Cosmopolitan Shipping Company Explained

Cosmopolitan Shipping Company
Foundation:	in New York City, United States
Defunct:	1982
Area Served:	East Coast, France and South America.
Industry:	Shipping, Passenger
Key People:	Granville Conway
Subsid:	America-France Line and Southern Cross Line

Cosmopolitan Shipping Company, also called the Cosmopolitan Line, was founded in 1916 in New York City. Cosmopolitan Shipping Company operated cargo and passenger service from New York City to Le Havre France and Antwerp. From 1919 to 1939 operated United States Shipping Board ships under a United States contract, called the America-France Line. Later Cosmopolitan Shipping Company also operated the Southern Cross Line that served the east coast of South America.^[1] Southern Cross Line operated cargo ship with some passenger accommodations. ^[2]

In 1939 Cosmopolitan Shipping Company lost the America-France Line contract to Southgate Nelson Corporation. Southgate Nelson Corporation operated the Oriole Line and Hampton Roads-Yankee Line.^[3] In 1939 Cosmopolitan Shipping Company lost the Southern Cross Line to Westfal-Larsen & Company. Westfal-Larsen & Company also operated the Interocean Line and County Line. ^[2]

During World War II Cosmopolitan Shipping Company operated Merchant navy ships for the United States Shipping Board. During World War II Cosmopolitan Shipping Company was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration.Cosmopolitan Shipping Company operated Liberty ships for the merchant navy. The ship was run by its Cosmopolitan Shipping Company crew and the US Navy supplied United States Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns and radio.

Granville Conway (1898–1969) departed the War Shipping Administration to head the Cosmopolitan Shipping Company in 1947.^{[4] [5]}

Post war Cosmopolitan Shipping Company chartered Norway ships, rather American. In 1982 Cosmopolitan Shipping Company exited the shipping market. ^[1]

Ships

• Ships:
  • Heron's Bridge, T2-SE-A1 tanker^[6]
  • Eastern Crag
  • Olen, torpedo sank in 1941^[7]
  • West Hematite, torpedo sank in 1942 as SS Irish Pine^[8]
  • SS West Eldara
  • West Arrow, later called SS Black Osprey torpedoed and sunk in 1941
  • Schodack, 1919 cargo, later called SS Alcoa Leader^[9]
  • Halma, was sunk presumably by a mine off Nova Scotia July 1943^[10]
  • Collamer, U-Boat sank in 1942^[11]
  • William W. McKee^[12]
• Norwegian ships:^[13]
  • Heina^[14]
  • Lista^[15]
  • Ronda^[16]
  • Hørda^[17]
• World War II ships:
  • SS Barren Hill T2 Tanker^{[18] [19]}
  • SS Horace H. Lurton
  • Donald W. Bain^[20]
  • Hilary A. Herbert^[21]
  • Henry L. Benning^[21]
  • Frederick W. Wood^[22]
  • Wilson Victory^[23]
  • Thomas W. Murray^[24]
  • Edward B. Haines^[25]
  • Mary Lyon^[26]
  • John W. Powell^[27]
  • Robert Battey^[28]
• SS Junius Smith

See also

• World War II United States Merchant Navy

External links

• Liberty Ships built by the United States Maritime Commission in World War II

Notes and References

1. Web site: House Flags of U.S. Shipping Companies: C. www.crwflags.com.
2. Web site: Westfal-Larsen & Co. A/S. www.theshipslist.com.
3. The Log, Volumes 31–33, 1939, page 7
4. Web site: Merchant seamen urged to stay aboard ship . 4 December 2008 . WSA Press Releases . usmm.org . 15 May 1946 .
5. Web site: Statement by the President on the World's Food Needs . 3 December 2008 . Woolley . John T. . Gerhard Peters . 28 February 1947 . The American Presidency Project . www.presidency.ucsb.edu.
6. Web site: Heron's Bridge. www.aukevisser.nl.
7. https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?238579 wrecksite SS Olen
8. https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?30800 wrecksite West Hematite
9. Web site: Schodack 1919 – SS Alcoa Leader.
10. The Battle of the Atlantic and Signals Intelligence: U–Boat Situations, edited by David Syrett, July 1943
11. https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?270997 wrecksite Collamer
12. Web site: LibShipsZ. www.mariners-l.co.uk.
13. Web site: Cosmopolitan Line – A/S J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi. www.timetableimages.com.
14. Web site: M/S Heina – Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939–1945. www.warsailors.com.
15. Web site: D/S Lista – Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939–1945. www.warsailors.com.
16. Web site: M/S Ronda – Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939–1945. www.warsailors.com.
17. Web site: D/S Hørda – Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939–1945. www.warsailors.com.
18. Web site: The S.S. Barren Hill. Royal National Lifeboat. Institution. lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org.
19. Web site: All Members Ship List. www.armed-guard.com.
20. Web site: LibShipsD. www.mariners-l.co.uk.
21. Web site: LibShipsH. www.mariners-l.co.uk.
22. Web site: LibShipsF. www.mariners-l.co.uk.
23. Web site: vicshipsT. www.mariners-l.co.uk.
24. Web site: LibShipsT. www.mariners-l.co.uk.
25. Web site: LibShipsE. www.mariners-l.co.uk.
26. Web site: LibShipsM. www.mariners-l.co.uk.
27. Web site: LibShipsJo. www.mariners-l.co.uk.
28. Web site: LibShipsR. www.mariners-l.co.uk.