# Brief history of a few famous ships of "MOGUL LINE LTD".



## Rudolph.A.Furtado

After three years of dithering, Mogul Line was formally merged with the giant Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) in 1986. As dowry, Mogul Line brought along Rs.112 crore in ac***ulated losses and it was the end of line for a 109 year old shipping company.The "GREAT SHIPPING DEPRESSION" of the 1980's claimed the economic lives of many established household names and a little over a decade later in 1997 another monolith company shut shop, "The Scindia steam navigation company Ltd".
Below is a brief history of the ships that were owned by Mogul Line Ltd before its amalgamation with "S.C.I".


* "S.S.SAUDI" :- *The Mogul Line ship Saudi was built as a passenger/cargo ship in 1956 by the company's favored shipbuilder Lithgows of Scotland. (5973 grt, dimensions: 129.8 x 17.4 x 7.6 m, engine: 1 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engine + LP turbine with dr gearing, single shaft, 1 screw power: 2400 i.h.p., yard no.: 1089, Lloyds No. 5314705)
The vessel capsized due to cargo shift in a gale/storm on 26/06/1973 of the Somalian coast with a loss of thirty nine lives.

*"M.V.AKBAR " :-* The Mogul Line passenger ship "Akbar" (6,600 tong gross, built 1972 by Helsingør Skibs. & Msk., Helsingør, Denmark. She was built to operate as a pilgrim ship with 80 1st class passengers & 1,500 pilgrims or as a general cargo ship with 12 passengers only. In 1986 Mogul Line was merged into the Shipping Corporation of India. The ship was then operating (after reengineering) on the Indian mainland to Port Blair (Andaman Is.) service; her passenger capacity is given as 121 cabin & 1,414 bunk/deck passengers.

*"M.V.LOK VINAY" :- *First of the three bulk carriers built in 1975/6 by Astilleros Espanoles, Olaveaga/Bilbao (284), for Mogul Line.

Vessel type: General Cargo / Bulk Carrier.
Gross tonnage:12,726 tons
Summer DWT: 20,878 tons
Broken up on 24.06.1992 at Bombay.

*"KONKAN SEVAK" :-* The small passenger ship built for the Bombay and Goa passenger service
at Kraljevica, Yugoslavia ..IMO no. 6418388 ,Year of built: 1964 , Type: Passenger/cargo,
Flag: India, DWT: 1153 , Length overall: 76.9 LPP: 68.8 ,Beam : 13.0 Builder: Titovo brodogradiliste.
The ship along with her sister "Konkan Shakti" served the Bombay - Goa route till 1991.

*"NOOR JEHAN" :-* The Spanish Ybarra Line owned Passenger/cargo ship built as "CABO SAN VICENTE" in 1959 by Espanola, Spain , was bought by the Mogul Line Limited of Bombay in 1975 and renamed as "Noor Jehan" in keeping with their tradition of naming their ships after Mughal Emperors and Queens - probably to appeal to their target clientele, the Haj pilgrims. The ship was employed on the Bombay - Jeddah route from 1975 to 1985, after which she went for scrap. The ship is probably the largest and fastest passenger ship to fly an Indian flag till date. (GRT 14569; DWT: 7465, Length overall: 169.6,
Beam: 21.1 meter, Twin screw diesel; 20 knots)

*"LOK SEVAK" :- *Rijeka, Yugoslavia, as new building in1966. Built by 3 Maj Brodogadiliste (3rd May Shipyard),
Yugoslavia for Mogul Line Limited, Bombay. The vessel completed her full service life with the
company and was scrapped in December 1984.Sister Vessels "Vishva Kaushal", Vishva Vijak"
and "Vishva Tilak" for SCI.Bulk Carrier, Gross Tons: 9655, DWT: 14476 ,Length overall:146.0
LPP: 139.0 Beam: 20.1,Rijeka.
* "LOK VIVEK " :- *Second of the three bulk carriers built in 1975 by Astilleros Espanoles, Olaveaga/Bilbao (Hull No. 285) for Mogul Line Limited, Bombay. Served full service life with MLL/later SCI. Broken up 1994 at Calcutta.

