Vessels
During its history, the WIF&SS Co. operated a total of five car ferries to Cuba very similar in design and operation to the ferries built for Great Lakes service. In addition the company operated two other vessels between the United States and Cuba.
- SS Grand Haven (Car Ferry)
- SS Henry M. Flagler (Car Ferry)
- SS Joseph R. Parrott (Car Ferry)
- SS New Grand Haven (Car Ferry)
- SS City of New Orleans (Car Ferry)
- SS Sea Level (Ship)
- SS City of Havana (Automobile Ferry)
The Grand Haven was formerly a Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company vessel used previously in trans-Lake Michigan service. She was built by Craig Shipbuilding Company of Toledo, Ohio in 1903 and appears, from photographic evidence, to be the only ferry in Cuban service fitted with a stern gate, an U.S. Coast Guard requirement for Great Lakes car ferries. She was retired by the WIF&SS Co. in 1960. (Grand Trunk Milwaukee was a Grand Trunk Railway subsidiary which itself was a subsidiary of Canadian National Railway, then a Crown corporation.)
The Henry M. Flagler and the Joseph R. Parrott, former Florida East Coast Car Ferry Company vessels, were built by William Cramp and Sons of Philadelphia in 1914 and 1916 respectively for service between Key West, Florida and Havana, Cuba. Requisitioned by the US Navy for duties in WWII, they were subsequently acquired by WIF&SS Co. for post-war service. (Florida East Coast Car Ferry Company was a Florida East Coast Railway subsidiary and chose not to reenter the car ferry trade after the war.)
The New Grand Haven was built by Canadian Vickers, Ltd. in Montreal in 1951.
The City of New Orleans was built by Kure Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Kure City, Japan in 1959. It is believed she only made approximately a hundred trips before service to Cuba was suspended.
In addition to the car ferries, the company purchased from Seatrain Lines, Seatrain New Orleans, a four-deck ship built by Swan, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson of Newcastle upon Tyne, England in 1928. She ran from Belle Chasse (New Orleans) to Havana. Cars were loaded and unloaded by crane and cradles. She was renamed Sea Level by the WIF&SS Co. and continued in service from Belle Chasse.
The company also operated an automobile and passenger ferry, the City of Havana, between Key West and Havana.
All the car ferries were active till the cessation of service except for the Grand Haven which had been retired in 1960.
Read more about this topic: West India Fruit And Steamship Company
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