SS Vestris was a 1912 steam ocean liner operated by Lamport and Holt Line and used on its service between New York and the River Plate.

On 12 November 1928 she began listing in heavy seas about 200 miles (300 km) off Hampton Roads, Virginia, was abandoned, and sank, killing more than 100 people.

[3] The sinking attracted much press coverage at the time and remains notable for the loss of life, particularly of women and children when the ship was being abandoned.

The trio were similar in size to Vasari that Sir Raylton Dixon & Co built for Lamport and Holt in 1909.

[9] Vestris was built as yard number 303[10] and launched 16 May 1912[11] and made her maiden voyage on 19 September 1912 from Liverpool to River Plate.

[9] Vandyck, Vauban and Vestris were intended for Lamport and Holt's service between Liverpool and Buenos Aires via Vigo, Leixões and Lisbon.

RMSP chartered Vauban for a new and quicker service between Southampton and the River Plate, leaving Lamport and Holt unable to compete.

RMSP returned Vauban to Lamport and Holt by the end of 1913, but effectively forced L&H out of the route between Britain and the River Plate.

[9] Lamport and Holt then transferred Vandyck, Vauban and Vestris to strengthen its service between New York and the River Plate via Trinidad and Barbados, where they became the largest and most luxurious ships on the route.

[8] But soon after World War I began, the German cruiser SMS Karlsruhe captured and sank Vandyck on 26 October 1914.

Her ballast tanks had not been pumped out, the hatches of her bunkers were buried under coal but had not been battened and secured, and she was overloaded below her load line marks.

[20] At 09:56 Vestris sent an SOS message[20] giving her position as latitude 37° 35' N. and longitude 71° 81' [sic] W., which was incorrect by about 37 miles (60 km).

The father of future Major League Baseball pitcher Sam Nahem was among those who drowned when the ship sank.

In the wake of the disaster, Lamport and Holt experienced a dramatic drop in bookings for the company's other liners and their service to South America ceased at the end of 1929.