*"LOK PALAK"* Series :- In 1975/6 the Mogul Line took delivery of five mini bulk-carriers from Damen Shipyard
in Galati, Romania. The ships were geared bulk carriers with seven electrically operated
cranes. The LOK MANYA .LOK SEVAK,LOK SAHAYAK, LOK PALAK and LOK NAYAK were the other sister ships.Mogul Line employed the
vessels on ocean tramping as well as for coastal coal trade. All five vessels
were scrapped / sold in 1986.SCI had four sister ships of this class
named ARADHANA, ARCHANA, ANUPAMA and ANNAPURNA.LOK MANYA -

*P.S :- Thanks to Captain Mr D.V.Joshi(Ex-Mogul Line) of "Five Star Shipping Co Pvt Ltd" for providing this information on a few "Mogul Line Ships" that existed before amalgamation of the company with "Shipping Corporation of india(Ltd)" in 1986* :- Seafarer/Blogger/Tourist Mr Rudolph.A.Furtado.


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## Sharadchandra

*Few Ships of Mogul Line*

Hi,
Good evening Friends !
I refer to the post by Mr.Futado wherein he has referred to some inputs by Captain M.V.Joshi (Ex-Mogul Lines).
For its conversion from Luxury Liner to General passenger Ship I was working from Ship Repair electrical Department of Mazagon Docks Ltd.
Captain Joshi has mentioned it a "twin screw ship" but to my knowledge it was a "single screw ship".
Would like to interact more with all those associated with this ship. Specially Mr.D'Sa & Mr.Gupta of Mogul Lines and Mr.Devdhar, Mr.Dabir Sheikh, Mr. Rajendran, Mr. Sanjay Jayant of Mazagon Docks Ltd.

Sharadchandra Patel.


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## arnab_krn

The Mogul Line fleet from what I remember (in 1984):

5 x 18k DWT Bulk Carriers from Galatea Shipyard : Lok Manya, Lok Palak, Lok Nayak, Lok Vihar, Lok Sahayak
3 x 20k DWT Bulk Carriers from Astilleros Espanoles : Lok Vinay, Lok Vivek, Lok Vikas
2 x 27k DWT Bulk Carriers from Garden Reach : Lok Priti and Lok Pragati
2 x 50+ K DWT Bulk Carriers : Jana Priya & Jana Vijay
1 x 15k DWT Bulk Carrier : Lok Sevak 
1 x 15k DWT General Cargo Vessel : Lok Adhar (War booty)
2 x Large Passenger Liners : Akbar & Noorjehan
2 x Coastal Passenger Liners : Konkan Sevak & Konkan Shakti 
2 x Bulk Carriers (under management) : Krishnaraja & Karnataka 

Fleet on order:
1 x 27k DWT Bulk Carrier at Garden Reach
3 x 27k DWT Bulk Carrier at HSL

Mr. Arnab Ghosh s/o Mr. Ajoy Kumar Ghosh (Supdt. of Mogul Line at Calcutta)


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## Raj Sherikar

Rudolph.A.Furtado said:


