Sea witch class
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The Sea Witch class was a series of eight container ships of the type C5-S-73b of the US shipping companies American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines and United States Lines , which were originally developed for the US Maritime Administration (MARAD).
history
The six ships initially ordered were originally ordered as conventional bulk cargo ships by MARAD for service with American Export-Isbrandsten Lines Inc. In order to be able to meet the changed requirements due to the introduction of the container, American Export-Isbrandtsen applied to MARAD to change the order to an extended container ship design and put the first three ships, each costing 13.4 million US dollars, into operation between 1968 and 1970 . The container ships of the Sea Witch class were the first container ships planned and built as such by American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines. Three ships, each costing 17 million euros, followed in 1972/73. Two further newbuildings of the type, each costing 43.1 million euros, went to the United States Line in 1979/80.
The CV Sea Witch collided on June 2, 1973 while leaving the port of New York with the tanker Esso Brussels , caught fire and finally stranded at Gravesend Bay , where it burned out for several days. Three crew members died. After being dismantled, the damaged vessel was declared a total loss and hung up first in Howland Hook and later in Brooklyn . A product tanker, which is still in operation today, was later built from the aft ship. According to the class certificate, the ship kept the name CV Sea Witch until the end of 1977, and then operated as the Chemical Discoverer until the end of 1981 and until today as the Chemical Pioneer . From September 1, 1983, the ship was fundamentally rebuilt by Northrop Grumman .
In March 1978 the Farrell Line shipping company took over the seven remaining ships. Three ships were transferred to the US Navy in the second half of the 1980s and in 1988 at Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Norfolk, Virginia for service with the Military Sealift Command to RFF's (Auxiliary Crane Ship) of type C5-S-MA73c rebuilt. As such, they are still in the reserve fleet.
The remaining units, which remained as regular container ships, were scrapped between 1998 and 2009.
technology
Between 1968 and 1980, the Bath Iron Works shipyard built a design that deviated from the usual cargo ships and had a navigating bridge in front. When they were built, they were among the largest container ships in the world. The C5-S-73B type designed for the transport of 928 20-foot containers could transport a certain proportion of 40-foot containers. At that time, these standard dimensions, which are common today, had not yet fully established themselves. Later, the capacity was increased to over 1000 TEU due to higher stowage on deck, which made the ships the first 1000 TEU ships.
Overview
Eight C5-S-73b ships were built.
| Type C5-S-73b - Sea Witch class | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building name | Shipyard / construction number | IMO number | Commissioning | Renaming and whereabouts |
| Sea witch | Bath Iron Works / 354 | 6806444 | 4th Sept 1968 | 1973 in New York with the tanker Esso Brussels collided and burned, launched in June 1973, 1984 → stern to total loss to build the products tanker Chemical Pioneer used in drive |
| Lightning | Bath Iron Works / 355 | 6817845 | Feb. 21, 1969 | 1978 → Farrell Lines, 1988 → converted to RFF Flickertail State (reserve fleet) |
| Staghound | Bath Iron Works / 356 | 6916433 | 20th June 1969 | 1978 → Farrell Lines, 1988 → Converted to RFF Cornhusker State (reserve fleet) |
| Export Freedom | Bath Iron Works / 357 | 7204863 | Aug 7, 1972 | 1978 → Farrell Lines, 1998 → canceled |
| Export leader | Bath Iron Works / 358 | 7226689 | Jan. 22, 1973 | 1978 → Farrell Lines, 1988 → Converted to RFF Gopher State (reserve fleet) |
| Export Patriot | Bath Iron Works / 359 | 7306764 | 2nd July 1973 | 1978 → Farrell Lines, 1998 → canceled |
| American Argonaut | Bath Iron Works / 400 | 7635933 | June 7, 1979 | 1978 → Farrell Lines, 2007 → canceled |
| American Resolute | Bath Iron Works / 401 | 7635945 | Feb 22, 1980 | 1978 → Farrell Lines, 2009 → canceled |
literature
- Cudahy, Brian J .: Box boats . How container ships changed the world. Fordham University press, New York 2006, ISBN 0-8232-2568-2 .
- Witthöft, Hans Jürgen: Container . A box makes a revolution. 1st edition. Koehlers Verlagsgesellschaft, Hamburg 2000, ISBN 3-7822-0777-7 .
Web links
- Data and line plan of type C5-S-73B
- Data sheet of the type C5-S-73B
- Data for type C5-S-73B
- Data for type C5-S-73B
- Data for type C5-S-73B
- American Export-Isbrandtsen Line data