Challenger class (1962)
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The Challenger class of the Marad Design C4-S-57a was a ship type built in eleven units for the US shipping company United States Lines . She initiated their first major new building program in the post-war period.
history
The shipping company commissioned the renowned New York marine engineering firm Gibbs & Cox to design the ship. From the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) the type received the code C4-S-57a as part of the Long Range Shipbuilding Program . The construction of the eleven ships, each costing a good ten million US dollars, was commissioned by the shipping company in two lots from the shipyards Newport News Shipbuilding , Newport News and Bethlehem Steel Shipbuilding, Quincy, which delivered the series of ships between 1962 and 1964. Some of the ships were eventually returned to MARAD after retirement from the United States Lines-operated services and became part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) during the 1980s . Most of the ships in the class were now being scrapped.
technology
During construction, the C4-S-57a design represented a contemporary general cargo ship design with a bridge house located just behind the center of the ship, a heavily sloping stern with a bulbous bow and a sharp stern.
The division of the six holds was that of a conventional general cargo ship, but had modern details in many respects. The hatch covers with a large degree of deck opening on the main deck, in conjunction with the large hydraulic tween deck hatches, were intended to ensure problem-free vertical access to the cargo. The transhipment facilities consisted of contemporary loading trees. The ships had cargo holds partly designed for refrigerated cargo and additional deep tanks (partly made of stainless steel) under some cargo holds for liquid cargoes.
The superstructures were completely air-conditioned.
Thanks to its geared steam turbine drive, this type of ship reached speeds of a good 21 knots.
Overview
Eleven Challenger- class ships were built.
| MARAD type C4-S-57a | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Commissioning | Shipyard / construction number | Building name | Renaming and whereabouts |
| 1962 | Newport News Shipbuilding / 556 | Pioneer Moon | → canceled in 1988 |
| 1962 | Newport News Shipbuilding / 557 | American Challenger | → canceled in 1988 |
| 1962 | Newport News Shipbuilding / 5584 | American Charger | → canceled in 1988 |
| 1963 | Newport News Shipbuilding / 559 | American Champion | → canceled in 1987 |
| 1963 | Bethlehem Steel / 560 | American Chieftain | → canceled in 1988 |
| 1963 | Bethlehem Steel / 1684 | American Courier | → canceled in 1986 |
| 1963 | Bethlehem Steel / 1685 | American Commander | 1981 as Pioneer Commander for the NDRF |
| 1963 | Bethlehem Steel / 1686 | American Corsair | → canceled in 1986 |
| 1964 | Bethlehem Steel / 1687 | American Contractor | → canceled in 2009 |
| 1964 | Bethlehem Steel / 1688 | American Contender | → canceled |
| 1964 | Bethlehem Steel / 1689 | American Crusader | 1981 as Pioneer Crusader for the NDRF |
Individual evidence
literature
- John H. LaDage: Merchant Ships: A pictoral Study . . Edition. Cornell Maritime Press, Cambridge 1968.
- Cudahy, Brian J .: Box boats . How container ships changed the world. Fordham University press, New York 2006, ISBN 0-8232-2568-2 .
Web links
- Table at Shipbuildinghistory.com (English)
- Page about the class (English)