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EUROPA - Hapag Lloyd - Pass Cruise Ex Kungsholm 21164 grt / 1953 blt / West Germany / 5197664 Tilbury Landing Stage - 8.6.1979 Don Smith Collection Notes:-The MS Europa ex-Kungsholm was an ocean liner built in 1953 for the Swedish American Line. It was sold in 1965 to the North German Lloyd and renamed Europa.Service as Kungsholm:Built: Launched in 1953 by the De Schelde shipyard in the Netherlands for the Swedish American Line. Role: Operated as a combined ocean liner and cruise ship. Route: During the summer, it made transatlantic crossings from Gothenburg to New York. The rest of the year was dedicated to luxury cruises.Service as Europa:Acquisition: The vessel was sold to the North German Lloyd in 1965 and renamed Europa. Operator merger: After the merger between North German Lloyd and HAPAG in 1970, the ship continued to sail for the new company, Hapag-Lloyd. Popularity: The ship gained a reputation for high quality and was a popular cruise vessel.Final years as Columbus C:Sale: In 1981, Hapag-Lloyd sold the ship to Costa Cruises, which renamed it Columbus C. Sinking: On July 29, 1984, while entering the port of Cadiz, Spain, the ship struck a breakwater and sank. Salvage and scrapping: The vessel was refloated later that year but was deemed a constructive loss. It was sent to a Barcelona shipbreaker in 1985.