British India Steam Navigation Company facts for kids
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Souvenir badge from Nevasa showing the BI house flag: a white swallowtail with a red saltire
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| ship owner and ship operator | |
| Industry | transport |
| Successor | P&O |
| Founded | 1856 |
| Defunct | 1972 |
| Products | passenger and cargo shipping |
| Parent | P&O (1914 onwards) |
The British India Steam Navigation Company, often called BI, was a very important shipping company. It started in 1856 as the Calcutta and Burmah Steam Navigation Company. This company helped connect different parts of the world by sea.
Contents
The Calcutta and Burmah Steam Navigation Company began with two Scottish traders. Their names were William Mackinnon and Robert Mackenzie. Their first job was to carry mail between Calcutta (now Kolkata) in India and Rangoon (now Yangon) in Burma.
In 1862, the company changed its name to British India Steam Navigation Company. Later, in 1914, it joined a bigger group called P&O. This was a complex business move. Even so, BI kept its own name and way of working for almost 60 more years. Finally, in 1972, it became fully part of P&O.
Amazing Ships and Journeys
BI was one of the biggest ship owners ever. It owned over 500 ships and managed 150 more for other companies. In 1922, at its busiest, BI had more than 160 ships. Many of these ships were built in Scotland.
Where Did BI Ships Go?
The main routes for BI ships connected Britain to countries like India, Australia, and parts of Africa. They also sailed from India to many places in Asia. These included Pakistan, Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan. Ships also traveled to the Persian Gulf and East and South Africa.
Helping Governments and Students
For a long time, BI ships helped the British and Indian governments. They carried soldiers and supplies. In its last years, BI also took thousands of students on special educational cruises. These trips helped young people learn about different places.
Famous Ships and Their Stories
Many BI ships had interesting histories.
- The Mantola was sunk by a German submarine in 1917. It was carrying a lot of silver!
- Another cargo ship, the Gairsoppa, was sunk in 1941. It carried the most valuable cargo of any sunken ship in history.
- The Dara was sadly sunk by a bomb in 1961.
Some well-known passenger ships included the Rajula, Dunera, and Uganda.
The Last Great Ships
The Nevasa was the last passenger ship built for BI in 1956. It first served as a troopship, carrying soldiers. Later, it joined the educational cruise fleet. The Nevasa was scrapped in 1975 because it became too expensive to run.
The Uganda was another very popular ship. In 1982, during the Falklands war, it became a hospital ship. It helped many people during the conflict. After that, it served as a troopship again. The Uganda was the very last BI ship to be taken out of service in 1985. The Dwarka was the last ship to run regular passenger services for BI, ending its journeys in 1982.
Company Timeline
Images for kids
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Commander
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Chief Officer
with superior certificate -
Chief Officer
with certificate of rank -
Second Officer
with superior certificate -
Second Officer
with certificate of rank -
Third Officer
with certificate of rank -
Fourth Officer
with certificate of rank -
Third & Fourth Officer
without certificate -
Cadet
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Chief Engineer Officer
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Second Engineer Officer
with superior certificate -
Second Engineer Officer
with certificate of rank -
Third Engineer Officer
with certificate -
Third Engineer Officer
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Fourth Engineer Officer
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Junior Engineer Officer
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Senior Electrician
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Second Electrician
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Junior Electrician
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Senior Purser
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Purser
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Assistant Purser
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Chief Steward
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Second Steward
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Extra Second Steward
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Doctor
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Nursing Sister
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Matron
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Assistant Matron
