Hamburg Atlantik Linie

The Fleets

This page covers Hamburg Atlantik Linie 1958-1966 / Deutsche Atlantik Linie 1968-1973 / Hanseatic Schiffahrts Gesellschaft 1968-1973

The Hamburg Atlantik Linie, was founded by Vernicos Eugenides in January 1958. Vernicos Eugenides was the adopted son of Eugen Eugenides, who had been the founder and president of Home Lines, manager became Axel Bitsch-Christensen. Home Lines acted as agents for Hamburg Atlantik Linie in the US.

The company acquired the three-funnelled Canadian Pacific Liner, Empress of Scotland (built as Empress of Japan in 1929). After substantial rebuilding into the more modern looking two-funnelled liner HANSEATIC (1), services began between Cuxhaven, Havre, Southampton and New York in July 1958. Home Lines withdrew their ship on the Hamburg-New York service, leaving Hamburg Atlantik with a monopoly on this route (Vernicos Eugenides was by then president of both Hamburg Atlantik and Home Lines). 1959 was Hamburg Atlantik's best year on the New York service, subsequently like other Lines they began to feel the competition of air traffic and in 1965 the number of round voyages had dropped to eight. In consequence the Hamburg Atlantik Linie increased its number of cruises.

In 1966 a fire broke out in the engine room of the HANSEATIC (1) and she was severely damaged and sold for scrap and the Hamburg Atlantik Linie was wound up.

In December 1965, a new company known as Deutsche Atlantik Linie was formed to finance a new ship. Axel Bitsch-Christensen, drew up a scheme to offer past passengers on HANSEATIC (1) shares in the new company. This was successful, and an order was placed for the 25,000 ton HAMBURG in November 1966.

The loss-making Shalom of Zim Lines was bought in 1967 by a third new company, the Hanseatic Schiffahrts Gesellschaft, and renamed HANSEATIC (2) and she was marketed for the Deutsche Atlantik Linie. She was joined by the new HAMBURG in 1969, by which time both ships were cruising full time, with annual positioning trips across the Atlantic. The company was by this time co-operating with Holland America Line, who were general agents for Deutsche America Line in the US, Canada and Mexico.

1973 was a difficult year for cruise operators, and HANSEATIC (2) was sold to Home Lines and renamed Doric. The HAMBURG was briefly renamed HANSEATIC (3), but was then sold to the Soviet Union (Black Sea Shipping Co.) in early 1974, becoming the Maksim Gorkiy.

Many thanks to Henk Jungerius and Ted Finch for their assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide.

Routes

• New York, Cobh, Plymouth, Southampton, Le Havre, Cuxhaven
• Cuxhaven, Le Havre, Southampton, New York
• Port Everglades, New York, Cherbourg, Southampton, Cuxhaven

Ships