Time Travel: SHIPS | MS Boissevain (1937-1968)

The MS Boissevain, built 1937, named after Jan Boissevain (1836-1904)

September 13, 2020—The MS [Motor Ship, sometimes MV for Motor Vessel] Boissevain was officially launched on June 3, 1937 in Hamburg. The passenger ship was impressive for its day. It and the other two ships built at the same time were intended for luxury service in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The MS Boissevain was named after Jan Boissevain, older brother (by six years) of Charles Boissevain (1842-1927), who was your blogger's great-grandfather. A friend and third cousin, Ben Boissevain of Ascento Capital, is great-grandson of Jan Boissevain.

Today I received some photos I hadn't seen before, from Thomas E. Brown. They were in a photo album he purchased in the 1990s from a German dealer, Hermann Historica. It has many photos of the shipbuilding dock at Boehm and Voss during the 1930s. It contains details about the MS Boissevain and the two other large passenger-cargo liners of the Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM).

1. The first series shows the launching party's arrival at the B+V shipyard 45 in Hamburg on June 3, 1937. They are met by shipyard dignitaries. Here is a sample.

Launching party arrives, met by shipyard executives.

2. Ellegonda Duranda (E. D.) Boissevain is in many photos—she is the young lady in front at with the cake-like hat, dark coat and bouquet of flowers. She is your blogger's third cousin, Jan Boissevain's great-granddaughter.

Ellegonda Duranda Boissevain (born 1914) is in front at right. She later married
Eduard Veltman and subsequently Arthur Anton Kunzil.

3. The white-haired gentleman in the first photo is also seen making a speech in the launching photo below.

Unidentified white-haired man presides.

4. Then they all leave.

Dignitaries depart.

Each of the three ships was named after one of the KPM founders/Directors— Jan Boissevain, Mr. Tegelberg and Mr. Ruys. These three Dutch liners were all launched in 1937, yet strangely each ship was built by a different builder, as well as one outside of the Netherlands, yet each ship was identical, with minor interior décor differences.

Once completed, each ship reached their homeport in Asia, but they rarely visited the Netherlands, which was invaded without warning or pretext by Hitler in 1940. Instead, the ships operated as part of the most exotic and far-ranging ocean liner service in the world.

The Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij — “KPM” or “Royal Packet Navigation Company"— operated extended voyages from Hong Kong, Manila, Saigon, Bangkok, Singapore, Batavia, Rodriguez, Mauritius, Réunion, Tamatave, Lourenço Marques, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Mossel Bay, and Cape Town. Also Zanzibar, Mombasa, Mahé, Belawan Deli, Shanghai Hong Kong. Here's another photo of the MS Boissevain.

Speed trials for the MS Boissevain were a success.

Their services varied, and their schedules would include South America, after their WW2 troop-carrying duties. The three ships were originally built with luxurious and extremely spacious accommodations for just 82 passengers in First Class, 72 passengers in Second Class, and 500 Third Class passengers.

First Class passengers had specially designed public rooms. Two deluxe suites had glass- enclosed private verandas. There were spacious promenade and sports decks and a Lido Cafe opening onto a tiled outdoor Pool. The passengers included very wealthy people in First Class, International and Asian tourists, and migrants to a new land. In their 30 years of operation, the MS Boissevain and its two sister ships became greatly loved for exemplary service and fine cuisine, provided in elegant interiors.

From the Blohm & Voss slipway, the MS Boissevain entered the water for the first time. Once afloat, she was towed to her Blohm & Voss "Fit-Out" berth, where she was fitted out, had her funnel placed atop and masts added. When she was completed in October she headed out to sea for her speed trials, which reached an excellent 18.1 knots at top speed.

The Boissevain was delivered to KPM in Yokohama, Japan on December 1, 1937. KPM ensured the ship was fully crewed and stocked up to commence her first voyage in early January 1938. The advance 1938 MS Boissevain schedule was published by KPM prior to the MS Boissevain being completed, with an artist's impression of The Boissevain on the cover.

During World War II they became troop carriers and their glamorous interiors were sacrificed to wartime needs for maximum capacity for troops. The MS Boissevain was renamed HMS (Her Majesty's Ship) Boissevain because the boat was in the service of the Dutch Queen. The ships docked with troops in the Dutch East indies in Batavia and Tandjong-Priok.

After the war and independence for Sukarno's Indonesia, in 1947 the ships were refurbished and reglamorized in Hong Kong. They went into service and in 1961 were refurbished again, with a new branding as part of the Royal Interocean Line (RIL). The ships were scrapped in 1968.

To help sort out family relationships to Jan Boissevain (1836-1904), the shipowner and co-founder of KPM, here is an abbreviated Boissevain family tree. Jan is the older brother of Charles Boissevain, who is your blogger's great-grandfather. The numerous descendants of Jan are called the Jantjes and similarly numerous descendants of his younger brother are called the Charlestjes.