Seas Shipping Company

Seas Shipping Company, owner of the Robin Line was founded in 1920 in New York City, New York. The Robin Line named all its ships starting with the word Robin. Robin Line was intercoastal fleet started as the predecessor of the Farrell Lines founded in 1948. James A. Farrell, Jr., and John J. Farrell, sons of James Augustine Farrell, president of US Steel founded the Robin Line.^[1]^[2]^[3] Robin Line had two major stock holders the Lewis family and the Farrell family. In 1933, the two families ended their partnership and became rivals. The Robin line entered the Africa trade routes, competing against the Farrell Line. The two companies remained rivals until the death of Arthur W. Lewis, Jr. in 1954. Robin Line was sold to Moore-McCormack Lines in 1957.^[4]^[5]

During World War II Seas Shipping Company was active in charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration.

Robin Line ports: New York, Walvis Bay, Luderitz, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Lourenço Marques, Beira, Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Zanzibar, Mombasa, Tamatave, Majunga, other Madagascar ports, and Mauritius.^[6]

World War II

Seas Shipping Company ships were used to help the World War II effort. During World War II Seas Shipping Company operated Merchant navy ships for the United States Shipping Board. During World War II Sword Line, Inc. was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. Seas Shipping Company operated Liberty ships and Victory ships for the merchant navy. The ship was run by its Seas Shipping Company crew and the US Navy supplied United States Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns and radio.^[7]^[8]^[9]

Ships

SS Eldena (1919)
SS Robin Doncaster (owned 1948 to 1957)
- type C2 ship with reefer storage and 12 passengers housing, for South Africa and East Africa service:^[6]
SS Robin Wentley ^[10]
SS Robin Locksley^[11]

SS Robin Tuxford
SS Robin Doncaster
SS Robin Kettering
SS Robin Sherwood
SS Robin Mowbray
SS Robin Goodfellow ^[12]
SS Robin Hood
SS Robin Trent
SS Robin Kirk
SS Robin Gray, scuttled in 1944 to make Omaha Beach breakwater.^[13]
SS Robin Moor
Empire Curlew (owned 1947 to 1957)

World war II ships

Victory ships

Liberty ships

Other

SS Empire Lynx, torpedoed November 3, 1942, sank by U-132 while with Convoy SC 107.
SS West Chetac, torpedoed and sunk September 24, 1942 by U-175^[15]
SS West Imboden, torpedoed and sunk April 21, 1942 by U-752^[16]

References

^ "James Farrell, Former Head of U.S. Steel Dies". Chicago Tribune. March 29, 1943. Retrieved 2016-07-05.
^ "J. A. Farrell Dies. U.S. Steel Ex-Head. Laborer at 15. President for 21 Years of World's Largest Industrial Concern. Dean of 'Foreign Trade'. Broke All Shipments Records. Urged Economic Front With Britain to Insure Peace". The New York Times. March 29, 1943. Retrieved 2016-07-05.
^ "John Farrell, 75, Of Ship Line Dies. His Fleet Helped to Develop U.S. Trade With Africa". The New York Times. April 23, 1966.
^ "House Flags of U.S. Shipping Companies: R". Crwflags.com.
^ "STABILIZATION DUE IN S. AFRICAN TRADE; Shipping Company Head Sees Currency Preference End Aiding Our Vessels". The New York Times. 25 June 1949. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
^ a b "Robin Line - Moore-McCormack Lines". Timetableimages.com.
^ "Sea Lane Vigilantes". www.armed-guard.com.
^ World War II U.S. Navy Armed Guard and World War II U.S. Merchant Marine, 2007-2014 Project Liberty Ship, Project Liberty Ship, P.O. Box 25846 Highlandtown Station, Baltimore, MD [1]
^ "Steamship Company Operators of American Flag Ships during World War II". www.usmm.org.
^ "ROBIN LOCKSLEY". Vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov.
^ "Robin Locksley". Moore-mccormack.com.
^ "ROBIN GOODFELLOW". Vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov.
^ SS Robin Gray (Blockship 381) (+1944), =Wrecksite.eu,2022-06-29
^ Capt. Walter W. Jaffee The Liberty Ships from A to Z. Glencannon Print, 2004, ISBN 978-1889901251
^ "West Chetac". uboat.net. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
^ "West Imboden". uboat.net. Retrieved 5 April 2023.