SS Imperator became the first ocean liner to exceed 50,000 gross tons when it entered service in 1913.
Built for Germany’s Hamburg America Line, Imperator was launched in 1912 and entered service in June 1913. Its enormous size reflected the intense competition among German, British, and French companies for prestige on the North Atlantic.
Imperator was the first of three related German liners, followed by Vaterland and Bismarck. After World War I, Imperator was transferred to Britain as part of Germany’s reparations and became Cunard’s RMS Berengaria. Gross tonnage measures enclosed interior volume, not weight, so it is often confused with displacement or deadweight tonnage.