SS Kaiser Franz Joseph I

The SS Kaiser Franz Joseph I was an Austro-Hungarian passenger liner built by Cantiere Navale Triestino for the Cosulich Line. After her launching in February 1912 she was put into service and embarked on her maiden voyage from Trieste to New York City. During WWI she was laid up in Trieste but was commissioned by the Italian Navy after the war. The Kaiser Franz Joseph I, now the Presidente Wilson of the Cosulich Line was sold to another Italian company until WWII began. During The war, she was recommissioned by the navy and later laid up in La Spezia in 1943. On 12 May 1944, as the Allies advanced on Italy, the ship was scuttled by the Germans to prevent capture. Her wreck was raised and scrapped in 1949.

History
The keel of the ship was laid down on the Cantiere Navale Triestino shipyard in Monfalcone. She was christened on 9 September 1911 by Archduchess Maria Josepha and Navy Commander Admiral Count Rudolf Montecuccoli and was launched on the same day. The next year, she set off on her maiden voyage from Trieste to New York City. When WWI broke out, the Kaiser Franz Joseph I was in Trieste and was laid up there during the war. In 1918, after the Armistice of Villa Giusti and the surrender of Austria-Hungary, the ship was commissioned by the Italian Navy as a troopship and was renamed Generale A. Diaz.

In 1919, she was sold to the Cosulich Line and was renamed Presidente Wilson. On 5 May 1919 she set off on her first post-war voyage from Genoa to New York City with mainly returning US soldiers on board. On 12 September 1919 she left Trieste on her third journey in peacetime with 97 passengers in first, 371 in second, and 623 in third class. In 1929 she would undergo her last voyage for the Cosulich Line before being sold to the Lloyd Triestino and renamed after the Indian river of the same name. She was then sold to the Adriatica di Navigazione and was renamed Marco Polo after modernization work. She resumed service between Trieste, Venice, Brindisi, and Alexandria, in addition to a Haifa and Beirut route. In 1940 When WWII broke out, the ship was decommissioned for passenger service and served as a troop transport until she was laid up in La Spezia in 1943. On 12 May 1944, as the Allies advanced on Italy the ship was scuttled by the Germans. In 1949 the wreck was raised and scrapped.

Design
When launched, Kaiser Franz Josef I Austro-Hungary's largest ocean liner. She had a capacity of 1905 passengers (125 in first class, 550 in second class, and 1230 in third class), a tonnage of 12,567 GRT, a Length of 145.54 m (477 ft 6 in), and a Beam of 18.35 m (60 ft 2 in). She was powered by a 2 x 4 cylinder triple expansion steam engines that powered, and a dual shaft that powered the two screw propellers which give the ship a speed of around 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).