The Groote Beer was converted into an emigrant ship in July1952 from a 1945 US Victory-class freighter known as the "Costa Rica Victory."
She and her sisters, the Waterman and the Zuiderkruis, were owned by the Dutch government but were managed by private shipping companies. The Groote Beer by the Holland-America Line, the Waterman by Nederland Line and the Zuiderkruis by Royal Rotterdam Lloyd.
The ships were fitted with passenger accommodations for about 800 in a single class, with large dormitories outnumbering conventional cabins. The Groote Beer averaged 13 voyages to North America during its years of service as an emigrant ship. The other two made the North America run during the summer months only, averaging 5 trips each. Voyages were also made to Australia & South Africa.
In 1960, the Groote Beer was transferred to the Trans-Ocean Steamship
Co and in 1963 was sold to John S. Latsis, Greece. She was renamed the
Marianna IV in 1964 and back to Groote Beer in 1965. In 1968 she was once
again the Marianna IV. By November 1968 she was laid up in Piraeus and
finally scrapped in June 1970 at Eleusis, Greece.
Last updated 1999 March 13