The maritime vocation was ingrained in Bokelj; the spark that inspired his ancestors to brave the open seas and achieve extraordinary feats remains unextinguished. This innate calling was vividly illustrated on the day the elegant white ship “Lovćen” entered Bokelj, marking its arrival in the port of Kotor. Joy radiated from everyone—men, women, old, and young alike—each face reflecting pride and satisfaction. Sea captains gathered in large numbers to greet the new asset of our shipping industry, clearly sensing that a new era had dawned for their cherished Boka, with promises of brighter days ahead in the serene waters of the enchanting Boke Bay.

In a dated editorial, the newspaper “Glas Boke” from Kotor commemorated a historic event for the maritime industry of Boka Bay on May 22, 1937—three days after the arrival of the largest passenger steamship in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the graceful “Lovćen”. The ship was ceremoniously welcomed by the people of Boka Bay on May 18.

The harmonious steamship, with 26 years of joyous navigation on global seas, was quickly acquired by the largest shipping company, “Zetska plovidba”. Despite its administrative base in Cetinje, where its principal stakeholder, banker and entrepreneur Lale Zuber Novakovic, hailed from, “Zetska plovidba” was fundamentally a Boka shipping company, emerging from the “Boka” Shipping Joint Stock Company established in 1920 in Kotor.

In the ensuing fifteen years, “Brodarsko AD Boka” evolved into the largest local shipping firm in the southern Adriatic, transporting passengers, cargo, and mail with a fleet of about twenty smaller passenger and cargo ships, varying in size from five to 260 gross tons. The company maintained regular routes from Split in the north to Ulcinj in the south, covering the Boka Bay, alongside the Bojana River and Lake Skadar.

In February 1934, following a shareholder meeting’s resolution, the company adopted the name “Zetska plovidba”, officially relocating its headquarters from Kotor to Cetinje, although the managerial, technical, and other divisions remained in Kotor. Aspiring to expand its operations throughout the Adriatic, Mediterranean, and Black Sea, “Zetska plovidba” purchased a ship in New York in spring 1936, nearly ten times larger than its existing largest vessel. This passenger-cargo steamer, named “Rosalinda”, with a gross tonnage of 2,487 tons, was renamed “Lovćen” and, after sailing the Atlantic, arrived in Trieste in June 1936 for extensive renovations. “Zetska plovidba” then brought this significant addition to Yugoslavia, where the stylish, white-painted “Lovćen” became the largest vessel in Yugoslav large coastal shipping at that time.

The ship was initially launched on May 13, 1911, at the renowned Scottish shipyard “Clyde Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd.” in Port Glasgow under the name “Lady Gwendolen”. While it was not particularly large, measuring 91.5 meters in length, 12.1 meters in breadth, and 5.4 meters in depth, it was powered by a triple-expansion piston steam engine with an output of 2,100 horsepower driven by two “Scotch” steam boilers. “Lady Gwendolen” featured a single propeller, could attain a maximum speed of 13 knots, and was built on order by the prestigious shipping company “British & Irish Steam Packet Co” from Dublin, serving regular routes across the Irish Sea for five years.

During World War I, the British & Irish Steam Packet sold the ship to the Russian Imperial Government. Renamed “Ludmila”, it sailed northward to the White Sea, serving as an official vessel and residence for the governor of Arkhangelsk. Following the Bolshevik Revolution, “Ludmila” was purchased by Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co. Ltd. in July 1918, reverted to its original name “Lady Gwendolen”, and returned to Scotland, operating passenger and mail services for about a year.

In June 1919, the ship changed hands again, this time by the British company “CT Bowring & Co” from Liverpool, which registered it under its Canadian subsidiary “New York, Newfoundland & Halifax SS Co” from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Renamed “Rosalind”, it spent the next decade navigating the treacherous waters of the North Atlantic, maintaining regular routes between New York and St. John’s, Newfoundland, stopping at Halifax. This transatlantic trip lasted 11 days and was marketed as a luxury semi-tourist cruise costing $60 per person.

“Rosalind”, alongside the slightly larger “Silvia” of 3,425 gross registered tons, quickly became popular, often transporting over 100 passengers in one direction.

In 1929, “Rosalind” left the chilly Atlantic for the balmy Caribbean, acquired by the “Bermuda & West Indies SS Co. Lt” based in Hamilton, Bermuda. By February 1936, the well-preserved steamer was purchased by “Zetska plovidba”, which rechristened it “Lovćen”, marking a new chapter in the modern history of maritime Boka Bay.

To this day, “Lovćen” holds the distinction of being the largest passenger ship to ever sail in the fleet of Boka’s numerous shipowners. Just how significant the ship’s arrival in 1937 was for the region is clear from the multitude of articles in Yugoslav newspapers at the time, especially the extensive coverage given by the local newspaper “Glas Boke” regarding the arrival and ceremonial welcome of the vessel in Kotor.

“On Wednesday, May 19, the Municipality of Kotor appropriately hoisted flags along the shore to visually express the joy and enthusiasm stemming from the arrival of the large passenger steamer “Lovćen” at its home port. As the City Band paraded through the streets shortly before 11 a.m., more citizens gathered at the shore to witness the “Zetska plovidba” steamer’s inaugural arrival. This gathering included church representatives, military and civil authorities, board members of “Zetska plovidba”, staff and students from the Maritime and Commercial Academy, journalists, and many distinguished figures, with a particularly notable turnout of sea captains from the surrounding area.

