Famous Ships and Boats in History

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Napoléon, (Le) — French battleship, ship of the line
First true steam and screw battleship in the world. She was the lead ship of a class of 9 battleships, all considered as very successful and built over a period of 10 years. LAUNCHED: 1850, May 18 → FATE: Sunk November 6, 1876.

Nathan James, USS — American guided missile destroyer
Fictional ship in the movie The Last Ship. She was portrayed by USS Halsey. LAUNCHED: 2014, movie release → FATE: Inconclusive.

Nautilus, USS — American nuclear submarine
World's first nuclear-powered submarine. She was the first vessel to cross under the North Pole. Also the namesake of another U.S. submarine that served in World War II. LAUNCHED: 1954, January 18 → FATE: On exhibit at the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut.

Nemesis — British steam and sail powered warship
The first British ocean-going iron warship; also the first iron ship to sail around the Cape of Good Hope. She was greatly effective in the First Opium War. The Chinese referred to her as the "devil ship". LAUNCHED: 1839 → FATE: Ended up in Calcutta, 1855.

New Jersey, USS — American battleship
Earned more battle stars for combat actions than the other American battleship. She was the only U.S. battleship to provide gunfire support during the Vietnam War. LAUNCHED: 1942, December → FATE: In a museum at the Camden Waterfront, Camden, New Jersey.

Niantic — American whaling ship
Brought fortune-seekers to Yerba Buena (now San Francisco) during the California Gold Rush of 1849. She was a prominent landmark in the booming city for several years. The site of Niantic beside the Transamerica Pyramid is now a California Historical Landmark. LAUNCHED: 1832 → FATE: Converted to hotel in 1849, destroyed by fire 1852.

Nimitz, USS — American aircraft carrier; supercarrier
Setting for the 1980 science fiction movie The Final Countdown. In May of 1981, one of her planes crashed on the flight deck, killing 14 crewmen. LAUNCHED: 1972, May → FATE: Still in service.

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Nina, (La) — Spanish four masted caravel
The smallest of Columbus' ships of discovery. She became Columbus' flag ship back to Spain after the loss of Santa Maria. LAUNCHED: 1492 → FATE: Last heard of in 1501; fate unknown.

Ning Po — Chinese 3-masted, 291 ton junk
Spent 159 years in the Yellow Sea engaging in crimes such as smuggling, slave trading, mutiny, and piracy. During the 1920s and 1930s she sat in Catalina Harbor, Santa Catalina Island, California and was used as a backdrop for movies filmed there. LAUNCHED: 1753 → FATE: Burned in Catalina Harbor in 1938.

Noah's Ark — Ancient cargo ship andferry
Legendary vessel that carried Noah's family and animal pairs during a torrential rain storm. Information about the ship is found in the Bible as well as the Koran. LAUNCHED: 2400, about → FATE: Unknown.

Norge, SS — Norwegian, then Danish ocean liner
The biggest civilian maritime disaster in the Atlantic in the until the sinking of the Titanic. More than 635 people died during the sinking, among them 225 Norwegians. The disaster remains the worst in Danish maritime history. LAUNCHED: 1881, June 18 → FATE: Ran aground and sank June 28, 1904.

(Another )

Normac, MS — American fire tug, later a ferry
Used as Captain John's Harbour Boat Restaurant, a floating restaurant in Toronto Harbour, from 1969-1981. She sank after being severely damaged when the ferry Trillium struck her in 1981. She was raised in 1986 and again refurbished as a restaurant as seen in "Another IMAGE". LAUNCHED: 1902 → FATE: Currently a floating restaurant in Toronto, Ontario.

(Another )

Norman Atlantic, MS — Italian roll-on/roll-off car ferry
At least thirty people died when she caught fire in the Strait of Otranto, in the Adriatic Sea. More than 400 people were rescued, most in nighttime helicopter sorties despite high winds and seas. LAUNCHED: 2009, November, 2 → FATE: Scrapped.

(Another )

Normandie, SS — French ocean liner
Largest, fastest and most powerful passenger ship ever built. Considered one of the greatest ocean liners in history, her Art Deco motif was so splendid she was known as the "Ship of Light" just as Paris was the "City of Light". LAUNCHED: 1935, October 29 → FATE: Caught fire and capsized in February 1942; scrapped October, 1946.

Nuestra Señora de las Mer — Spanish frigate
Thought to be the wreck discovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration. Returning to Spain from South America with tons of gold, silver and jewels, she was blown up by the British off Cabo de Santa Maria, Portugal. LAUNCHED: 1786 → FATE: Sunk by the British on October 5, 1804.

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Numancia — Spanish broadside ironclad
First ironclad to circumnavigate the Earth. She was built as an armored frigate in France and sold to the Spanish in 1865. LAUNCHED: 1863, November 18 → FATE: Sank while under tow December 17, 1916.

Ocean Dover, MV — Australian livestock carrier
The largest livestock carrier in the world designed and built with special livestock support systems. She is capable of carrying 75,000 sheep or 18,000 cattle across oceans. In 2014, a fire broke out in the crew quarters, but was contained. LAUNCHED: 2002 → FATE: Still in service.

