Vaterland was the second of the Imperator-class to enter service and was the biggest ship in the world at that time. When she arrived in New York a few days before the Great War broke out, her centre turbine had failed during the crossing and NDL used the excuse to lay her up there and allow her to be interned for the duration. In 1917, America entered the War on the Allied side and Vaterland was taken over as a US troopship and became USS Leviathan (see Coastlines CL-M402A in grey and CM-P50 in dazzle camouflage)