The next new White Star Line passenger ships were the last new ships to be constructed for the line. They were totally different to other ships in the fleet.

The Britannic and the Georgic were also the first British passenger liners equipped with oil engines on the North Atlantic and they were the largest Cabin class ships in the world.

Both ships were 711.8ft. (216.94m.) long, overall, with a beam of 82.5ft. (25.14m.).

Of 26,943grt, the Britannic sailed from Liverpool on June 28, 1930, on her maiden voyage to New York, via Belfast and Glasgow.

Of 27,759grt, the Georgic sailed from Liverpool on June 25, 1932, on her maiden voyage to New York.

However, due to the Depression of the late 1920s-early 1930s, the company’s passenger services were hard hit, leading to cutbacks and several passenger ships being laid up.

The Depression had a major impact on the future of the White Star Line.

In 1929, the Kylsant group began to suffer serious financial problems and these escalated to such a degree that a special inquiry, backed the Government, was launched to try and sort out the group of companies which included some of the top shipping companies.

The individual companies, supported by banks, continued trading as buyers were being sought for the White Star Line.

Matters came to a head in 1933 when the line was effectively bankrupt.

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