On September 11 1959 the ss Rotterdam finished her maiden voyage from Rotterdam to New York. Princess Beatrix used the maiden voyage to attend the Hudson festivities. 350 years ago Henry Hudson sailed on the river that afterwards was named after him. At 8 AM Princess Beatrix had been transfered to HMS Gelderland, that brought her ashore in Manhattan for the reception by the City of New York. At 10 AM the ss Rotterdam moored at the pier in Hoboken (New Jersey) to disembark the passengers. During the day the ss Rotterdam was brought to Pier 40 (under construction) in Manhattan to be shown to the press and travel agencies. On September 14 Prinses Beatrix attended a gala-diner on board the ss Rotterdam on behalf of the Hudson-committee. Shortly afterwards she flew back to Holand bij KLM. On September 18 the ss Rotterdam was brought back to Hoboken. Passengers boarded the ship for the return voyage to Rotterdam that started on September 22. On September 30 the ss Rotterdam returned in her homeport.
Picture taken from the maritime magazine De Blauwe Wimpel, October 1959
The ss Rotterdam at Pier 40 (under construction) in September 1959. Pictures taken by Harry Scheffer
Publisher Gbooksinternational produces a Delft blue plate (8 inches) and tile (6 by 6 inches) to commemorate the maiden voyage of the ss Rotterdam 60 years ago. Stephen Card designed both. The plate costs €60,- and the tile costs €30,-. Please contact info@gbooksinternational.nl for ordering.
Friends of steamship Rotterdam enjoy a reduction of 10%. Please contact info@stoomschiprotterdam.nl
60 years ago, on September 3 1959, the ss Rotterdam started her maiden voyage to New York. Princess Beatrix was on board to visit the Hudson-festivities, organized to commemorate that 350 years ago Henry Hudson sailed upon the river that in after years was named after him. Pictures of brochure and plate were taken by Jan -Willem Koene.
On August 20 a completely revised edtion of the book ‘Op reis met de Rotterdam Welcome on board’ has been published by Scriptum. The former edition dated from 2008. It has been updated with recent information and pictures. The book is written in dual language: Dutch and English. It can be obtained at the Lynbaanshop on the ss Rotterdam and in bookshops. The price is €12,50 (ISBN 9 789463 192033).
Today the ss Rotterdam left the Rotterdam Drydock Company for her technical trials. During these trials she sailed to the Azores. On August 6 the ss Rotterdam returned to the yard, where she entered drydock for inspection.
60 years ago the sea going tug Elbe came into service. Together with the Clyde she was the most powerful tug of L. Smit en Co’s Internationale Sleepdienst in 1959. On Saturday April 6 she visited the ss Rotterdam, that is celebrating her 60th birthday too. Both ships share a spectacular preservation history. All pictures were made by Jan-Willem Koene, unless stated.
Picture by Casper van Hooren
Picture by Casper van Hooren
A previous vist of the Elbe was on September 7, 2012.
