Ships of the US Merchant Fleet by John A Culver Captain, USNR (RET) Spiral Boun
Ships of the US Merchant Fleet by John A Culver Captain, USNR (RET)
Revised edition 1939-1968
Facts and pictures of American Flag Ships
Spiral Bound
34 pages
Copyright 1965
CONTENTS
FOREWORDPage 1
CARGO SHIP SECTIONPage 6
PASSENGER-CARGO SHIP SECTIONPage 28
PASSENGER SHIP SECTIONPage 34
TANKER SECTIONPage 43
BULK CARRIER SECTIONPage 59
GREAT LAKE SHIP SECTIONPage 63
TUGS AND TOWBOATS SECTIONPage 74
TRAINING SHIPSPage 78
MERCHANT MARINE HISTORICAL EVENTSPage 81
TABLE OF SHIP DESIGNATIONSPage 83
ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONSPage 84
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTPage 85
SHIP INDEXPage 86
GENERAL INDEXPage 87
TRADE ROUTESPage 88
INTRODUCTION
New tonnage, conversions, sales and retirements have changed the overall picture of our merchant fleet since mid-1963 when the first edition of this book went to press. This "Revised Edition" is an attempt to bring the information about our fleet up-to-date. The concept followed was to retain the information contained in the first edition for historical value and to add new ships that have been completed in the last two years. Where changes have been made a star (*) has been added beside the ship's picture and a "Historical Note" added at the end of the section explaining the change.
BITTER BUT NO SWEET
As this edition goes to press the critics are still hammering away with poorly qualified statements about our Merchant Marine. They must learn to qualify their statements concerning the entire Merchant Marine when they talk about segments of the maritime industry. The "Tramp Fleet" is a small percentage of the overall fleet and the subsidized fleet, which is constantly under the hammer, makes up about one-third of our fleet. Many of the non-subsidized operators are doing well and downcast statements directed at the entire Merchant Marine do not help them any. It would be a pleasant change to read just one general news article about a few of the feats and accomplishments of the U. S. Merchant Marine to add a little "sweet" to the "bitter".
CONSTRUCTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
In an attempt to present constructive recommendations to enhance the entire Merchant Marine, this foreward will be directed at areas the author feels could stimulate the Merchant Marine into a strong segment of our National way of life and tend to overcome general apathy toward a vital part of our American economic and defense systems.
NATIONAL ECONOMY FIRST CONSIDERATION
The first consideration for a strong merchant fleet should be our National economic well being. Economic 'considerations are usually overshadowed by National defense considerations when it comes to Government subsidy of cargo ships for foreign trade. A strong Merchant Marine for National emergencies is as vital as our Navy; however, a strong Merchant Marine for National economic strength is equally as vital. Americans cannot forget what could happen if we had no American ships in foreign trade and foreign ships were withdrawn from service due to a war or change of Government. Export cargoes would pile up on our docks and import cargoes would stop with a resultant slow down of our economic pulse, profit losses for many companies, and a direct slow-down of our economic circular flow. Also, many satellite industries would suffer. The overall result could seriously effect our entire economy. The answer to the critics that tend to keep our Merchant Marine in a deplorable state is that our exports and imports did slow down and in some cases stopped prior to World War I and II as a result of foreign ships being withdrawn from service. Today more than ever before we should be concerned about the movement of our goods to foreign markets. The constant threat of Foreign Governments changing hands in both hemispheres should be enough stimulation for our nation to keep the American Merchant Marine strong and assure our manufacturers and farmers of free movement of goods throughout the free world.
