Rosario di Giorgio was a steam cargo ship built in 1907 by the Nylands Verksted of Kristiania for Bernhard Hanssen of Flekkefjord.

[3] After successful completion of sea trials on 14 May, during which the vessel was able to reach the speed of 14.0 miles per hour (12.2 kn; 22.5 km/h), Rosario di Giorgio was handed over to her owners.

For example, on 28 January 1908 the ship brought in 14,958 bunches of bananas and 10 bags of coconuts to Baltimore, and loaded 120 barrels of flour for her return trip to Port Antonio.

[8] When Rosario di Giorgio tried to enter the harbor on 13 November, she tried to steer clear of SS Bradford but still went aground a few feet ahead from the German ship.

During one of her return trips from Jamaica, Rosario di Giorgio collided with a US Navy collier Marcellus around 02:30 on 9 August 1910 about 60 miles off Cape Hatteras in misty weather.

Rosario di Giorgio arrived in New York the next day with her bow smashed and twisted and was put into drydock for repairs immediately after discharging her cargo.

[11] The subsequent naval inquiry into the accident found Rosario di Giorgio solely at fault for the collision, and entered a claim against her for $125,000.