworld

By December 2022, the Astoria was listed for sale on the online yacht sale platform Yachtworld, with the price reduced to $5 million.

January 2023: Owner Confirms Continued Sales Attempts

In January 2023, despite rumors of a scrap sale, Astoria's owner confirmed they were continuing their attempts to sell the ship for continued trading.

June 2025: Astoria Auctioned and Sold to Galloo

In June 2025, the Astoria, still laid up in Rotterdam, was again auctioned and sold for €200,000 to the sole bidder, the ship scrapping company Galloo, based at Ghent, Belgium.