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Banana Boats index

The Fleets

Standard Fruit Co / Vaccaro Brothers

Founded by the Vaccaro Brothers in 1899 the company traded mostly between New Orleans and Honduras and used many chartered ships, in addition to those owned. In 1905 United Fruit Co purchased a half share in Standard Fruit, but was forced to sell it in 1908. In the 1920s, Standard Fruit expanded into other countries and absorbed other companies and continued to prosper, extending routes to the East Coast of the USA. After the war, in the 1950s, it was decided to dispose of owned ships and these were either sold or scrapped, the last ones being withdrawn from service in 1958. However, the company has since continued operating with chartered tonnage.

Many thanks to Ted Finch for his assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide. If you would like to know more about a vessel, visit the Ship Descriptions (onsite) or Immigrant Ship web site.

Funnel:
black funnel with white band containing a red (?) V.

Fleet:

Vessel Built Years in Service Tons
Alegria 1903 ex- Eaton Grove, 1920 purchased from Eaton Hall SS Co, Cardiff, renamed Alegria, 1935 sold to Webster & Son, 1936 sold to Jamaica renamed Allister. 1,610
Amapala 1924 1942 attacked by U-Boat off Mississippi River, wreck sunk by Coast Guard. 4,148
Atlantida 1924 1942 requisitioned by War Shipping Administration (WSA), 1946 returned to owners, 1959 scrapped. 4,191
Caloria 1906 ex- Chatham, 1923 purchased from Standard Oil Co, 1942 requisitioned by WSA, 1946 returned to SFC, 1947 scrapped. 4,095
Cananova 1920 1930 purchased from Atlantic Fruit Co, 1939 sold to U.S.S.R renamed Petropavlovsk. 1,925
Cayo Mambi 1920 1931 purchased from Atlantic Fruit Co, 1932 sold to Banana Co of Jamaica. 1,886
Cefalu 1930 1942 requisitioned by WSA, 1946 returned to SFC, 1958 laid up, 1960 scrapped. 5,228
Ceiba 1911 1942 sunk by U-Boat off Haiti. 1,462
Contessa 1930 1942 requisitioned by WSA, 1947 returned to SFC, 1958 sold to Holland renamed Leeuwarden. 5,522
Erin 1932 1934 purchased from Erin SS Co, UK, various charters to Elders & Fyffes, 1939 under control of Ministry of War Transport, UK, 1947 sold to Elders & Fyffes renamed Manistee. 5,739
Eros 1936 UK flag, 1939 under control of Ministry of War Transport, UK, 1945 Morant SS Co (Elders & Fyffes), 1947 Eros Transp.Co., Halifax, NS.1960 scrapped. 5,888
Favorita 1906 ex- Witiaz, 1921 purchased from Russian Transport & Insurance Co, renamed Favorita, 1935 scrapped. 1,676
Gatun 1925 1958 laid up, 1960 scrapped. 3,362
Granada 1925 1958 laid up, 1960 scrapped. 3,331
Jamaica Merchant 1911 1935 purchased from Jamaica Banana Producers, 1937 scrapped at Trieste. 7,490
Joseph Vaccaro 1871 ex- Lisbonense, 1902 purchased from Booth Line renamed Joseph Vaccaro, UK flag, 1915 sold to Cuyamel Fruit Co renamed Quimistan. 1,508
Kosmos 1920 1927 renamed Kosmos I, 1936 laid up, 1939 sold to V. O. Reardon renamed Inspiration. 623
Masaya 1920 ex-destroyer USS Dale, 1932 purchased and converted to fruit ship, 1942 sunk by Japanese dive bombers at New Guinea. 1,174
Matagalpa 1920 ex-destroyer USS Osborne, 1932 purchased and converted to fruit ship, 1942 burnt out in Australia. 1,174
Miraflores 1921 1932 purchased from Atlantic Fruit Co, 19th Feb.1942 sunk by U.432 while 50 miles off Cape May, N.J. 2,158
Morazon 1908 1922 purchased from Booth Line, 1941 sold to Wallem & Co, Hong Kong. 2,984
Oradell 1924 1934 purchased from Atlantic Fruit Co, 1941 sold to Wallem & Co, Hong Kong. 1,644
Oriskany 1924 1934 purchased from Atlantic Fruit Co, 1941 sold to Wallem & Co, Hong Kong. 1,644
Premier   ? tons, 1900 purchased by Vaccaro Bros, their first steamer. No further info. na
Princess May 1888 1935 purchased from Atlantic Fruit Co, 1936 scrapped. 1,717
Rosina 1871 ex- Paraense, 1904 purchased from Booth Line renamed Rosina, 1916 sold to Cuyamel Fruit Co renamed Omoa. 1,697
Sama 1921 ex- Louis Geraci, 1931 purchased from N. Geraci, Panama renamed Sama, 1938 laid up, 1939 sold to Bahama Shipping Co. 547
Santo Oteri 1876 wooden schooner, 1900 Vaccaro Bros first ship, eventually abandoned to rot on Roatan. 170
St. Mary 1921 1957 on fire in Mississippi River and beached, laid up and 1959 scrapped. 2,141
Tabasco 1919 ex-destroyer USS Worden, 1932 purchased and converted to fruit ship, 1933 wrecked on Alacran Reef, Mexico. 1,184
Teapa 1919 ex-destroyer USS Putnam, 1931 purchased and converted to fruit ship, 1942 requisitioned by WSA, 1949 sold to H. L. Fraser, Tampa. 1,184
Tegucigalpa 1897 ex- Ingeli, 1910 purchased from J. T. Rennie & Sons renamed Tegucigalpa, 1941 sold to N. Konialidis, Buenos Aires. 2,928
Truxton 1901 1938 burned at Haiti, wreck sold. 546
Venus 1877 1906 purchased from United Fruit Co, 1907 sold to W. A. Powell, Belize. 2,273
Virginia 1904 ex- Minadora, 1922 purchased from Stoomvaart Mij. Georgia, Rotterdam renamed Virginia, 1941 sold to Wallem & Co, Hong Kong. 1,676
Wanks 1919 ex- Cayo Mambi, 1925 purchased from Atlantic Fruit Co renamed Wanks, 1946 sold to Peru. 642
Waunta 1919 ex- Cayo Cristo, 1933 purchased from Atlantic Fruit Co renamed Waunta, 1939 sold to Aguirre & Co renamed Lima. 642
Wawa 1925 1941 sold to Wallem & Co, Hong Kong. 1,650
Whipple 1901 1925 purchased from Southern Banana Co, 1939 sold to Bahama SS Co. 546
Worden 1901 1925 purchased from Southern Banana Co, 1939 sold to Bahama SS Co. 546
Yoro 1911 1949 sold to H. L. Fraser, Tampa. 1,462
Yumuri 1906 1931 purchased from Atlantic Fruit Co, 1932 sunk at Alvaro Obregon and became part of breakwater. 1,271
Chartered vessels before 1910:-
Braathen   Norwegian, no further details .
Bergenseren 1884 Norwegian 666
Breifond 1890 Norwegian 421
David 1873 American. 1,338
Duncan 1871 Norwegian 1,031
Helena   No further details .
John Wilson   Norwegian, see United Fruit Co. .
Owent 1878 Norwegian, 670
Usk 1891 British 869

During the 1950s, Standard Fruit Co chartered many ships from West Germany, Greece, Liberia, Norway and Holland.

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