The SS Great Western was a British passenger ship from the mid-19th century. The keel of this vessel was laid in 1836, launched in July 1837, and put into operation in 1838. Its overall length at launch was 71.6 meters and width 17.6 meters. The maximum speed reached about 8-9 knots, and the crew consisted of 60 people.

The SS Great Western was designed by the famous English engineer Isambard K. Brunel, and its construction was carried out at William Patterson Shipbuilding in Bristol, United Kingdom. The ship was made of oak wood and had a hybrid propulsion system with steam and sails. It did not have a propeller but two large paddle wheels with oars on the sides.

From the beginning, it was created for cruises on the Bristol-New York route. The SS Great Western was one of the first paddle steamers to cross the Atlantic. The vessel originally belonged to the Great Western Steamship Company.