> After three years of dithering, Mogul Line was formally merged with the giant Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) in 1986. As dowry, Mogul Line brought along Rs.112 crore in ac***ulated losses and it was the end of line for a 109 year old shipping company.The "GREAT SHIPPING DEPRESSION" of the 1980's claimed the economic lives of many established household names and a little over a decade later in 1997 another monolith company shut shop, "The Scindia steam navigation company Ltd".
> Below is a brief history of the ships that were owned by Mogul Line Ltd before its amalgamation with "S.C.I".
> 
> 
> * "S.S.SAUDI" :- *The Mogul Line ship Saudi was built as a passenger/cargo ship in 1956 by the company's favored shipbuilder Lithgows of Scotland. (5973 grt, dimensions: 129.8 x 17.4 x 7.6 m, engine: 1 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engine + LP turbine with dr gearing, single shaft, 1 screw power: 2400 i.h.p., yard no.: 1089, Lloyds No. 5314705)
> The vessel capsized due to cargo shift in a gale/storm on 26/06/1973 of the Somalian coast with a loss of thirty nine lives.
> 
> *"M.V.AKBAR " :-* The Mogul Line passenger ship "Akbar" (6,600 tong gross, built 1972 by Helsingør Skibs. & Msk., Helsingør, Denmark. She was built to operate as a pilgrim ship with 80 1st class passengers & 1,500 pilgrims or as a general cargo ship with 12 passengers only. In 1986 Mogul Line was merged into the Shipping Corporation of India. The ship was then operating (after reengineering) on the Indian mainland to Port Blair (Andaman Is.) service; her passenger capacity is given as 121 cabin & 1,414 bunk/deck passengers.
> 
> *"M.V.LOK VINAY" :- *First of the three bulk carriers built in 1975/6 by Astilleros Espanoles, Olaveaga/Bilbao (284), for Mogul Line.
> 
> Vessel type: General Cargo / Bulk Carrier.
> Gross tonnage:12,726 tons
> Summer DWT: 20,878 tons
> Broken up on 24.06.1992 at Bombay.
> 
> *"KONKAN SEVAK" :-* The small passenger ship built for the Bombay and Goa passenger service
> at Kraljevica, Yugoslavia ..IMO no. 6418388 ,Year of built: 1964 , Type: Passenger/cargo,
> Flag: India, DWT: 1153 , Length overall: 76.9 LPP: 68.8 ,Beam : 13.0 Builder: Titovo brodogradiliste.
> The ship along with her sister "Konkan Shakti" served the Bombay - Goa route till 1991.
> 
> *"NOOR JEHAN" :-* The Spanish Ybarra Line owned Passenger/cargo ship built as "CABO SAN VICENTE" in 1959 by Espanola, Spain , was bought by the Mogul Line Limited of Bombay in 1975 and renamed as "Noor Jehan" in keeping with their tradition of naming their ships after Mughal Emperors and Queens - probably to appeal to their target clientele, the Haj pilgrims. The ship was employed on the Bombay - Jeddah route from 1975 to 1985, after which she went for scrap. The ship is probably the largest and fastest passenger ship to fly an Indian flag till date. (GRT 14569; DWT: 7465, Length overall: 169.6,
> Beam: 21.1 meter, Twin screw diesel; 20 knots)
> 
> *"LOK SEVAK" :- *Rijeka, Yugoslavia, as new building in1966. Built by 3 Maj Brodogadiliste (3rd May Shipyard),
> Yugoslavia for Mogul Line Limited, Bombay. The vessel completed her full service life with the
> company and was scrapped in December 1984.Sister Vessels "Vishva Kaushal", Vishva Vijak"
> and "Vishva Tilak" for SCI.Bulk Carrier, Gross Tons: 9655, DWT: 14476 ,Length overall:146.0
> LPP: 139.0 Beam: 20.1,Rijeka.
> * "LOK VIVEK " :- *Second of the three bulk carriers built in 1975 by Astilleros Espanoles, Olaveaga/Bilbao (Hull No. 285) for Mogul Line Limited, Bombay. Served full service life with MLL/later SCI. Broken up 1994 at Calcutta.
> 
> *"LOK PALAK"* Series :- In 1975/6 the Mogul Line took delivery of five mini bulk-carriers from Damen Shipyard
> in Galati, Romania. The ships were geared bulk carriers with seven electrically operated
> cranes. The LOK MANYA .LOK SEVAK,LOK SAHAYAK, LOK PALAK and LOK NAYAK were the other sister ships.Mogul Line employed the
> vessels on ocean tramping as well as for coastal coal trade. All five vessels
> were scrapped / sold in 1986.SCI had four sister ships of this class
> named ARADHANA, ARCHANA, ANUPAMA and ANNAPURNA.LOK MANYA -
> 
> *P.S :- Thanks to Captain Mr D.V.Joshi(Ex-Mogul Line) of "Five Star Shipping Co Pvt Ltd" for providing this information on a few "Mogul Line Ships" that existed before amalgamation of the company with "Shipping Corporation of india(Ltd)" in 1986* :- Seafarer/Blogger/Tourist Mr Rudolph.A.Furtado.


