Blue Riband

The Blue Riband was a metaphorical title, not an actual trophy, awarded for the fastest crossing of the New York–Liverpool route by ship. The competition for this honor was particularly fierce in the latter half of the 19th century, with steamship companies striving to build faster vessels.1

In 1851, the Blue Riband passed from Cunard's Acadia to the Collins Line's Pacific, which achieved an average speed of 13 knots. While the term "blue riband" can also refer to a decorative blue cloth awarded in contests, in the context of shipping, it specifically denoted the speed record for transatlantic crossings.12