SS 'Tjerimai'

The 128,5 metre long 'Tjerimai' of the Rotterdam Lloyd company was bought by the company at an auction in 1921. Building of the ship had started seven years earlier at the Reiherstieg Schiffswerft und Maschinenfabrik in Hamburg, Germany. It was commisioned for by the german company Woermann-Linie AG. The ship was launched in 1916 but due to World War 1 finishing the ship was delayed until 1920. After that the ship was transferred to England as part of the so called 'Wiedergutmachung' - money and goods Germany had to pay and transfer to the allies to compensate for all damage during World War 1. The English auctioned it and that way it finally came to Rotterdam. 'Tjerimai' is the old name for the Cereme volcano on Java, Indonesia. A lot of ships of the Dutch Lloyd had names that referred to the strong connection between Lloyd and the Dutch Indies - in those days one of Hollands colonies. The Lloyds service between Holland and the Dutch Indies was not only important because of the transport op people, but also the transport of mail. The front mast of this model of the 'Tjerimai' flies the so called mail flag which shows the pride Lloyds took in this function. 'Tjerimai' sailed between Rotterdam and Tandjong Priok - the port of the main capital of the Dutch Indies Batavia (current Jakarta) - from 1922 to 1931. In total the ship could carry 248 passengers devided in three separate classes. The model of the 'Tjerimai' measures (lxwxh) 270 x 35 x 94 cm.