My father was a captain at Mogul Lines. He has passed away now but it brought back memories from the time I used visit these ships as a child. Thanks, appreciate this message.


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## Mogul Dariya Jahaz

Raj Sherikar said:


> My father was a captain at Mogul Lines. He has passed away now but it brought back memories from the time I used visit these ships as a child. Thanks, appreciate this message.


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## Mogul Dariya Jahaz

Hello Raj - My father too, was a ship’s captain until he fell ill and re-patriated home & died. Like you, I visited all the ships he commanded. Most, I remember : Mohammedi, Saudi, Alavi, Mozaffari, Jehangir, Rizwani - where I became familiar with all the decks & enjoyed the atmosphere - and the Bombay docks - Ballard, Alexander, red-gate, green- gate etc and watched the dereks in action in their un-loading. Thanks for the brief history - the only memento I have left, is the ship’s clock from the captain’s cabin when one of the ships was scrapped - I’d love another item of memorabilia to re-ignite the memories- all the 8mm cine tapes have gone. . .
regards, Mogul Dariya.


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## MikeGDH

Wasn't Mogul Line originally connected with Asiatic Steam Nav. Co. ??
Interesting postings!
Thanks. Mike. (ex-R/O on Asiatic's ss Subadar 1958-1960.)


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## arnabp25

MikeGDH said:


> Wasn't Mogul Line originally connected with Asiatic Steam Nav. Co. ??
> Interesting postings!
> Thanks. Mike. (ex-R/O on Asiatic's ss Subadar 1958-1960.)


Yes - that is correct. I believe they had the same holding Company.


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## MikeGDH

arnabp25 said:


> Yes - that is correct. I believe they had the same holding Company.


Thanks for agreeing with my ancient memory!
Kind Wishes.
Mike.


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## BosunsMate

Rudolph.A.Furtado said:


