THE OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE in 1975

One of the most interesting passenger liners I was able to photograph in 1975 was the Orient Overseas Lines' OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE.
She made three round voyages between Walvis Bay and Lisbon in September, October and November 1975 with refugees from Angola who had crossed the Desert of Namibia following the independence of Angola. The Government of South Africa chartered the ship but later the bill was sent to the Government of Portugal for payment...
The b&w picture shows the OCEANIC INDEPENDENCE berthed at Rocha terminal with her beautiful classic counter stern very much in evidence. This magnificent liner had been built in USA for the New York - Mediterranean express service in 1951 with her sister ship CONSTITUTION. Both ships visited Portuguese ports of Lisbon, Ponta Delgada and Funchal many times during the fifties and sixties until laid up in US waters.
By 1974 both were sold to C. Y. Tung's Orient Overseas Lines of Hong Kong and after a short spell of cruises out of South Africa, the former INDEPENDENCE returned to Lisbon and then sailed for Hong Kong and a long period of lay up. However by 1980 she was refitted and positioned in Honolulu under the U.S. flag for Hawaii cruises and her original name was reinstated again in 1983. She was very successful in the Pacific and remained in service until 2001 when her owners American Hawaii Cruises went bankrupt. The former INDEPENDENCE has been laid up in San Francisco since late 2001 and now belongs to the NCL Group.
The photos show the ship in Lisbon in October 1975, an original post card in black hull livery, another company card in white livery and a nice post card depicting the two sisters in Honolulu late in their careers.
Words and b&w photo copyright L. M. Correia. Post cards from the LMC collection, except the final one that belongs to L. Guthrie - 15 February 2007