PAMIR SHIP

1905, Germany

Pamir and Passat (a more recent Flying P-liner) were ones of the last merchant sailing ships.

Pamir, launched in 1905, was a four-masted barque with a steel hull and bridge and was one of the well known Flying P-liners. The Flying P-liners were the sailing ships of the German F. Laeisz shipping company renowned for their cruising speed, high reliability and their name all starting with the letter P (such as Preussen, Passat…).

Pamir was originally put to sea for the nitrate trade between South America and Europe.

During World War I she stayed in port in the Canary Islands and in 1920 she was handed over to Italy as war reparation. Due to the inability of the Italian government to find her a qualified crew she was laid up until 1924 when F. Laeisz shipping company bought her back to resume activity in the nitrate trade.

In 1931 she was sold to a Finnish company who used her in the Australian wheat trade. During World War II, she was seized as prize of war by New Zealand and sailed worldwide along various trade routes. She was the last windjammer to sail commercially around Cape Horn in 1949.

Due to changing regulations and more modern techniques, she could not be operated at a profit, so German new owners refitted her as a merchant training ship. As such, while undertaking her sixth trading voyage in 1957 she was caught in Hurricane Carrie and sank off the Azores. The exact cause of her sinking were never really explained. The uneven and unsecured load of the 4000 tons of barley were the reason why she listed, however her new captain inexperienced in the handling of cargo sailing ships was suspected of mismanaging the situation. Only 6 men out of a crew of 86 were rescued.