The Portuguese passenger/cargo liner IMPERIO, Imo 5159698/ 161,9m/ 13.185,72/ 17kn/ twin screw steam turbines/ 799 pax; 17/06/1948 completed by John Brown & Co., Ltd., Clydebank, Glasgow, for Companhia Colonial de Navegação, Lisbon, for its Portuguese Wes/East Africa service; 60s/70's she made several trips to Angola and Mozambique most of which as troopship and transporting military equipment; 09/01/1970, 400 nm north of Cape Verde Islands, while transporting troops for Mozambique, suffered a hole in the engine room making water, provoked by the burst of an explosive put onboard at departure from Lisbon, probably by independence movements, meanwhile she was assisted by other ships and she proceeded towed by a Greek tug for the port of Mindelo, Cape Verde, having gone later for the shipyards in Glasgow for repairs; 29/03/1974 arrived Kaohsiung for breaking up by Chu Shun Hwa Steel & Iron Co., Ltd. Sister ship: PATRIA.
Seen 23/10/1966 entering Leixões, as Presidential ship, dressed overall surrounded by local fishing trawlers, transporting the President of Portugal Adm. Américo Tomás, which was coming from Lisbon in order to inaugurate the then new dock no. 2.
© Foto Mar - Leixões / collection of Mr. Nuno Bartolomeu, Lisbon. |
Rui Amaro
