She was launched at Harland & Wolff's yard at Belfast on 25 August 1949 by Mrs Leif Egeland, wife of the High Commissioner for the Union of South Africa in London.

The Bloemfontein Castle was given the familiar Union-Castle profile of well-raked rounded stem, cruiser stern, a low streamlined funnel and a single mast abaft the bridge, giving a well-balanced appearance.

She was built to cater for an expected emigrant boom and to alleviate the still considerable pressure at the time for accommodation at lower range fares.

On 8 January 1953, Bloemfontein Castle rescued 234 passengers and crew from the Holland Afrika liner Klipfontein which was sinking after hitting a submerged object off Mozambique.

When the expected flow of European emigrants to South Africa did not materialize, Bloemfontein Castle was sold to the Greek Chandris Lines in 1959, after a short life of only nine years with Union-Castle.