Pamir (ship)
Pamir c. 1949. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Germany | |
| Name | Pamir |
| Namesake | Pamir Mountains |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Launched | 29 July 1905 |
| Italy | |
| Acquired | 1920, as war reparations |
| Germany | |
| Acquired | F. Laeisz Company, 1924 |
| Finland | |
| Acquired | Erikson Line, 1931 |
| New Zealand | |
| Acquired | Seized as prize of war, 3 August 1941 |
| Finland | |
| Acquired | Erikson Line, 1948 |
| West Germany | |
| Owner | Heinz Schliewen |
| Acquired | 1951 |
| West Germany | |
| Owner | Stiftung Pamir und Passat |
| Acquired | 1954 |
| Fate | Sunk 1957 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Steel hulled barque |
| Tons burthen | 3910 bm |
| Length | 114.5 m (375 ft) LOA |
| Beam | 14 m (46 ft) |
| Draft | 7.25 m (23.5 ft) |
| Propulsion | Top speed 16 knots (30 km/h); cruise speed 8-9 knots. |
| Sail plan | Four-masted barque, 3,800 m² (40,900 ft²) of sails |
Pamir was a four-masted barque built for the German shipping company F. Laeisz. One of their famous Flying P-Liners, named after the Pamir Mountains, she was the last commercial sailing ship to round Cape Horn, in 1949. By 1957, she had been outmoded by modern bulk carriers and could not operate at a profit. Her shipping consortium's inability to finance much-needed repairs or to recruit sufficient sail-trained officers caused severe technical difficulties. On 21 September 1957, she was caught in Hurricane Carrie and sank off the Azores, with only six survivors rescued after an extensive search.