Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK) Fleet List
Fleet List of the Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK) Showing Ownership, Nationality, Name of Ship, Year Placed in Service, and Gross Tonnage. Gross tonnage equals cubic feet of all enclosed space divided by 100. Notations Regarding the Ship (if any), Such as Previous Name or Renaming, are shown after the Gross Tonnage.
OSAKA LINE
Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd.
Osaka Syosen Kabusiki Kaisya
(Japanese)
Founded in 1878, the Mitsui Steamship Co. was a shipowning company. In 1884, the company became Osaka Shosen Kaisha and traded locally. Overseas services began in 1890 with a route between Osaka and Busan. In 1908, the first Japanese emigrants were carried to Brazil. A Hong Kong to Tacoma service commenced in 1909. A San Francisco route was opened in 1915 and 1916, South American services were started, and a service to New York was in 1920. There were numerous other routes until the commencement of WWII, including a round-the-world service. However, most of the fleet was destroyed during the war. It was in the 1950s that OSK resumed worldwide trading and, in 1964, merged with other companies to form Mitsui OSK Line.
- Africa Maru (1918) 9,476
- Africa Maru (1951) 8,354
- Aikoku Maru (1939) 10,360
- Alaska Maru (1920) 7,379
- America Maru (1950) 8,343
- Arabia Maru (1918) 9,480
- Argentina Maru (1939) 12,755
- Argentina Maru (1958) 10.863
- Arizona Maru (1920) 9,684
- Atlas Maru (1920) 7,344
- Baikal Maru (1921) 5,266
- Brazil Maru (1939) 12,752
- Brazil Maru (1954) 10,101
- Buenos Aires Maru (1930) 9,626
- Canada Maru (1911) 6,064
- Chicago Maru (1910) 6,182
- Hawaii Maru (1915) 9,482
- Hokoku Maru (1939) 10,439
- Horai Maru (1912) 9,204
- Huso Maru (1908) 8,199
- Kasato Maru (1900) 6,209
- Kiturin Maru (1935) 6,783 ex-Kitsurin Maru
- Kokuryu Maru (1937) 7,369
- Manila Maru (1915) 9,518
- Mexico Maru (1910) 6,064
- Naminouc Maru (1936) 4,731
- Oryoku Maru (1937) 7,363
- Panama Maru (1910) 6,058
- Paris Maru (1921) 7,197
- Rio de Janeiro Maru (1930) 9,627
- Santos Maru (1925) 7,267
- Santos Maru (1952) 8,516
- Seattle Maru (1909) 6,182
- Tacoma Maru (1909) 6,178
- Takatilio Maru (1934) 8,154 ex-Takachiho Maru
- Toyen Maru (1905) 3,541
- Ukisima Maru (1936) 4,730 ex-Ukishima Maru
- Ussuri Maru (1932) 6,386
Smith, Eugene W., Passenger Ships of the World: Past and Present, Boston: George H. Dean Company, 1963.