U.S. Shipping Board
(superseded by U.S. Maritime Commission)

The U.S. Shipping Board was established during WW1 to build and operate merchant ships to support the U.S. war efforts. After the war, the Shipping Board was the owner of a large number of surplus ships. Hundreds of worldwide shipping lines were established by the Board and ships put at the disposal of U.S. shipping companies acting as "managing operators" for the Board. Most lines were eventually suspended or sold (including the ships), often to the managing operators. Several lines continued under former Shipping Board names even though they had been transferred to private owners.

The list below comprises only Shipping Board lines of which there are brochures in my collection. In addition, some lines are listed, which are not mentioned in the brochures, but whose routes may be traced in them.

Shipping Board line Route(s) Managing operator
American India Line (archives) New York-India via Suez Roosevelt Steamship Co.
American Merchant Lines New York-London J.H. Winchester & Co. (archives)
American Oriental Mail Line (archives) Pacific Northwest-Japan/China/Philippines Admiral Oriental Line/Dollar Line
Atlantic Australian Line (archives) New York-Australia via Panama, return via Suez Roosevelt Steamship Co.
California Orient Line California-Japan/China/Philippines Pacific Mail Steamship Co.
Pan America Line New York-Brazil/Uruguay/Argentina Munson Line
United States Lines New York-Ireland/UK/Northern France/Germany  
     
Maritime Commission (earlier Shipping Board) line Route(s) Managing agent
American Republics Line East Coast-Brazil/Uruguay/Argentina Moore-McCormack Lines
     
Former Shipping Board line Route(s) Owner/operator
American Export Lines New York-Mediterranean American Export Lines
American Merchant Lines New York-London IMM - International Mercantile Marine Co.
American Oriental Mail Line Pacific Northwest-Japan/China/Philippines American Mail Line/Dollar Line
American Scantic Line East Coast-Scandinavia/Baltic Moore-McCormack Lines
American South African Line East Coast-South & Southeast Africa American South African Line
American West African Line East Coast/Gulf-West Africa Barber Steamship Lines
American Diamond Line East Coast-Belgium/Netherlands Black Diamond Lines
California Orient Line California-Japan/China/Philippines Dollar Line
Gulf-Brazil River Plate Line Gulf-Brazil/Uruguay/Argentina Mississippi Shipping Co. (Delta Line)
Mobile Oceanic Line Gulf-UK/Northern France/ Belgium/Netherlands/Germany Waterman Steamship Corp.
Pacific Argentine Brazil Line West Coast-Brazil/Uruguay/Argentina McCormick Steamship Co., Pope & Talbot
Pan America Line New York-Brazil/Uruguay/Argentina Munson Line
Southern States Lines Gulf-Netherlands/Belgium/Germany Lykes Bros. Steamship Co.
Texas Star Line Gulf-Northern France/Belgium Lykes Bros. Steamship Co.
United States Lines New York-Ireland/UK/Northern France/Germany Roosevelt Steamship Co., IMM - International Mercantile Marine Co.
     


1926 and 1927

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This page last updated April 22, 2011.