SS Galileo Galilei
ocean liner built in 1963, sunken in 1999
SS Galileo Galilei was an ocean liner built in 1963 by Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico, Monfalcone, Italy for Lloyd Triestino's Italy–Australia service. In 1979, she was converted to a cruise ship, and subsequently sailed under the names Galileo and Meridian. She sank in the Strait of Malacca in 1999 as the Sun Vista.
History
Ordered by Lloyd Triestino in 1960, Galileo Galilei was built in Italy for the Australian immigrant route. Galileo Galilei was launched on 2 July 1961. On 23 March 1963, the ship entered service for Lloyd Triestino, doing Mediterranean cruises before departing on its official maiden voyage from Genoa, Italy to Sydney, Australia on 22 April 1963. In November of the same year, she was joined on the route by her sister ship SS Guglielmo Marconi. Originally the ships traveled to Australia via the eastern route, passing through Suez Canal in both directions, but in the later years the return trip to Europe was via the Panama Canal. They also routed to Australia via the Cape of Good Hope in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The ships were very successful until the 1973 oil crisis, which, combined with the increasing prevalence of airliners, contributed to the decline of ocean liners.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “SS Galileo Galilei” as ocean liner built in 1963, sunken in 1999. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as ocean liner built in 1963, sunken in 1999. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 14, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q7393731. Authority coordinates are 4.617, 99.902. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1963, 1979, 1999 and 1960.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “SS Galileo Galilei”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow SS Galileo Galilei primary sources, SS Galileo Galilei archive and Galileo research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “SS Galileo Galilei”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “SS Galileo Galilei” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.