| Industry | Shipping, Passenger |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1916 in New York City, United States |
| Defunct | 1982 |
Area served | East Coast, France and South America. |
Key people | Granville Conway |
| Subsidiaries | America-France Line and Southern Cross Line |
Cosmopolitan Shipping Company, also called the Cosmopolitan Line, was founded in 1916 in New York City. Cosmopolitan Shipping Company operated cargo and passenger service from New York City to Le Havre France and Antwerp. From 1919 to 1939 operated United States Shipping Board ships under a United States contract, called the America-France Line. Later Cosmopolitan Shipping Company also operated the Southern Cross Line that served the east coast of South America.[1] Southern Cross Line operated cargo ship with some passenger accommodations. [2]
In 1939 Cosmopolitan Shipping Company lost the America-France Line contract to Southgate Nelson Corporation. Southgate Nelson Corporation operated the Oriole Line and Hampton Roads-Yankee Line.[3] In 1939 Cosmopolitan Shipping Company lost the Southern Cross Line to Westfal-Larsen & Company. Westfal-Larsen & Company also operated the Interocean Line and County Line. [2]
During World War II Cosmopolitan Shipping Company operated Merchant navy ships for the United States Shipping Board. During World War II Cosmopolitan Shipping Company was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. Cosmopolitan Shipping Company operated Liberty ships for the merchant navy. The ship was run by its Cosmopolitan Shipping Company crew and the US Navy supplied United States Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns and radio.
Granville Conway (1898–1969) departed the War Shipping Administration to head the Cosmopolitan Shipping Company in 1947.[4][5]
Post war Cosmopolitan Shipping Company chartered Norway ships, rather American. In 1982 Cosmopolitan Shipping Company exited the shipping market. [1]
- ^ a b "House Flags of U.S. Shipping Companies: C". www.crwflags.com.
- ^ a b "Westfal-Larsen & Co. A/S". www.theshipslist.com.
- ^ The Log, Volumes 31–33, 1939, page 7
- ^ "Merchant seamen urged to stay aboard ship". WSA Press Releases. usmm.org. 15 May 1946. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
- ^ Woolley, John T.; Gerhard Peters (28 February 1947). "Statement by the President on the World's Food Needs". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. The American Presidency Project. Retrieved 3 December 2008.