Oceanos, MTS — Greek cruise ship
Realizing the ship was doomed, the crew fled in panic, neglecting their duties and the passengers. All 571 people on board were saved following one of the most dramatic and successful rescue operations of its kind. LAUNCHED: 1952, July → FATE: Sank off South Africa's eastern coast on August 4, 1991.

Octavius — English schooner, three-masted
An legendary 18th century ghost ship said to have been found west of Greenland by the whaler Herald in 1775. The derelict was found and boarded. The entire crew of 28 were found below deck frozen. LAUNCHED: 1761 → FATE: Apparently lost in 1762.

Olympia, USS — American protected cruiser
Famous as the flagship of Commodore George Dewey at the Battle of Manila. She is the sole floating survivor of the US Navy's Spanish American War fleet. LAUNCHED: 1892, November 18 → FATE: Restored as a museum ship at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia.

Olympias — Greek trireme
The only commissioned replica trireme in the world. She achieved a speed of 9 knots (17 km/h) and was able to turn 180 degree within one minute. LAUNCHED: 1987, August → FATE: On exhibit in a dry dock at the Naval Tradition Park in Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece.

Oneida — American yacht
W.R. Hearst's boat and site of the mysterious death of an American film producer that became a scandal and part of early Hollywood lore. The 2001 movie The Cat's Meow dramatized the fateful events on the yacht. LAUNCHED: 1897 → FATE: Sold as scrap August 21, 1940.

Onrust — Dutch yacht
First ship built to reach what is now New York State, and the first fur trading vessel built in America. The ship was the first to explore much of the eastern seaboard around New England. LAUNCHED: 1614, replica launched May 20, 2009 → FATE: Original ship, unknown; replica on display at Connecticut River Museum.

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Orient — French ship of the line
Famous for her role as flagship of the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile, 1798. During the battle, she caught fire and exploded, with an estimated loss of over 1,130 men; 760 are said to have survived. LAUNCHED: 1791, July 20 → FATE: She was destroyed by an explosion, August 1798.

Orion, RMS — British ocean liner
First to offer modern passenger comforts in ocean travel including air conditioning.. She was launched at England from Brisbane, Australia by wireless remote by the Duke of Gloucester. She served as a troop ship in World War II, then converted to a passenger liner in 1946. LAUNCHED: 1934, December 18 → FATE: Broken for scrap at Antwerp, Belgium in 1963.

(Another )

Oriskany, USS — American aircraft carrier, Essex class
The world's largest, and the U.S.'s first, artificial reef. She had multiple reconfigurations and updates. In 1966, a flare accidentally ignited on the hangar bay causing a catastrophic fire killing 44 crewmen. LAUNCHED: 1945, October 18 → FATE: Sunk as an artifical reef May 17, 2006.

Ostfriesland, SMS — German battleship, ceded to America after World War II
Sunk by bombs dropped from aircraft by General Billy Mitchell to demonstrate air power. After having seen action in World War I, the ship was ceded to the United States as war reparations. LAUNCHED: 1909, Septmber 30 → FATE: Sunk by bombs off Cape Hatteras July 21, 1921.

Ourang Medan, SS — Dutch cargo ship
Purported ghost ship in Indonesian waters after her crew had died under suspicious circumstances. No registration records for a ship by the name of Ourang Medan could be located in various countries. LAUNCHED: 1945, first referenced → FATE: Supposedly exploded and sank June, 1947.

The number of All Countries All Ships and Boats listed is 28

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For a full list of all ships, select HERE

First Ship on each page
Page	Ship Name (Country and Type)
1.	Nathan James, USS (American guided missile destroyer)
2.	Nina, (La) (Spanish caravel)
3.	Numancia (Spanish broadside ironclad)
4.	Orient (French ship of the line)

All Countries All Ships and Boats
1.	Nathan James, USS American guided missile destroyer
2.	Nautilus, USS American nuclear submarine
3.	Nemesis British steam and sail powered warship
4.	New Jersey, USS American battleship
5.	Niantic American whaling ship
6.	Nimitz, USS American aircraft carrier
7.	Nina, (La) Spanish caravel
8.	Ning Po Chinese junk
9.	Noah's Ark Ancient ferry
10.	Norge, SS Norwegian, then Danish ocean liner
11.	Normac, MS American ferry
12.	Norman Atlantic, MS Italian roll-on/roll-off car ferry
13.	Normandie, SS French ocean liner
14.	Nuestra Señora de las Mer Spanish frigate
15.	Numancia Spanish broadside ironclad
16.	Ocean Dover, MV Australian livestock carrier
17.	Oceanos, MTS Greek cruise ship
18.	Octavius English schooner
19.	Olympia, USS American protected cruiser
20.	Olympias Greek trireme
21.	Oneida American yacht
22.	Onrust Dutch yacht
23.	Orient French ship of the line
24.	Orion, RMS British ocean liner
25.	Oriskany, USS American aircraft carrier
26.	Ostfriesland, SMS German battleship
27.	Ourang Medan, SS Dutch cargo ship

Famous Ships and Boats

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War ships, ship tragedies, steam ships, yachts, and more

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All Countries All Ships and Boats