SS Rijndam (1951)

The SS Rijndam (also spelled Ryndam) was a ship that was built for Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart-Maatschappij in 1951. She was built by N.V. Dok en Werfmaatschappij Wilton-Fijenoord, Schiedam. The original intent of her design was to be designated as the freighter Dinteldyk (which was also designed to carry a small complement of passengers). A decision was made to have her redesigned as a liner in 1950, but she still retained the stout hull lines and sturdy machinery of a freighter. In 1973, she was sold to a Panamanian subsidiary of a Greek shipping interest and extensively refitted with her bow line changed, many internal changes, and alterations to her superstructure. This was done to give her a more modern (at the time) 1970's design appearance. In 1988 she was sold to gaming interests and performed short cruises in the Gulf of Mexico under the name Pride of Mississippi, and in 1991 was renamed Pride of Galveston. In 1993, she was docked permanently in Biloxi, Mississippi and became the Copa Casino. When Copa Casino adopted a more permanent structure, a decision was made that she should be scrapped. In 2003, sunk on her way to the ship breakers in Alang, India.