Cosmopolitan Shipping Company, also called the Cosmopolitan Line, was founded in 1916 in New York City. Cosmopolitan Shipping Company operated cargo and passenger service from New York City to Le Havre France and Antwerp. From 1919 to 1939 operated United States Shipping Board ships under a United States contract, called the America-France Line. Later Cosmopolitan Shipping Company also operated the Southern Cross Line that served the east coast of South America. Southern Cross Line operated cargo ship with some passenger accommodations.
In 1939 Cosmopolitan Shipping Company lost the America-France Line contract to Southgate Nelson Corporation. Southgate Nelson Corporation operated the Oriole Line and Hampton Roads-Yankee Line. In 1939 Cosmopolitan Shipping Company lost the Southern Cross Line to Westfal-Larsen & Company. Westfal-Larsen & Company also operated the Interocean Line and County Line.
During World War II Cosmopolitan Shipping Company operated Merchant navy ships for the United States Shipping Board. During World War II Cosmopolitan Shipping Company was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. Cosmopolitan Shipping Company operated Liberty ships for the merchant navy. The ship was run by its Cosmopolitan Shipping Company crew and the US Navy supplied United States Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns and radio.
Granville Conway (1898–1969) departed the War Shipping Administration to head the Cosmopolitan Shipping Company in 1947.
Post war Cosmopolitan Shipping Company chartered Norway ships, rather American. In 1982 Cosmopolitan Shipping Company exited the shipping market.
Ships
Ships: Heron's Bridge, T2-SE-A1 tanker Eastern Crag Olen, torpedo sank in 1941 West Hematite, torpedo sank in 1942 as SS Irish Pine SS West Eldara West Arrow, later called SS Black Osprey torpedoed and sunk in 1941 Schodack, 1919 cargo, later called SS Alcoa Leader Halma, was sunk presumably by a mine off Nova Scotia July 1943 Collamer, U-Boat sank in 1942 William W. McKee
Norwegian ships: Heina Lista Ronda Hørda
World War II ships: SS Barren Hill T2 Tanker SS Horace H. Lurton Donald W. Bain Hilary A. Herbert Henry L. Benning Frederick W. Wood Wilson Victory Thomas W. Murray Edward B. Haines Mary Lyon John W. Powell Robert Battey SS Junius Smith