SS Avila Star

History
United Kingdom
NameAvila (1927–29) Avila Star (1929–42)
NamesakeÁvila, Spain
OwnerBlue Star Line
OperatorBlue Star Line
Port of registry London
RouteLondon – Rio de JaneiroBuenos Aires
Ordered1925
BuilderJohn Brown & Company, Clydebank
Yard number514
Launched22 September 1926
CompletedMarch 1927
Identification
FateTorpedoed and sunk 5 July 1942
General characteristics
Typepassenger and refrigerated cargo liner
Tonnage
Length
  • as built: 510.2 ft (155.5 m)
  • after lengthening: 550.4 ft (167.8 m)
Beam68.2 ft (20.8 m)
Draught
  • as built: 37 ft 4 in (11.38 m)
  • after lengthening: 46 ft 0 in (14.02 m)
Depth
  • as built: 33.9 ft (10.3 m)
  • after lengthening: 42.6 ft (13.0 m)
Decks3
Installed poweras built: 2,007 NHP after lengthening: 1,840 NHP
Propulsionas built: 5 boilers feeding 4 steam turbines driving 2 screw propellers after rebuild: boilers reduced from 5 to 4
Speed16 knots (30 km/h)
Capacity162 1st class passengers plus refrigerated cargo
Crew159 plus (in wartime) 6 DEMS gunners
Sensors &
processing systems
Armament(as DEMS)
Notessister ship: Avelona Star

SS Avila Star, originally SS Avila, was a British turbine steamship of the Blue Star Line. She was both an ocean liner and a refrigerated cargo ship, providing a passenger service between London and South America and carrying refrigerated beef from South America to London. She was built in 1927, renamed Avila Star in 1929 and lengthened in 1935. She was sunk by a German submarine in 1942 with the loss of 84 lives.