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D/S Spero To Spero on the "Ships starting with S" page. Owner: Skibs-A/S Mirva Built by Asaki Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan in 1919. Previous names: Taigi Maru until 1920, Pacifico until 1934.
Spero is mentioned in connection with Convoy HN 11 from Norway to the U.K. in Febr.-1940, bound for the Thames with pulp. In March.-1940 she's listed as sailing in Convoy HN 16 from Norway, cargo of pulp for London - follow links for more info, several Norwegian ships took part in both these convoys. There's also a Spero listed as sailing in Convoy HGF 22 from Gibraltar to the U.K., bound for London, station 54. Unfortunately, no tonnage is given, and I believe this was the British ship by the same name, because Convoy HN 16 from Norway had arrived Methil on March 5-1940, HGF 22 left Gibraltar on March 9-1940, and it would seem she would not have had enough time to go to Gibraltar and be ready to return to the U.K. already on that date. According to the external site that I've linked to at the end of this page, she sailed in Convoy SL 32 in May-1940. This convoy originated in Freetown on May 17 and arrived Liverpool June 3 (I'm not entirely convinced this was the Norwegian Spero). She's listed, along with a few other Norwegian ships, in Convoy OG 54, departing Liverpool on Febr. 25-1941, arriving Gibraltar March 14. This convoy will be added to my Convoys section, in the meantime, please see my page naming the ships in all OG convoys. Her destination is not given, but based on the information in the next paragraph, it's possible she left this convoy at some point in order to proceed across the North Atlantic, instead of heading to Gibraltar(?). In Apr.-1941 Spero, with a cargo of steel and dry pulp for London, was scheduled for the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 28, but instead joined the next convoy, SC 29. However, she returned to port and later joined SC 30, which left Halifax on Apr. 29 and arrived Liverpool on May 20. That summer she was one of many Norwegian ships in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 1, leaving Liverpool on July 26-1941. Her destination is given as Botwood. The external website below also has her, with a cargo of zinc concentrates, in station 96 of Convoy SC 44, departing Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 11-1941, arriving Liverpool on the 30th (the Norwegian Barbro was sunk - the Norwegian Ada, Carrier, Bollsta, Borgfred, Cetus, Gudvin, Hjalmar Wessel, Iron Baron, Lago, Marita, Rolf Jarl, Sirehei, Sneland I, and South Africa also took part). The following month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 29*, which departed Liverpool on Oct. 22, but Spero returned to port, then shows up again, with destination New York, in station 42 of Convoy ON 33, departing Liverpool on Nov. 3, dispersed Nov. 23. At the end of the following month she joined Convoy SC 62, but detached for St. John's; reason not given. She was scheduled for the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 65 in Jan.-1942, but did not sail, and also cancelled from SC 66 and SC 67 (or joined the latter and returned to port?), but eventually got away with SC 68 on Febr. 7, joining with the St. John's portion. That spring she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 84*, which left Liverpool on Apr. 8-1942 and arrived Halifax on the 25th. The following month she can be found in Convoy SC 84, departing Halifax for the U.K. on May 14-1942. Please follow the links for the names of other Norwegian ships sailing in these convoys. Later that year she shows up, with a cargo of coal for St. John's, in the westbound Convoy ON 118*, departing Liverpool on Aug. 1-1942, dispersed on the 20th.
Arnold Hague has also included Spero in the westbound Convoy ON 152 in Dec.-1942. As can be seen when following the link to my page about this convoy, she's not mentioned there, but perhaps my documents are missing some information(?). Related External link: Back to Spero on the "Ships starting with S" page. Other ships by this name: Haugesund lost a steamer by this name in the early 1900's, built in Christiania (Oslo) in 1891, 968 gt (987?). Ran aground and sank on March 4-1912 off Rauna near Lista on a voyage Larsnes-Porsgrunn. This ship had previously belonged to Arendal Dampskibsselskap, sold to Haugesund in 1908. Also, E. B. Aabys Rederi A/S, Oslo managed a more recent ship by this name, originally delivered to that company in May-1992 as Saga Ocean, built in Japan, 29 369 gt, renamed Spero in 1995. Managed by A/S Borgestad from Dec.-1997. Renamed Westwood Borg in 1998, Borg Arrow in 2004. (A British steamship named Spero was wrecked at Blyrev, near Larvik, Norway on Dec. 24-1917, built 1899, 1199 gt.) The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939", R. W. Jordan - and misc.
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