Gdynia-America Shipping Lines S.A. (Gdynia America Line - GAL) was a Polish - Danish joint stock company based in Gdynia, established in 1930 under the name of the Polish Transatlantic Shipping Company Limited (PTTO) in order to mark the Polish presence on the Atlantic; in 1934 transformed into Gdynia-America Shipping Lines.
8-761: In 1930 the Polish government, faced with growing emigration to North and South America, decided to purchase an existing shipping line (including ships and existing organizational apparatus) with the right to use piers in New York. After the failure of negotiations with Germany, the Baltic American Line owned by the Danish shipping company, the East Asiatic Company Limited (EAC, Det Ostasiatitske Kompagni) in Copenhagen
16-630: The Danish flag from 1921 to 1930. The Danish owners became eager to sell their interests as in 1931 the United States authorities severely reduced immigrant quotas and the line was threatened with bankruptcy. In 1930 the East Asiatic Company sold its Latvian subsidiary, with the remaining three ships, to Polish owners who renamed the company Polskie Transatlantyckie Towarzystwo Okrętowe (Polish Transatlantic Shipping Company Limited or PTTO). The ships were operated by Gdynia America Line , which
24-623: The Russian revolution, Poland and the Baltic states had seceded from Russia and the city of Liepāja (Libau) was in newly independent Latvia . The ships were transferred to the newly created Baltic American Line. The East Asiatic Company's Liepāja-registered ships all had Russian names, so the company renamed them with the names of the newly independent states: Latvia (ex-Russija, built 1908), Polonia (ex-Kursk, built 1910), Estonia (ex-Czar, built 1912) and Lithuania (ex-Czaritza, built 1915). The Latvia
32-617: The claim was satisfied as part of the Polish-Danish compensation agreement signed on 26 February 1953. Det Østasiatiske Kompagni A/S was granted a compensation in the amount of 1,220,000 Danish kronas (DKK). Baltic American Line The Baltic American Line , was a shipping company, established by the Danish East Asiatic Company in 1920. The East Asiatic Company's subsidiary Russian American Line began sailing to North America in 1900, continuing until 1917. With
40-452: The company Polskie Transatlantyckie Towarzystwo Okrętowe (Polish Transatlantic Shipping Company Limited or PTTO). Initially captains were provided by the Danish side, and Polish captains acted as doubles, preparing for independent command of the ships. The ships were operated by Gdynia America Line, which was restructured in 1934 to absorb PTTO. The line added routes, particularly to South America, with its River Plate Service. The company
48-530: Was badly affected by World War II with many of its ships, being seized for war service and/or lost. In 1950 the company (and its few remaining ships) were folded into the state-owned Polish Ocean Lines . After the end of World War II, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs submitted a nationalization claim, with regards to the GAL nationalization, to the Polish authorities during bilateral trade negotiations. Ultimately,
56-455: Was chosen. This line had three steam passenger ships named Polonia (ex-Kursk, built 1910), Estonia (ex-Czar, built 1912) and Lithuania (ex-Czaritza, built 1915) which were registered in Latvia. The Danish owners became eager to sell their interests, as in 1931 the United States authorities severely reduced immigrant quotas and the line was threatened with bankruptcy. The Polish owners renamed
64-450: Was sold in 1923 to a Japanese shipping company and renamed the Fuso Maru , she was later torpedoed during World War II. The Baltic America Line offered passenger service between the ports of New York , Hamburg , Danzig , Liepāja and Halifax . They offered intermediate class accommodations for First Class, Cabin, Tourist and Third Class passengers. The ships continued the service under
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