Americans and Canadians
Canadians and Americans are types of ships that were shipped as kits from Canada and the United States to France after the war .
history
The French-flagged cargo ships, known as Canadians or Americans in inland shipping, were ships that were delivered to France from the USA and Canada as part of the Marshall Plan as German reparation. They should help rebuild the French inland fleet, which was severely decimated by the Second World War. Even before the war, drafts for inland navigation vessels were made at the de Biesbosch shipyard in Dordrecht , but could no longer be built. During the war, contact was made with American shipyards, which also built the Liberty and Victory ships .
On July 1, 1947, the first ship arrived in Rotterdam as a kit. The individual parts were brought to the de Biesbosch shipyard and assembled there. The fore and aft ships were already equipped, the middle parts were delivered in sections. Complete ships were delivered, from welding electrodes to interior fittings and equipment. The first ship entered service in early 1948, the last was launched in 1953.
Data
Two different sizes were built. The American ships had the dimensions:
- Length 63.31 m
- Width 7.07 m
- Draft 3.75 m
- 720 tons load capacity
The Canadian ships with the dimensions:
- Length 73.50 m
- Width 8.20 m
- Draft 2.81 m
- 900 tons load capacity
Since all ships were built at different shipyards, there were also minor deviations in the dimensions,
The small ships came from US shipyards and are therefore called Americans, the larger ships from Canadian shipyards.
Compared to the European inland waterways of the time, these ships were very modern. There was electricity on board, central heating and hot water, refrigerators, bathrooms with showers and cooking stoves with oil burners.
The ships were powered by a 480 hp engine that could be directly reversed. The welded hull of the ships had a very elegant shape: a slim bow and a very aerodynamic stern. The steering gear was electric, but was later converted due to too many failures. A total of 95 units of the large type of ship were assembled at various shipyards in the Netherlands and France. 47 of the small type were made in Dordrecht.
Many of these ships still operate today. They were often rebuilt (lengthened, more powerful engines, modernized), but you can still recognize them by their shape.
source
Binnenschiffsbilder.de