American Black Sea Line

American Black Sea Line was a United States shipping company active from 1921 through 1923. Its business was associated with maritime traffic between the United States and the Black Sea region, including a documented voyage from New York to Constantinople. The company was founded by Stephen D. Stephendis in 1921 after he acquired the steamship Kilpatrick from the United States government. Stephendis rebuilt the vessel, fitted it with a second funnel, and renamed it Acropolis, making it the principal ship associated with the line. The company expanded its available tonnage in 1922 by chartering the City of New York from the Irish American Line. The ship, identified in the fleet account as New York, made only one voyage for American Black Sea Line, sailing from New York to Constantinople. It was subsequently sold by auction. The Acropolis was also sold in 1923 to the Booras Brothers, marking the disposal of the line's principal vessel and the end of the company's brief operating history. The available historical record presents American Black Sea Line as a small and short-lived shipping enterprise rather than a long-running international carrier. Its documented fleet consisted of two vessels, one purchased and rebuilt and the other chartered for a limited period. Details such as the company's port network beyond New York and Constantinople, passenger or cargo capacity, financial performance, corporate structure, and exact date of dissolution are not established by the available reference material.

American Black Sea Line was established in 1921 by Stephen D. Stephendis as a United States shipping company serving maritime links with the Black Sea region. Its formation began with Stephendis's purchase of the Kilpatrick from the United States government. The vessel had previously carried the name Michigan. After acquiring it, Stephendis rebuilt the ship, installed a second funnel, and renamed it Acropolis. This reconstructed vessel became the central asset of the new line. In 1922, the company added a second ship through a charter arrangement with the Irish American Line. The vessel was named New York in the fleet account, although the reference also identifies it as City of New York. It made a single voyage on behalf of American Black Sea Line, traveling from New York to Constantinople. The ship was then sold at auction, limiting the company's ability to maintain a two-vessel operation. The Acropolis remained associated with the company until 1923, when it was sold to the Booras Brothers. The sale of the principal ship, following the disposal of the chartered vessel, corresponds with the end of the line's documented activity. American Black Sea Line therefore appears to have operated for approximately two years, from 1921 to 1923, with a small fleet and a narrow documented service record. The surviving account does not provide enough information to reconstruct a wider route network, detailed timetable, cargo or passenger strategy, ownership arrangements beyond Stephendis's founding role, or the precise legal process by which the company ceased operating. Its historical significance rests primarily on the brief attempt to operate a United States shipping service connected with the Black Sea and on the documented careers of the Acropolis and City of New York.

• 1923

  Acropolis sold

  [1]American Black Sea Lineen.wikipedia.org

  The Acropolis was sold to the Booras Brothers, ending the documented fleet history of American Black Sea Line.

• 1922

  City of New York chartered

  [1]American Black Sea Lineen.wikipedia.org

  The line chartered City of New York from the Irish American Line. It completed one voyage from New York to Constantinople before being sold at auction.

• 1921

  Company founded

  [1]American Black Sea Lineen.wikipedia.org

  Stephen D. Stephendis founded American Black Sea Line in the United States.

• 1921

  Kilpatrick acquired and renamed Acropolis

  [1]American Black Sea Lineen.wikipedia.org

  Stephendis bought the Kilpatrick from the United States government, rebuilt it, added a second funnel, and renamed it Acropolis.

A short-lived United States shipping line focused on maritime connections between New York and the Black Sea region.

• Passenger or cargo steamship

  Acropolis

  The Acropolis was the principal vessel of American Black Sea Line. It began as the Kilpatrick, formerly named Michigan, and was acquired by Stephen D. Stephendis from the United States government in 1921. Stephendis rebuilt the ship, added a second funnel, and gave it the Acropolis name. The vessel remained with the line until it was sold to the Booras Brothers in 1923.

• Chartered steamship

  City of New York

  City of New York, referred to as New York in the fleet listing, was chartered from the Irish American Line in 1922. It made one documented voyage for American Black Sea Line, sailing from New York to Constantinople. The ship was later sold by auction rather than continuing in the line's service.

1. 1American Black Sea Lineen.wikipedia.org