Ramb III (1938)

Later names
Kiebitz (1943)
Galeb (1952)

Builder:
Ansaldo Societa' per Azioni
Sestri Ponente, Italy 
Ordered:
N/A
Keel Laid:
N/A
Year Built:
1938
Launched:
N/A
Type:
Freighter (see note)
Completed:


April 1938
Fate:
As of Aug. 2009 moored at Rijeka, Croatia awaiting final decision, possibly to be turned into
a floating museum at Rijeka.
Note:
Built as a Refrigerated cargo ship (banana boat), converted into an auxiliary minelayer by the
Germans in World War 2, converted into a yacht in 1950-52.


Owner
Italian Government
Sept. 1943:
German Government
(Kriegsmarine)

1948:
Yugoslavian Government
1980:
Montenegrin Government (later Croatian Government)
1991:
John Paul Papanicolaou
Greece


Dimensions, machinery and performance
Length:
383' 2"
Engines:
2 Fiat diesels
Beam:
49' 5"
Boilers:
None
Draft:
N/A
Shafts:
2
Gross Tons:
3,667
HP:
7,200
DWT:
N/A
Speed:
17 knots
Crew:
N/A
Funnels:
1


Timeline
Sept. 1943:
Following the Italian capitulation the ship was taken over by the Kriegsmarine and
converted into an auxiliary minelayer, renamed Kiebitz.
Armed with three 6" and twenty-six 20mm AA. Could carry 80 mines and laid over
5,000 mines in the Adriatic during her career.

Nov. 3, 1944:
Sunk in shallow water at Fiume by USAAF aircraft.
1948:
Raised and taken to Pola for repair and conversion into a yacht / training ship.
1952:
Put into service and renamed Galeb, used by Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito
(Marshall Tito) and used as an official yacht. Reverted to naval use following his
death in 1980.

1991:
Sold to John Paul Papanicolaou of Greece, still awaiting final disposition. Currently
moored at Rijeka, Croatia for possible use as a museum ship.


Builder's Data
Page published Oct. 29, 2009