SEA POWER CONCEPT
Sea power does not necessarily mean war ships. It means a power capability of ships to move freely on the seas for gainful trade and a strong industry to support the ships. In peace time, the free movement of ships is basically the merchant ship engaged in merchantile trade. In war time, the free movement of ships is basically the line of supply and logistics to support a fighting effort and keep critical war material flowing into our industry to support the fighting effort. The mission of Navy ships is to keep the sea lanes open for this free movement of merchant ships. A closer understanding among all sea branches flying the American flag is sorely needed. There should be a better understanding and closer ties between the personnel of the Navy and Merchant Marine. An understanding of all American ships, missions and personnel capabilities Should be a part of the knowledge of all men that "go down to the sea in ships". A Sea Power foundation for the purpose of coordinating and recommending efforts of all maritime organizations (Merchant Marine, Navy, Oceanography etc) in all phases of ship business (operation, maintenance, repair, shipbuilding) is necessary to operate the Sea Power Concept. Such a foundation is envisioned as a solution selector group with experts in every sea going branch who would formulate action in a given problem area.
SHOWING THE FLAG
A function that is actually being done every day by merchant ships is "showing the flag" in a great majority of the ports of the free world. The American flag is present in these ports but not much attention is focused on it since a merchantman is commonplace and shows no obvious strength as does a man-of-war. An occasional arrival of a merchantman in foreign ports escorted by a U. S. Navy combat ship would create attention and interest and show the close relationship of our seafarers and show our Navy's support of our Merchant Marine. This in turn would focus attention on the stars and stripes and help the overall effort of reminding people of freedom.
NAVAL AUXILIARIES
The use of merchant ships as Naval Auxiliaries has been an accepted concept for many years. The new subsidized cargo fleet that is presently emerging, and the new passenger and tanker fleets that are presently operating are larger, faster, and have more advanced facilities than a majority of the present day Naval Auxiliary fleet and MSTS ships. A large number of "Victory", "C2" and "C3" type ships of World War II fame are still in Naval Auxiliary and MSTS service. By 1970, the cargo ship replacement program, presently underway, will be completed and the first ship of the program delivered in 1960 will be ten years old. There will probably be another gap of ten years after 1970 before any more new subsidized tonnage will be built. One way to level off these feast-or-famine peaks is to set up a trade-in arrangement between the Navy and Merchant Marine whereby a new ship would serve for five years in the merchant trade then be traded-in or sold to the Navy for conversion to a Naval Auxiliary or for operation with MSTS. When the Ship to be traded is four years old, a credit system could be established so the shipping company could start construction of a new ship. By the time the new ship is completed the older one is transferred to the Navy.
This system would tend to level out the erratic ups and downs of the maritime industry, provide more work for repair-conversion shipyards, modernize the Naval Auxiliary and MSTS fleets, keep the most technically advanced and competitive merchant ships in the world at sea flying the American flag, and establish designs for rapid conversions of merchant ships to Navy ships in the event of a National emergency.
POWER RATING OF SHIPS
The Navy ratings of power plants of merchant ships built with subsidized funds should be restudied. With small increases in top speed, large increases in size and weight and cost of machinery components result. This affects the carrying capacity of the ship, and in some cases the private operators do not want this additional power since they will operate the ships only at Merchant Marine normal and maximum ratings. The solution to this problem could be a combination steam and gas turbine (COSAG) machinery arrangement. The main reduction gear and shafting could be designed to take the additional load for Navy rating and the reduction gear arranged to accommodate the gas turbines, both of these paid for as National Defense features by the Government at less cost than a larger steam plant. The steam plant design could then be based on Merchant Marine maximum rating, and the gas turbines, and possibly a different propeller, could be based ashore to be installed when and if the ship is turned over to the Navy in the event of a National Emergency. This concept can be applied to any type ship that may be called into Naval service; i. e., cargo, tanker, reefer, passenger, etc.
OCEANOGRAPHY
An added mission for merchant ships of collecting oceanographic data may be unfolding as a result of "Project Neptune." This project was a joint experiment between American Mail Line and the U. S. Navy to obtain oceanographic data from the S. S. Java Mail on a regular scheduled voyage across the Pacific Ocean. It would appear that this concept has considerable merit from a practical and economical point of view, since American flag ships travel in every ocean of the world as normal routine.
