American Export Lines

American Export Lines was a shipping company that operated between the United States and Mediterranean ports from 1927 to 1977. The company was founded in 1927 by the United States Shipping Board, which had been created to help the nation's merchant marine industry. American Export Lines was one of the first American carriers to serve the Mediterranean region, and its ships became a familiar sight in ports from Lisbon to Istanbul. The company initially ran a fleet of seven ships, but this was expanded to more than 30 ships in the 1950s.

American Export Lines was known for its luxurious passenger service, which offered a high degree of comfort and luxury. The company operated several large passenger-cargo ships, such as the SS Excalibur, the SS America and the SS Constitution. These ships were equipped with private cabins, swimming pools, libraries and other amenities, making them popular with tourists, business travelers and immigrants. The company also operated several cargo vessels, which carried goods such as lumber, food and machinery to ports in the Mediterranean.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the company's fortunes began to decline as air travel became more popular and the cost of maintaining its ships rose. The company was forced to suspend its passenger services in 1971 and ceased all operations in 1977. Its ships were sold off to other lines or scrapped, and the company's fleet of more than 30 vessels was reduced to just three. Although the company is no longer in operation, the memory of American Export Lines is still fondly remembered by those who experienced its luxurious services.