The World's Merchant Fleets, 1939: The Particulars and Wartime Fates of 6,000 Ships [Hardcover]

Roger Jordan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1999

Synopsis At the outbreak of war in 1939 over 600 ships traded across the world's oceans and they were to become the pawns in the global conflict which was to permeate the operations of every shipping line on every continent. This book gives the details of al those ships which were extant in 1939 and describes the fate of all those which were lost between 1939 and 1945. The book is divided by country and each of those is divided by shipping company. Here can be found all the ships of the great companies such as Blue Star Line, Hamburg America, and American President Lines which are now, sadly, no more than a memory. Details of the builders, dimensions, funnel markings, propulsion, routes, passengers and cargoes are all given in easily read tables and over 350 photographs illustrate a representative selection. The second part of the book gives the details of the losses of around 30000 of these vessels which were lost in the War.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 640 pages
• Publisher: Naval Institute Press (November 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155750959X
• ISBN-13: 978-1557509598
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 8.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional research book, July 18, 2000

By 

Howard J West (London England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The World's Merchant Fleets, 1939: The Particulars and Wartime Fates of 6,000 Ships (Hardcover)

This comprehensive listing of the world's ocean- going merchant ship fleet of 1939 is surely destined to become a standard reference work for it not only fills a long outstanding gap in marine literature,but it is also researched and compiled by a former Lloyd's editor and acknowledged expert on twentieth-century merchant shipping.

It is not too difficult to research ships and shipowning companies of this era, if you know where to look and have plenty of time to spare and so to find so much under one cover will be of great benefit to any user of this book.The entries contain an enormous amount of information, not only on individual ships,but also their owners and services operated.Two appendices covering ships lost during the Second World War and changes that occurred during the same period add to this splendid work,which also has a selection of over 300 photographs.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Worlds Merchant Fleets, March 14, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The World's Merchant Fleets, 1939: The Particulars and Wartime Fates of 6,000 Ships (Hardcover)

This book is a must have for any ship enthusiast of the period.
The great merchant fleets of Europe and America are of a by gone age and but for this book, would be lost to history.
It compliments the books I have from the Conway's World Navies series very nicely.
The only recommendation I have for future editions would be to cover the period 1939 thru 1946 so this would then be the one ultimate source for all the merchant ships of the Second World War including the likes of the British "Empire" war built ships, the prodigious U.S. Liberty ship program, the Italian Citta class fast transports to North Africa and many, many more of note lost in the passage of time.
Indicating which ships were part of a class / sister ships or derivatives of earlier types would also be a very nice touch.
A World's Merchant Ships 1914 -1919 would then complete the set.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good research book, June 27, 2000

By 

peter j. howes (australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The World's Merchant Fleets, 1939: The Particulars and Wartime Fates of 6,000 Ships (Hardcover)

Very detailed book on ships histories of 1939 and WW2. An excellent buy. For tracing vessels of this era probably the best book I have seen.