The Russian East Asiatic Steamship Company (also known simply as the Russian American Line) was a subsidiary steamship line of the East Asiatic Company that was in business from 1900 until the time of the Russian Revolution in 1917. In 1906 it began passenger service from Libau to New York after the Hamburg America Line acquired a controlling interest in the line.
After the Russian Revolution, services ended in 1917. Some of the line's ships came under control of the Cunard Line and were operated as troopships during World War I and the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. After the civil war most of the line's ships were sold or transferred to the Baltic American Line, another subsidiary of the East Asiatic Company.
Background
A Russian-American transpacific line was first theorized in October 1893, when 22,000 Jews were expelled from Siberia creating a transportation need from Russia to America.[1] The viability of a line began being explored in January 1894, on behalf of Amoor Steamship company of Siberia, Chicago capitalist and engineer William D. Richardson, traveled to Pacific ports, "to ascertain the port best situated for a terminus... to ply between America and Vladivostok."[2]