The Atlantic Crossing between Europe and the
United States is the quintessential ocean voyage.
Why?
Apart from being one of the historically busiest
shipping routes in the world, it is chapter one of
many of the world’s greatest stories, including the
discovery of what is now the United States of
America by European navigators.
The great, often treacherous North Atlantic has
been fought over and blockaded in wars; such has
been its importance to international trade and
commerce.
From the time of Columbus in 1492, and
possibly earlier, seafarers have braved these waters
to build civilisations, ship all manner of cargo,
smuggle, plunder and wage war.
The passage became increasingly important as
the great nations expanded their empires and
influence, building all-weather vessels specifically
for the arduous 3,000 NM ocean voyage.
In the days of sail, a typical eastbound voyage
took over three weeks until the introduction of steam in the early 19th century.
Steam power allowed vessels to improve their more difficult outward (westbound) time
against the Gulf Stream winds and the race to build faster and bigger ships was on.
In 1935, Arthur Hales, a UK merchant, shipowner and politician instigated the now
famous trophy that bears his name for the “Blue Riband”, the fastest westbound
journey by a passenger vessel in regular service.
The first official recipient was the French liner SS Normandie, which completed her
maiden voyage on 29 May at just under 30 knots.
Since that time, only two other ocean liners have shared that accolade, the RMS
Queen Mary and the purpose-built SS United States, who captured the title with an
average speed of 34.5 knots on 15 July 1952 and has held it ever since.
This superlative vessel also smashed the eastbound record one week earlier with a
stunning 35.59 knots.
Since the retirement of SS United States in 1969, the “Blue Riband” is deemed to
have ceased as no regular fast passenger service now exists.
However, in the age-old spirit of competition, the Hales Trophy is still awarded for the
fastest commercial vessel crossing in either direction.
Serial show-off and entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson, did manage to break the
record in 1986 by just two hours with his Virgin Atlantic Challenger, but was denied the
trophy because his 1440kW speedboat was not a commercial vessel.
The same fate was levied against the massively ambitious 45,000kW GE jet-powered
Destriero of the Aga Khan which crossed in August 1992 at over 53 knots.
Yet the final word in the Hale
Trophy remains with the proud
Tasmanian company, Incat, builder
of the world’s fastest commercial
passenger catamarans.
Since 1990, three of the
company’s vessels have held the
prize, with the current holder, HSC
Fjord Cat, the first to cross in less
than three days at an average
speed of 41.3 knots.
Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