> After three years of dithering, Mogul Line was formally merged with the giant Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) in 1986. As dowry, Mogul Line brought along Rs.112 crore in ac***ulated losses and it was the end of line for a 109 year old shipping company.The "GREAT SHIPPING DEPRESSION" of the 1980's claimed the economic lives of many established household names and a little over a decade later in 1997 another monolith company shut shop, "The Scindia steam navigation company Ltd".
> Below is a brief history of the ships that were owned by Mogul Line Ltd before its amalgamation with "S.C.I".
> 
> 
> * "S.S.SAUDI" :- *The Mogul Line ship Saudi was built as a passenger/cargo ship in 1956 by the company's favored shipbuilder Lithgows of Scotland. (5973 grt, dimensions: 129.8 x 17.4 x 7.6 m, engine: 1 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engine + LP turbine with dr gearing, single shaft, 1 screw power: 2400 i.h.p., yard no.: 1089, Lloyds No. 5314705)
> The vessel capsized due to cargo shift in a gale/storm on 26/06/1973 of the Somalian coast with a loss of thirty nine lives.
> 
> *"M.V.AKBAR " :-* The Mogul Line passenger ship "Akbar" (6,600 tong gross, built 1972 by Helsingør Skibs. & Msk., Helsingør, Denmark. She was built to operate as a pilgrim ship with 80 1st class passengers & 1,500 pilgrims or as a general cargo ship with 12 passengers only. In 1986 Mogul Line was merged into the Shipping Corporation of India. The ship was then operating (after reengineering) on the Indian mainland to Port Blair (Andaman Is.) service; her passenger capacity is given as 121 cabin & 1,414 bunk/deck passengers.
> 
> *"M.V.LOK VINAY" :- *First of the three bulk carriers built in 1975/6 by Astilleros Espanoles, Olaveaga/Bilbao (284), for Mogul Line.
> 
> Vessel type: General Cargo / Bulk Carrier.
> Gross tonnage:12,726 tons
> Summer DWT: 20,878 tons
> Broken up on 24.06.1992 at Bombay.
> 
> *"KONKAN SEVAK" :-* The small passenger ship built for the Bombay and Goa passenger service
> at Kraljevica, Yugoslavia ..IMO no. 6418388 ,Year of built: 1964 , Type: Passenger/cargo,
> Flag: India, DWT: 1153 , Length overall: 76.9 LPP: 68.8 ,Beam : 13.0 Builder: Titovo brodogradiliste.
> The ship along with her sister "Konkan Shakti" served the Bombay - Goa route till 1991.
> 
> *"NOOR JEHAN" :-* The Spanish Ybarra Line owned Passenger/cargo ship built as "CABO SAN VICENTE" in 1959 by Espanola, Spain , was bought by the Mogul Line Limited of Bombay in 1975 and renamed as "Noor Jehan" in keeping with their tradition of naming their ships after Mughal Emperors and Queens - probably to appeal to their target clientele, the Haj pilgrims. The ship was employed on the Bombay - Jeddah route from 1975 to 1985, after which she went for scrap. The ship is probably the largest and fastest passenger ship to fly an Indian flag till date. (GRT 14569; DWT: 7465, Length overall: 169.6,
> Beam: 21.1 meter, Twin screw diesel; 20 knots)
> 
> *"LOK SEVAK" :- *Rijeka, Yugoslavia, as new building in1966. Built by 3 Maj Brodogadiliste (3rd May Shipyard),
> Yugoslavia for Mogul Line Limited, Bombay. The vessel completed her full service life with the
> company and was scrapped in December 1984.Sister Vessels "Vishva Kaushal", Vishva Vijak"
> and "Vishva Tilak" for SCI.Bulk Carrier, Gross Tons: 9655, DWT: 14476 ,Length overall:146.0
> LPP: 139.0 Beam: 20.1,Rijeka.
> * "LOK VIVEK " :- *Second of the three bulk carriers built in 1975 by Astilleros Espanoles, Olaveaga/Bilbao (Hull No. 285) for Mogul Line Limited, Bombay. Served full service life with MLL/later SCI. Broken up 1994 at Calcutta.
> 
> *"LOK PALAK"* Series :- In 1975/6 the Mogul Line took delivery of five mini bulk-carriers from Damen Shipyard
> in Galati, Romania. The ships were geared bulk carriers with seven electrically operated
> cranes. The LOK MANYA .LOK SEVAK,LOK SAHAYAK, LOK PALAK and LOK NAYAK were the other sister ships.Mogul Line employed the
> vessels on ocean tramping as well as for coastal coal trade. All five vessels
> were scrapped / sold in 1986.SCI had four sister ships of this class
> named ARADHANA, ARCHANA, ANUPAMA and ANNAPURNA.LOK MANYA -
> 
> *P.S :- Thanks to Captain Mr D.V.Joshi(Ex-Mogul Line) of "Five Star Shipping Co Pvt Ltd" for providing this information on a few "Mogul Line Ships" that existed before amalgamation of the company with "Shipping Corporation of india(Ltd)" in 1986* :- Seafarer/Blogger/Tourist Mr Rudolph.A.Furtado.


Do you happen to know where I can find an image of the ss Rahmani, 3291gt, Official No 160593 and built in 1928. My late father sailed as a Junior Officer on the maiden voyage from Glasgow to Bombay.


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