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[[File:SS Batavier II (1897).jpg|thumb|{{SS|Batavier II|1897|6}} in c. 1897–1909]]
[[File:SS Batavier V (1902).jpg|thumb|{{SS|Batavier V|1902|6}} in c. 1902–1916]]

The '''Batavier Line''' ({{lang-nl|Batavier Lijn}}) was a [[packet (sea transport)|packet service]] between [[Rotterdam]] and [[London]] from 1830 until the 1960s. The line was established by the ''[[Nederlandsche Stoomboot Maatschappij]]'' (known as NSM and in English as [[Netherlands Steamship Company]]).<ref name="G101">Greenway (1986), p.101</ref>

==History==

Having attempted unsuccessfully to establish services between Rotterdam–[[Hamburg]] and [[Antwerp]]–London, the company turned its attention to Rotterdam–London  and became the first regular foreign-owned company to set up such a service into [[London Port]]. 

The original boat on the service was the wooden paddle steamer ''De Batavier'' (built 1829).<ref name="G101"/> She was replaced by an iron-hulled paddle steamer named ''Batavier'' in 1855, and this ship was replaced by another iron-hulled steamer {{SS|Batavier|1872|2}} in 1872.

In 1895, NSM sold the company to Wm. H. Müller and Co. and  a condition of sale<ref name="G101"/>  was that the Batavier name would be maintained as the company name and the naming scheme for its ships.<ref name=simplon>{{cite web | title = Batavier Line | url = http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Batavier.html | work = Simplon Postcards: The Passenger Ship Website | publisher = Ian Boyle | accessdate = 17 March 2009 }}</ref>

Müller ordered two new steel-hulled steamers from [[Gourlay Brothers]] of [[Dundee]] in 1897, {{SS|Batavier II|1897|2}} and {{SS|Batavier III|1897|2}}. When this pair joined the fleet, the prior ''Batavier'' was renamed ''Batavier I''. In Rotterdam, the ships docked at the Willemsplein; in London, the ships originally docked near [[London Bridge]], but in 1899 switched to Custom House and Wool Quays near [[Tower Bridge]] (now known as [[Sugar Quay]]).<ref name=simplon /> Also beginning in 1899, the Batavier Line service between Rotterdam and London was offered daily except Sundays.<ref name=van-222>van Ysselsteyn (1908), p.222</ref> In 1902 a further pair of ship was ordered from Gourlay, {{SS|Batavier IV|1902|2}} and {{SS|Batavier V|1902|2}}, and when ''Batavier VI'' was added in 1903, ''Batavier I'' was taken out of service. In 1909 ''Batavier II'' and ''Batavier III'' were rebuilt to a size more closely aligned with the later ships.<ref name=simplon />

During the early stages of [[World War I]], the line continued service, but the ships were sometime subjected to being stopped by German submarines. In March 1915, ''Batavier V'' was stopped and seized as a [[prize (law)|prize]] by German submarine {{SMU|U-28|Germany|2}}, but later released by the German [[prize court]]. In May 1916, ''Batavier V'' struck a [[mine (naval)|mine]] off the British coast and was sunk with the loss of four lives. In September, ''Batavier II'' was seized by {{SMU|UB-6||2}}, but later released; she was sunk in 1917 by the British submarine {{HMS|E55||2}}.<ref name=simplon />

In June 1922 the London terminal was changed to "Batavier Pier" in [[Gravesend, Kent|Gravesend]].<ref name="G101"/>

After [[World War I]] ended, new {{SS|Batavier II|1921|2}} and {{SS|Batavier V|1921|2}} were added to the line, but during [[World War II]], the newer ''Batavier V'' was seized by German forces and later sunk by a British [[motor torpedo boat]].<ref name=simplon /> A newer ''Batavier III'', added in 1939 to replace the 1902 ship of the same name, was also seized by the Germans and later mined. After the end of the war, only the 1921 ''Batavier II'' remained in service for the line and continued passenger service until April 1958 ending the 128 year service.<ref name="G101"/>  Several [[cargo ship|freighters]] were added in the late 1950s and a freight service was continued for a time after passenger service ended.<ref name=simplon />

==Ships==
;See list of ships operated below :
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Propulsion
! width=100 | Ship
! Launched
! Tonnage (GRT)
! Notes and references
|-
| PS
| [[SS De Batavier (1827)|''De Batavier'']]
| 1827
| c.300
| Wooden construction. Tonnage possibly DWAT or DWCC not NRT?<ref name="G101"/>
|-
| PS
| ''Batavier''
| 1855
| 
| Iron hulled.
|-
| SS
| ''Batavier''
| 1872 ?
| ?
| Iron hulled. Replaced ''Batavier'' (1855). Renamed ''Batavier I'' in 1897. 
|-
| SS
| {{SS|Batavier II|1897|2}}
| 1897
| 1,136
| Built [[Gourlay Brothers]]. Lengthened and re-boilered in 1909/1910. War loss, 1916.<ref name="G101"/>
|-
| SS
| ''Batavier III''
| 1897
| 1,136
| Built [[Gourlay Brothers]]. Lengthened and re-boilered 1909/1910. Sold, 1939.<ref name="G101"/>
|-
| SS
| ''[[HMS Western Isles|Batavier IV]]''
| 1903 
| 1,568
| Built by [[Gourlay Brothers]]. Survived [[World War II]], but did not re-enter service.<ref name="G102">Greenway (1986), p.102</ref> 
|-
| SS
| {{SS|Batavier V|1902|2}}
| 1903
| 1,568
| Built by [[Gourlay Brothers]]. Mined in 1916 and sunk.<ref name="G102"/>
|-
| SS
| ''Batavier VI''
| 1903
| 1,181
| Built by Mackie and Thompson, Glasgow. Survived [[World War I]]. Sold, 1928.<ref name="G102"/>
|-
| SS
| ''Batavier II''
| 1921 
| 1,573
| Built by Wilton Engineering, Rotterdam. Re-entered service after war and served until passenger service closed in 1958. Scrapped, 1960.<ref name="G103">Greenway (1986), p.103</ref>  
|-
| SS
| ''Batavier V''
| 1921
| 1,573
| Built by Wilton Engineering, Rotterdam. Seized by Germany. Sunk by British Royal Navy, 1941.<ref name="G103"/>
|-
| SS
| ''Batavier III''
| 1939
| 2,687
| Built by Scheepswerf De Noord, Alblasserdam. Seized by Germany in May 1940. Hit mine and sank, 1942.<ref name="G103"/>
|-
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Greenway |first=Ambrose |year=1986 |title=A Century of North Sea Passenger Steamers |location=Shepperton |publisher=Ian Allan Ltd. |isbn=0-7110-1338-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/centuryofnorthse0000gree }} 
* {{cite book | last =  van Ysselsteyn | first = Hendrik Albert | title = The Port of Rotterdam  | location = Rotterdam | publisher = Nijgh & Van Ditmar's Publishing Co. | year = 1908 | edition = 3d | oclc = 60983381 }}

[[Category:Companies established in 1830]]
[[Category:Defunct shipping companies of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:1830 establishments in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Defunct transport companies of the Netherlands]]