In 1896 an entirely new type of vessel was created, the "Barbarossa" class. In the construction of these vessels the aim was to provide for an unusually large quantity of freight, as well as for a large number of passengers in the three classes, while keeping the cabin accommodation entirely separate from the freight space. The whole of the accommodation for cabin passengers was accordingly concentrated in an immense superstructure amidships, containing three decks, and fully 256 feet long. Thus the staterooms on the steamers of this class were situated in the most favourable and quietest position conceivable. Each "Barbarossa" steamer could accommodate at least 250 first class, 300 second class, and 1600 steerage passengers. The machinery consisted of two sets of quadruple expansion engines, which by means of two large propellers, gave a speed of from 14 to 15 knots. In both the forward and after parts there were 4 large hatches, making eight in all, provided with 16 hydraulic or electric cranes. The first steamer of the "Barbarossa" class was the "Friedrich der Grosse", which was launched at the yard of the Vulcan Company in Bredow, near Stettin, on August 1, 1896. During the same year three more "Barbarossa" steamers were launched, the "Barbarossa" at the yard of Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, the "Königin Luise" at the yard of the Vulcan Co., and the "Bremen (2)" at the yard of Schichau in Danzig. These were followed in 1900 by the "Grosser Kurfürst", built by Schichau, which both in size and speed considerably surpassed the other steamers of her class. The type of the "Barbarossa" steamers was also followed in the construction of the steamers "König Albert", "Prinzess Irene", "Hamburg" and "Kiautschou", placed in the Imperial mail service by the Norddeutscher Lloyd and the Hamburg-American line in 1900.