The Blue Riband awards the fastest passenger commercial transatlantic crossing. Below are some notable ships winning the Blue Riband on the westbound transatlantic crossing.
Dating back to the mid nineteenth century, the Blue Riband was unofficially presented to the ship with the fastest average speed instead of passage time to account for varying courses taken per ship. The distinction was also different for east and west passages because of prevailing ocean currents and winds.
An image of the Hale Trophy, presented to the fastest transatlantic commercial crossing
SS United States
1957 - July
35.51 Knots
65.76 KPH
40.8 MPH
The Blue Riband
RMS Queen Mary
1938 - August
30.99 Knots
SS Normandie
1937 - August
30.58 Knots
United States | USL | 1952 | 11 – 15 July | 34.51 Knots | 63.91 KPH | 39.71 MPH | 3 d, 12 h, 12 m | 2,906 nautical miles (5,382 km) |
Queen Mary | C-WS | 1938 | 4 – 8 August | 30.99 Knots | 57.39 KPH | 35.66 MPH | 3 d, 21 h, 48 m | 2,907 nautical miles (5,384 km) |
Normandie | CGT | 1937 | 29 July – 2 August | 30.58 Knots | 56.63 KPH | 35.19 MPH | 3 d, 23 h, 2 m | 2,906 nautical miles (5,382 km) |
Queen Mary | C-WS | 1936 | 20 – 24 August | 30.14 Knots | 55.82 KPH | 34.68 MPH | 4 d, 0 h, 27 m | 2,907 nautical miles (5,384 km) |
Normandie | CGT | 1935 | 30 May – 3 June | 29.98 Knots | 55.52 KPH | 34.5 MPH | 4 d, 3 h, 2 m | 2,971 nautical miles (5,502 km) |
Bremen | NDL | 1933 | 27 June – 2 July | 27.92 Knots | 51.71 KPH | 32.12 MPH | 4 d, 16 h, 48 m | 3,149 nautical miles (5,832 km) |
Rex | Italian | 1933 | 11 – 16 August | 28.92 Knots | 53.56 KPH | 33.28 MPH | 4 d, 13 h, 58 m | 3,181 nautical miles (5,891 km) |
Europa | NDL | 1930 | 20 – 25 March | 27.91 Knots | 51.69 KPH | 32.11 MPH | 4 d, 17 h, 6 m | 3,157 nautical miles (5,847 km) |
Bremen | NDL | 1929 | 17 – 22 July | 27.83 Knots | 51.54 KPH | 32.02 MPH | 4 d, 17 h, 42 m | 3,164 nautical miles (5,860 km) |
Lusitania | Cunard | 1909 | 8 – 12 August | 25.65 Knots | 47.50 KPH | 29.51 MPH | 4 d, 16 h, 40 m | 2,890 nautical miles (5,350 km) |
Mauretania | Cunard | 1909 | 26 – 30 September | 26.06 Knots | 48.26 KPH | 29.98 MPH | 4 d, 10 h, 51 m | 2,784 nautical miles (5,156 km) |
Lusitania | Cunard | 1908 | 17 – 21 May | 24.83 Knots | 45.99 KPH | 28.57 MPH | 4 d, 20 h, 22 m | 2,889 nautical miles (5,350 km) |
Lusitania | Cunard | 1908 | 5 – 10 July | 25.01 Knots | 46.32 KPH | 28.78 MPH | 4 d, 19 h, 36 m | 2,891 nautical miles (5,354 km) |
Lusitania | Cunard | 1907 | 6 – 10 October | 23.99 Knots | 44.43 KPH | 27.6 MPH | 4 d, 19 h, 52 m | 2,780 nautical miles (5,150 km) |
Deutschland | Hapag | 1903 | 2 – 8 September | 23.15 Knots | 42.87 KPH | 26.64 MPH | 5 d, 11 h, 54 m | 3,054 nautical miles (5,656 km) |
Kronprinz Wilhelm | NDL | 1902 | 10 – 16 September | 23.09 Knots | 42.76 KPH | 26.57 MPH | 5 d, 11 h, 57 m | 3,047 nautical miles (5,643 km) |
Deutschland | Hapag | 1901 | 26 July – 1 August | 23.06 Knots | 42.71 KPH | 23.06 MPH | 5 d, 16 h, 12 m | 3,141 nautical miles (5,817 km) |
Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse | NDL | 1898 | 30 March – 3 April | 22.29 Knots | 41.28 KPH | 25.65 MPH | 5 d, 20 h, 0 m | 3,120 nautical miles (5,780 km) |
RMS Queen Mary
1936 - August
30.14 Knots
SS Normandie
1935 - June
29.98 Knots
SS Rex
1933 - August
28.92 Knots
SS Bremen
1933 - July
27.92 Knots
SS Europa
1930 - March
27.91 Knots
SS Bremen
1929 - July
27.83 Knots
RMS Mauretania
1909 - September
26.06 Knots
RMS Lusitania
1909 - August
25.65 Knots
SS Deutschland
1900 - July
22.42 Knots
In 1935, Howard K Hales of the Hales Brothers Shipping Company donated the Hales trophy, shown left. This trophy symbolizes the Blue Riband, but the rules slightly differ from the traditional Blue Riband award criteria.
Below are the last ten of eleven ships to win the award for a westbound crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.
SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse
1898 - March-April
22.29 Knots