MS Augustus (1952) - Concept and Construction

Concept and Construction

After the end of World War II, the Italian Line lost many of their fleet including their two super liners, SS Rex and SS Conte di Savoia, so they planned to build two 27,000 GRT ocean liners for post war service to replace them. Giulio Cesare and Augustus were impression of power and beauty with fat and round bows, curved superstructures, modern masts, enormous funnel, and graceful sterns. Her external beauty restrained to the most canvassing standards with pleasingly sculptured bridge wings, an evocative nape at the aft funnel base, and even a trademark ventilator aft of the funnel that earned nicknamed the "robot" for its extraordinary shape. These two ships were one of the Italian post war ships. The ship had twin 12-cylinder Fiat diesel engines, generating 24,000 base horsepower (bhp) that drove her twin screws at a service speed of 21 knots. Both ships were designed to sail on the Italy-South America route, run with three classes. Both ships' interior were designed to have full air conditioning and swimming pools for each of three classes to make the ships looked like a luxurious hotel and to be the symbol of modern technology.