The German war transport Paranagua, photographed in August or September 1940, when the ship was already camouflaged for participation in Operation Sea Lion, the planned invasion of Britain.
The Paranagua (6062 grt / 9425 tdw) was a quite modern motor vessel, being launched on March 15th, 1939 by the Howaldtswerke A.G., Hamburg, yard number 778. She was completed on May 4th, 1939 and delivered to its owners, the Hamburg-Südamerikanische Dampfschiff-Gesellschaft (Hamburg-South America service). Paranagua was powered by an 8-cyl. MAN oil engine with 3350 shp, allowing for a service speed of 13 kn.
On Aug. 19th, 1939 the Paranagua left Hamburg for Porto Alegre and left Antwerp on Aug. 23rd for South America, but after receiving warning signals from Germany on Aug. 25th the vessel turned back whilst off Ushant and arrived back at Hamburg on Aug. 31st, 1939, just one day ahead the outbreak of World War II.
On March 21st, 1940 Paranagua was requisitioned by the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) for the use as a war transport in Operation Weserübung, the occupation of Denmark and Norway. Paranagua was fitted for transporting troops, vehicles, artillery and war stores, and left Stettin (Szczecin) on May 3rd, 1940 to arrive at Oslo on May 4th/5th. After unloading her cargo she returned to Germany and at the beginning of Aug. 1940 Paranagua was once again requisitioned by the KM for Operation Sea Lion, the planned invasion of Britain. She was redesignated A-7 (A = Antwerp) and was rebuilt for transporting not only troops and vehicles but also horses.
After losing the Battle of Britain in Sept./Oct. 1940 it became clear that Operation Sea Lion would not take place and it was abandoned shortly afterwards. On Nov. 28th, 1940 Paranagua was envisaged for the use as a Sperrbrecher (mine clearance vessel or mine barrage breaker) and left Antwerp for necessary conversion at Hamburg. Paranagua did not arrived there, as she struck a British air-laid mine north of Callantsoog, The Netherlands, on Dec. 5th, 1940, and sustained serious damages. Trying to limp into Den Helder, the Paranagua ran aground on a sandbank in position 52°55‘12‘‘N 4°40‘54‘‘E during a gale and became stuck, SW of Den Helder. Being battered by continuing storms, the ship was declared a total loss.
