Groote Beer

Groote Beer, originally the Victory ship SS Costa Rica Victory, was laid down on 22 March 1944 at the Permanente No. 1 yard at Richmond, California, and launched on 17 June 1944.

Used as a Dutch emigrant ship after World War II the ship was rebuilt in 1952 to accommodate about 800 passengers in a single class, with large dormitories outnumbering conventional cabins. The Groote Beer made regular stops at Halifax's Pier 21 in Nova Scotia, Canada, between 1948 and 1961. The Groote Beer was used to transport exchange students from Rotterdam to New York in 1965.

The Groote Beer averaged 13 voyages to North America during its years of service as an emigrant ship. Voyages were also made to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In 1960, Groote Beer was transferred to the Trans-Ocean Steamship Co and in 1963 was sold to John Spyridon Latsis, Greece, and renamed the Marianna IV.

Marianna IV continued in service until July 1966 when it collided with the sand dredger Pen Avon off the Isle of Wight while leaving Southampton on a voyage to New York. The voyage was cancelled and the ship went to Piraeus, where she was laid up and finally scrapped in June 1970 at Eleusis, Greece.