Florida was originally built for the Hamburg-Südamerikanischen Dampschiffahrts-Gesellschaft, HSDG, but was requisitioned almost immediately after her launch by the Kriegsmarine.

On 14 April 1940, Florida was heading north towards Norway. She was in a convoy, Seetransportstaffel 3, together with three other transport ships and some minesweepers and a torpedo boat as escort. At 2 pm, the convoy was discovered by the British submarine HMS Snapper, which managed to sink Florida with five torpedoes. The ship was loaded with war supplies and soldiers when it sank. Most of the soldiers went with the ship into the depths, but some were rescued aboard the accompanying minesweepers. Snapper also managed to sink the minesweepers M-1701 and M-1702 at the same time.