Fairsky

Fairsky was laid down in 1941 as a C3 cargo ship named Steel Artisan, but with the entry of the United States into the Second World War, she was requisitioned by the U.S. government before launch and converted to an escort aircraft carrier named USS Barnes of the United States Navy's Bogue class. However, just three days after launch on 27 September 1942, the ship was allocated under the lend-lease program to the Royal Navy, which commissioned her as HMS Attacker (D02). Attacker saw extensive wartime service – initially in convoy escort duties and after further conversion by the Royal Navy in October 1943 – as an assault carrier for the remainder of the war. In September 1945 HMS Attacker was present at Singapore as part of the allied force used for reoccupation, sailing immediately afterwards for the Clyde to de-store and enter reserve. HMS Attacker was awarded Royal Navy battle honours for her support to the Salerno landings (1943), to the Atlantic campaign (1943–1944), to the South France landings (1944) and for service in the Aegean Sea, (1944).

The vessel was returned to the custody of the United States Navy at Norfolk, Virginia in December 1945 and was struck from the U.S. Navy list in February 1946. The ship was next sold to the U.S. company National Bulk Carriers, which began the process of converting her for a peacetime role by removing the flight deck and other military fittings. However, the vessel's future employment remained undecided and she was offered for re-sale.

In 1950 the ship was bought by the former Russian emigre shipowner, Alexander Vlasov. Laid up for another two years, in 1952 she was renamed Castel Forte and sent to the Newport News shipyard in the United States, intended for conversion to a refrigerated cargo ship for Vlasov's Italian-managed Sitmar Line. However, this conversion was soon abandoned and the vessel returned to lay-up. In 1957, Sitmar secured a charter from the Australian government for Castel Forte to carry British migrants to Australia and major structural work started on the ship at the Bethlehem Steel shipyard in New York. The vessel was moved to Genoa in December 1957, where the interior refitting was completed in May 1958. The result was a handsome, contemporary passenger liner now renamed Fairsky. Tourist one class accommodation for a maximum of 1,461 was provided in 461 cabins over five decks. Reflecting similar arrangements in earlier company ships Fairsea and Castel Felice, Fairsky featured just seven cabins with private facilities, located forward on the Sun Deck, beneath the Bridge Deck. Air-conditioning was installed throughout the ship and a good range of comfortable public rooms was provided, mostly on the Boat Deck. Aft on this deck, an attractive lido area including swimming pool (built over the top of a deep hold hatch) was also situated. Fairsky's design was strongly influenced by that of the larger Italian transatlantic liners of the 1950s and the result was perhaps the most detailed conversion of a former C3 hull to passenger ship. On 26 June 1958 the vessel commenced service from Southampton under the command of Sitmar's senior Master, Captain Jorge Petrescu. Fairsky was registered in Panama under the nominal ownership of the Fairline Shipping Corporation, though remained operated by Sitmar while in Vlasov ownership. The port of registry was later changed to that of Monrovia, Liberia.

Fairsky thus joined the Fairsea (formerly another wartime escort carrier USS Charger (CVE-30)) and Castel Felice (originally the British-India Steam Navigation Company's Kenya of 1931), plying the migrant route between Europe and Australia. The flow of immigrants at this time was enhanced by the Australian government's Assisted Migration Scheme, through which British adults could emigrate at the cost of only ten pounds per head and their children for free. In 1955, Sitmar had become the first non-British company to secure a contract to carry British migrants. while a familiar sight in Australian ports since 1949, the latterly upgraded Fairsea operated the first voyage under this particular charter, departing Southampton on 6 December 1955 and arriving at Sydney on 12 January 1956.

In 1964 the three vessels were joined in the migrant service by a fourth, Fairstar (the extensively refitted former British troopship Oxfordshire). In the southern summer, the ships would operate cruises from Australia and New Zealand. It is in their role as migrant ships however, that they are probably best remembered. Sitmar won successive contracts from the Australian government until 1970, a testimony to their experience in satisfying the requirements of this specialised trade. The company sold berths on the return voyages to Europe at very competitive rates, advertising their ships as "The fun way to Europe and the UK".

While precise figures are not available, the four ships were responsible for the transportation of hundreds of thousands of European settlers to Australia, spanning over 20 years in total. Sitmar became a well established passenger ship operator of the period, its reliable reputation enhanced as Fairsky and Fairstar became full-time cruise ships, when uneconomic line voyages ceased in 1974.

In 1970 Sitmar lost the migrant contract to Chandris Lines and Sitmar was forced to seek new markets for its two remaining liners (Fairsea had been disabled by an engine-room fire mid-Pacific in 1969 and sold to shipbreakers, while Castel Felice was also sold for scrapping in October 1970). Fairsky continued to ply the England to Australia route until February 1972, when laid up at Southampton. Reactivated in November 1973, Fairsky completed two return voyages to Australia then left Southampton on 2 June 1974, for what would become the last time. Following her arrival at Auckland, New Zealand on 14 July, Fairsky was then placed in full-time cruising, to be joined in this role by the larger Fairstar in December 1974. Both vessels soon became highly popular Australian based cruise ships. Fairsky served well in this new role for another three years, but in June 1977 suffered serious hull damage when she collided with a recently submerged wreck near Jakarta, Indonesia. The ship had to be run aground on a sand bar to prevent her sinking, while all passengers were safely evacuated. Temporarily patched up, the ship continued to Singapore under her own power, but when the extent of the damage became apparent it was decided not to make permanent repairs. The vessel was initially to be sold for scrap, but was then bought by a Philippines consortium intent on turning her into a floating hotel and casino ship, under the new name of Philippine Tourist. However, before the conversion in Manila Bay was completed, the vessel was gutted by a fire on 3 November 1979. The wreck was finally sold for demolition, arriving in Hong Kong under tow on 27 May 1980, bringing to a sudden end a long, varied and otherwise highly successful career.

• Fairstar
• List of cruise ships
• Cruise ships
• List of ocean liners
• Ocean liners

• The Sitmar Ships – Fairsky retrieved 12 September 2007

• Eliseo, Maurizio (1998). The Sitmar Liners and the V Ships. London, UK: Carmania Press. ISBN 0-9534291-0-5.
• Goldberg, Mark H (1992). Caviar & Cargo - The C3 Passenger Ships. North American Maritime Books. ISBN 978-1-879180-01-7.
• Hobbs, David (Cdr, MBE, Royal Navy)(2003). Royal Navy Escort Carriers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books.
• Plowman, Peter (2004). The Sitmar Liners Past and Present. Sydney, NSW: Rosenberg. ISBN 1-877058-25-4.

• TV Fairsky voyage photographs on VoyageFotos.com