SS Bergensfjord was a Norwegian ocean liner that sailed for the Norwegian America Line to the United States. During the Second World War she was requisitioned by the British Ministry of War Transport and used as a troop ship. After the war she continued sailing as a Trans-Atlantic passenger liner, first for South American owners, then for an Israeli company. Norwegian American Line service Bergensfjord was the second ship in the fleet of the Norwegian America Line, built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, UK. Launched from its shipyard on 8 April 1913, she was put into service in September 1913, the same year as her sister ship, . She embarked on her maiden voyage on 25 September that year, sailing from Christiania (Oslo) through Christiansand, Stavanger and Bergen to New York. Bergensfjord had a tonnage of 10,699, and was fitted with wireless and electric light. She could take 1,200 passengers – 100 first class, 250 second class and 850 third class. The Norwegian America Line vessels were ground-breaking in that they sailed directly from Norway to the United States, without stopping at ports in Continental Europe. This drastically shortened the time it took to travel from Norway to the United States, from up to four weeks by way of Europe to just one week with the N.A.L. ships. The level of comfort on board Bergensfjord, Oslofjord and Stavangerfjord was also much greater than on the ships previously available for emigrants. The Norwegian America Line experienced great success with its new ships and competed fortuitously with the DFDS Scandinavian America Line. On 11 January 1919 she rescued survivors of off Cape Sable. Bergensfjord suffered an engine room explosion on 26 July 1924 shortly after departing Bergen, forcing the crew to beach her. She resumed service in September of the same year after repairs had been carried out. In November 1925 she was refitted to carry 367 first class and 572 third class passengers, being further modified in September 1927 to hold 90 first class, 155 second class and 500 third class passengers. After engine modifications in 1933 her tonnage was increased to 11,015 tons. In January 1939 she was converted to carry only first and third class passengers, dispensing of the second class category. Second World War Bergensfjord embarked on her last journey from Bergen to New York on 7 April 1940, only two days before the German invasion of Norway.