Passenger ship “Fairsky” at Auckland, New Zealand, in November 1974
Owner: Fairline Shipping Corp., Liberia
Operator: Soc. Italiana Transporti Marittimi S.p.A., Genoa (“SITMAR”) (Vlasov group)
Flag: Liberia
Completed: December 1943
Builder: Western Pipe & Steel Co., San Francisco
Gross tonnage: 12,464
Length overall: 153 m
Engines: steam turbines; single screw
Speed: 18 knots
Passenger capacity: 1,481 in 1 class
1941: Laid down as a C3-type cargo ship “Steel Artisan” for Isthmian Steamship Corp., New York; requisitioned by U.S. Government
1942 September: launched as escort carrier U.S.S. “Barnes” (CVE-7) for U.S. Navy
1943 December 1943: completed; loaned to British Royal Navy, renamed H.M.S. “Attacker” (D02)
1945: returned to U.S. Navy
1947: sold to National Bulk Carriers but laid up again
1950: bought by Vlasov Group under nominal ownership of Navcot Corp. & registered in Panama; laid up
1952: renamed “Castel Forte”, sent to Newport News with intention to convert to cargo ship but work not carried out;laid up once more
1957 February - 1958 May: reconstructed at Bethlehem Steel Corp’s yard in New York & at Genoa; on completion registered under ownership of Fairline & renamed “Fairsky”
1958 June: entered U.K.-Australia emigrant service on charter to Australian Government; from 1960s employed in cruising in summer season.
1968: re-registered in Liberia
1974 July: began full-time cruising duties
1977 June: severely damaged when hitting a wreck off Jakarta; run aground to prevent sinking; partially-repaired & sold in December to shipbreakers Fuji Marden, Hong Kong.
Resold to Peninsula Tourist Shipping Co., Philippines; chartered to Philippine Casino Operators Corp., renamed “Philippine Tourist” & began conversion to floating hotel & casino at Bataan Shipyard & Eng. Co., Manila.
1979 November: gutted by fire at Manila while still in shipyard
1980 May: sold for scrap to Fuji Marden, Hong Kong.