Black and white photograph of the SS Iberia being assisted out to sea by two tug boats from the dock at Port Adelaide. Another version a similar image (B 69065) states the location as Outer Harbor, and the ship as a migrant ship.

The SS Iberia was built by the famed shipyards of Harland & Wolff Ltd, Yard 1476, in Belfast, Ireland. The order to build the Iberia was placed in the winter of 1951, and her keel was laid down February 8, 1952. She was launched on January 21, 1954 by Lady McGrigor the wife of the 'First Sea Lord'- Admiral Rhoderick McGrigor. After launching, the ship went to her fitting out wharf and her interior design was entrusted to 'A. McInnes, Gardner & Partners' of Glasgow, who followed a well trusted standard set by her earlier sisters, however they also made some new innovations. When completed, she underwent sea trials during September 1954 where she achieved a respectable 24.9 knots. The ship was delivered to P&O on September 10, 1954. It was decided to name her Iberia after the 1836 namesake SS Iberia (I), which was named after the Iberian peninsular where Spain and Portugal are located, and which had a strong connection to the formation of P&O and the company's early years. The ship was also used to transport migrants to Australia from Europe in the mid 1950s, following World War II.

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