Barber Steamship Lines was founded in 1902 as Barber & Company Inc. and also operated the New York & Oriental Steamship Company. In 1928 Barber Steamship Lines operated the American West African Line. In 1945 Barber Steamship Lines was renamed the Wilhelmsen Lines, as it was acquired by Wilh. Wilhelmsen, a Norwegian company, later was renamed again to Barber International. American West African Line was closed in 1946, now part of Barber Steamship Lines. Barber Steamship Lines operated in the Far East and then around the World with Wilh. Wilhelmsen ships. Barber Steamship Lines also operated ships of British James Chambers & Company (1945 to 1955), Norwegian Fearnley & Eger Company and A. F. Klaveness & Co.[1][2][3]

American West African Line

During World War II the American West African Line was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. After World War II American West African Line purchased some of the low-cost surplus ships. During wartime, the American West African Line line operated Victory ships and Liberty ships.[4]

Ships

Ship of Barber Steamship Lines and American West African Line:[5] [6][7]

SS West Humhaw

SS Cathlamet

SS Challenger

SS City of New York

SS West Irmo Sank 1942 Uboat [8]

SS Otho

SS Sagadahoc

SS West Cawthon

SS West Cusseta

SS West Humhaw

SS West Irmo

SS West Isleta

SS West Kebar

SS West Lashaway Sank by German submarine U-66.[9]

SS Zarembo

SS Stephen Smith

SS Wesley W. Barrett

SS George Ade

SS John Carter Rose

SS Jared Ingersoll

SS Thomas Stone

SS Cedar Rapids Victory

SS Coastal Competitor

SS Felix Riesenberg

SS Belgium Equity

SS Radcliffe Victory

SS West Kedron

Empire Gazelle

SS Taos Victory [10]

SS Westbrook Victory

SS Westerly Victory

SS Zanesville Victory

SS Drury Victory[11]

SS Escanaba Victor[11]

Richard Bland[12] Richard D. Spaight[12] Harvard Victory [13] Felix Riesenberg[14] Frank Adair Monroe[14] Benjamin H. Bristow [15] Bushrod Washington [15] James A. Farrell[16] James K. Polk[16] James M. Goodhue[16] Jared Ingersoll[16] Jeremiah M. Daily[16] Jeremiah Wadsworth[16] Thomas Hooker[17] Vernon L. Parrington[17] John R. McQuigg[18] Edward L. Grant[19] Julia Ward Howe[20] Oakley Wood[21] Arthur P. Davis[22]

SS Matt W. Ransom

SS West Nohno

SS Empire Eland

Main article: Wilh. Wilhelmsen

Bigorange XVIII

Bigorange XVIII

Danae

Franconia

Talnati

Tamesis

Tamesis

Taronga

Tender

Champion

Themis

Tourcoing

Tourcoing

Tønsberg

Tønsberg

MV Taiko

MV Tricolor

MV Tampa