She was designed and launched as the transatlantic liner Statendam, a new flagship for the Holland America Line (NASM), but the outbreak of First World War delayed her completion.

However, Cunard was unable to raise a crew for her, so the Shipping Controller appointed White Star Line to manage her.

[1] Justicia shared the same combined propulsion system as several other H&W liners of her era including Laurentic and Belgenland.

The first class saloon was to be 20 ft (6 m) high, making it the largest of its type on an ocean liner of its era.

[2] Décor was to be modern, in contrast with the historicist styles then commonly favoured by British and German shipping lines.

With the exception of the three Olympic-class liners, Justicia was one of the largest and most powerful ships ever built with this combination of reciprocating and turbine engines.

[9] In October 1914, the UK Admiralty offered NASM £1,000,000 for use of the ship, with a guarantee to return it at the end of the war.

Decorative elements already installed were removed, as was customary when converting passenger liners into troop ships.

[2] In November 1916, a mine sank the hospital ship HMHS Britannic, which left White Star Line with enough crew to work Justicia.

[2] White Star's engineer officers and men, unlike those of Cunard, were experienced with "combination machinery" such as that in Justicia.

The Shipping Controller therefore transferred Justicia to the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company (White Star Line).

[5] White Star Line ran Justicia across the North Atlantic, bringing troops to Liverpool first from Halifax, Nova Scotia and then from New York.

[citation needed] The next morning, 20 July, UB-124 found Justicia and hit her amidships with two torpedoes, killing either 10[6][13] or 16[7] of her engine room crew (sources differ).

The destroyers HMS Marne, Milbrook, and Pigeon depth charged UB-124, forcing her to the surface, and then sank her by gunfire.

[18] Justicia's wreck lies at a depth of 230 ft (70 m), 21 nautical miles (38 km) northwest of Malin Head at 55°39′47″N 7°43′13″W / 55.66305°N 7.72031°W / 55.66305; -7.72031.

[19] Being in the territorial waters of the Republic of Ireland and more than a century old, the wreck is automatically protected by the National Monuments (Amendment) Act, 1987, section 3, sub-section (4).

[20] Divers must obtain a licence from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media before diving on the wreck.