MERCHANT MARINE INFORMATION OFFICE
In order to create an incentive to American companies who ship goods to foreign countries, to better acquaint shippers of coastwise service, to convince foreign shippers we have the best fleet, and to re-educate the American people, a Merchant Marine, Information Office is needed in each major port of the United States. The function of this office would be to be kept informed of every shipper, keep the pulse of every ship movement, keep putting news articles in the local news media, keep the public informed of Merchant Marine activities, get out and sell the American flag ships and put Maritime Day (May 22) in front of the people. A Merchant Marine Information Office in each port, working on a full time basis, would be able to fulfill the tasks indicated above. This office possibly could be one man in most ports and could be supported by shipping company contributions. This office could report to one central office where the pulse of the entire industry could be analyzed and cross fertilization of ideas and improvements formulated to better the campaign. In business they say that sales are directly related to advertising. It is time for an advertising campaign to sell our Merchant Marine.
REPLACEMENT PROGRAM FOR NON-SUBSIDIZED OPERATORS
The non-subsidized operators are presently faced with fleet replacement and have made verbal gestures at building their new ships in foreign shipyards. Looking at the cost picture, the solution is gloomy since a ship can be built in foreign yards for about one-half the cost of U. S. yards.
During World War II, the Maritime industry was keyed to mass production of ships. The industry still has a mass production capability at this time but it is not being used. We take great pride in our production capability with the resultant low cost of single items that are massed produced. Several of the non-subsidized (operators: should join together, decide on a common ship design and put out their own requests for bids for a quantity of ships all of the same class. The bids surely would reduce the cost per ship; maybe not 50% less than a single ship procurement, but may bring the cost within reason so that the companies would contract for ships in American shipyards.
Specifically, if five non-subsidized companies joined together and decided on 7 ships for each one, a request for bids could go out for 35 ships to be built in one shipyard or several shipyards of the same shipbuilding company.
The dust could be swept-off the "Victory" or "C2" class plans and repeat ships built. This would keep the cost of engineering at a minimum and keep the ship design simple, yet functional.
Any engineering that is conducted should be directed at a direct-drive, large bore Diesel engine of 6000 to 8500 BHP with ship speeds of 17.5 to 18.5 knots. Such a machinery plant would provide a ship that would be competitive with foreign flag freighters both in speed and fuel economy.
Also, the non-subsidized companies and the subsidized companies should have a trade-in arrangement for 5 year replacement of ships similar to the Navy trade-in arrangement previously mentioned.
OTHER AREAS
There are other areas that need attention to keep the Merchant Marine growing arid improving.
Some port facilities need attention to better cargo movements and provide better passenger terminals which presently cannot compare with airports. These terminals are needed to stimulate passenger-tourist trade. Some ports have completely inadequate, unheated facilities for passenger traffic. Re-training programs are needed for seamen and longshoremen to fill needed jobs as automation moves in. Direction and leadership by companies, unions and government are necessary for such a program.
A concept of more maintenance and repair ashore and less at sea should be considered. Replacement of faulty components, where practical, at sea would tend to reduce maintenance personnel. These personnel could be used by the shore based repair facility.
A marketing study should be made of the tourist trade leaving United States ports in foreign ships with the objective of attempting to swing the market to American ships.
CONCLUSION
The United States has always been on the move throughout its history. Many say the "covered wagon" was responsible for settling the vast West and that the railroads were the life blood of the nation. The jet airliners of today have linked nations closer together causing business to become International. With International business, the world is more closely allied in trade. Goods from our factories, farms and mills are in demand by foreign nations. Goods from overseas markets are in demand by Americans. Now is the time for our country to be on-the-move in ships. Assured access to world markets for our people is dependent only on the American Merchant Marine. The American people need to be educated in this dependence and realize that THE STRONGER OUR MERCHANT FLEET THE STRONGER THE NATION.
John A. Culver Rockland, Massachusetts August 1965
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