The SITMAR Liners: Past and Present

This story of the Sitmar Liners is written primarily from an Australian perspective, but it also covers the general development of the company and its operations throughout the world. In the late 1940s SITMAR entered the passenger trades by obtaining contracts from the International Refugee Organisation to transport displaced persons from European ports to Australia and other countries. The first SITMAR passenger ship to come to Australia was Castelbianco, which was only one of many ships contracted to carry displaced persons. From these small beginnings, SITMAR developed into a major passenger shipping company during the 1950s, offering regular voyages between Europe and Australia for both migrants and fare-paying passengers. In the early 1970s, company entered the highly competitive North American cruise market. In this way, Sitmar Cruises was born. However, the link between Australia and the former Sitmar Cruises liners continues to this day.