When the radar fails and the luxury liner Queen of the Seas rams into and destroys two submarines, its skipper, Jack Drummond, is demoted and assigned to captain the SS Sangina, a 40-year-old freighter. Drummond's attempts to redeem himself with the maritime board and once again command the fabled luxury liner was to be the focal point of the series.In the pilot episode, Drummond attempts to impress his employers, Retango Lines, by making a record-breaking voyage from Hong Kong to San Pedro to seek medical help for an Oriental stowaway who gave birth on board his ship.