Amidst music and cannon fire from the shore, the all-white steamer maximized its speed toward Kotor—its home port—saluting the picturesque shores of our fjord with a siren’s call. While navigating through Boka, the “Lovćen” passed by coastal settlements, extending greetings to the Savina Monastery in accordance with Boka sailors’ traditions. The powerful sound of the “Lovćen” siren resonated as locals waved, handkerchiefs fluttering along the shoreline. After entering Verige, the “Lovćen” turned toward Our Lady of the Rocks islet—a revered sanctuary for Boka sailors—saluting with its siren before circumnavigating the islet and making its way through the Risan lagoon into the Kotor basin. The shoreline welcomed the ship with waving flags and gun salutes, with Prčanj offering a particularly warm reception. Locals thronged the shores, adorning the grand church with flags and carpets, and with cannon fire signaling the splendid entrance of “Lovćen” into Kotor, crowds amassed at the pier,” reported “Glas Boke” about the ceremony in the bay.

Upon docking at Luža, the beautiful steamer received visits from various dignitaries, including President of the City Government Bogumil Jovović and director of “Zetska plovidba” Rudolf Giunio. To the joy of the assembled crowd, the public was granted access to tour the ship, still bearing the fresh paint scent from recent renovations in Trieste.

Onboard, new first-class cabins were established in the central and stern sections, offering utmost comfort and amenities for well-off passengers seeking a luxurious journey. An expansive restaurant occupied the upper level of the center superstructure, complemented by a lounge area beneath the command bridge and at the stern—a first-class salon, bar, and buffet. Second-class passengers enjoyed a spacious promenade deck above their dining area, with additional cabins in the bow. “Lovćen” was staffed by 52 crew members and accommodated 40 second-class passengers in cabins with multiple beds, complete with running water and other comforts, as reported by contemporary press. First-class passengers, however, experienced a significantly higher level of luxury and comfort.

“First class boasts modern, tastefully decorated facilities with spacious corridors and cabins. Features include wide beds, wardrobes, carpets, running hot and cold water, modern bathrooms, and a dining room with 64 seats. Passengers enjoyed a smoking room with a bar, a covered veranda, and expansive sunbathing decks—all contributing to a comfortable and reasonably priced journey. Meticulous cleanliness and quality food were prioritized. Radio updates broadcast music throughout the ship, ensuring an enjoyable atmosphere for all,” a journalist from “Jadranska straža”, a magazine from Split, noted in the introduction of this new addition to the Yugoslav passenger fleet.

With its acquisition of “Lovćen”, “Zetska plovidba” significantly broadened its operational scope, introducing a new Balkan route (Adriatic – Black Sea). The lovely steamer sailed once a month along the route Venice – Sušak – Split – Dubrovnik – Kotor – Durrës – Patras – Smyrna – Istanbul – Constanța, taking seven days for one-way travel. Flexibility on the return route to Constanța included docking at Haifa. To support this route, “Zetska plovidba” expanded its network with new offices in Durres, Haifa, Istanbul, Constanța, Piraeus, Smyrna, and Sulina, complementing their existing agencies along the Adriatic coast.

The Balkan route proved profitable, positively impacting Yugoslav export-import trade and tourism, as the “Lovćen” greatly improved revenue and business standing for “Zetska Plovidba”.

Experts regarded the vessel as one of the most aesthetically pleasing Yugoslav passenger steamships during the interwar period, successfully operating on the Balkan Line until the looming threat of World War II.

In efforts to save the ship, “Zetska plovidba” officially sold “Lovćen” abroad in 1940 to a subsidiary established in Panama called “Cia. Centro Americana de Navegacion Lda”.

However, “Lovćen”, now sailing under the Panamanian flag, had a brief return to the shores of Central America and the USA. On October 1941, it was acquired by the US Government in Mobile, Alabama, under a bare-boat charter, henceforth named “Columbia” for use by the US Army. On March 31, 1942, the US Department of Defense purchased the former “Lovćen” from its Panamanian subsidiary for $475,000.

The ex-“Lovćen” transformed into a US Army transport ship named “Brigadier General Harry E. Rethers”, receiving the USAT (United States Army Transport) designation. Throughout WWII, the ship enabled troop transport across various routes, subsequently entering the reserve fleet on December 14, 1945. As it required an overhaul estimated at $132,500 upon decommissioning, it spent the subsequent eight months moored in the Mobile River, near the eponymous American port city.

However, the US government showed no interest in investing in refurbishing such an aged vessel. On February 7, 1946, the USAT “Brigadier General Harry E. Rethers” was sold to the company “China Mutual Trading” from China for a mere $40,650, conditioned to not operate commercially in American waters for the next decade. While officially sold for scrapping, the former “Lovćen” was taken to the Kiagnan Arsenal shipyard in Shanghai for a complete renovation and rebranding as “Wah Chung”, under the ownership of “Chan Kin Cheong” from modern-day Guangzhou.

A subsequent sale in 1950 saw it renamed “Teresa”, owned by “Grande Shipping Corp. SA” from Panama. Recent findings suggest that, instead of ceasing operations in China in 1953 as previously believed, the ship continued to operate in the Far East for another 15 years.

Research by renowned maritime journalist and chronicler Marjan Žuvić, along with two Australian maritime historians, unveiled that the former “Lovćen” remained in China until 1968. The Chinese took possession again from “Grande Shipping”, renaming it “Min Chi 1”, servicing regular passenger routes between the ports of Dalian and Yantai in the Bohai Sea. In 1968, this vessel was finally scrapped under its final name, “Gong Nong Bing 1”, translating to “Worker-Farmer-Soldier 1”.

It traversed various seas and oceans for 57 years, enduring the trials of two world wars.

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