Plan of the SS Ideal X |
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| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Ideal X, ex-Potrero Hills, ex-Capt. John D.P., ex-Elemir[1] |
| Owner: | Pan-Atlantic Steamship Company[2] |
| Port of registry: | United States |
| Builder: | Rebuilt as container ship at Bethlehem Steel, Baltimore, MD.[1] |
| Launched: | 30 December, 1944 |
| Completed: | January 1945 |
| Out of service: | Sold for scrapping, 1965.[3] |
| Identification: | Official number: 247155[4] |
| Fate: | Scrapped in Japan, 1967.[3] |
| Notes: | Former T2 tanker. Originally built by Marinship Corp. in Sausalito, California as yard number 158 in 1945.[4] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | T2-SE-A1 |
| Tonnage: | 16,460 GRT[4] |
| Length: | 524 ft (160 m)[1] |
| Beam: | 30 ft (9.1 m)[1] |
| Height: | 68 ft (21 m)[1] |
| Propulsion: | Elliot Company steam turbine, electric propulsion.[4] |
| Capacity: | 58 33-foot containers 10,572 DWT[4] |
The Ideal X was originally constructed as a T2 tanker, similar to the Hat Creek shown here in August 1943. |
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SS Ideal X was the first container ship. She was a converted World War II T-2 oil tanker which carried shipping containers. During her maiden voyage on April 26, 1956[5] the Ideal X carried 58 containers from Newark, New Jersey to Port of Houston, Texas where 58 trucks were waiting to be loaded with the containers.[6]
Contents |
The Ideal X began her career as an oil tanker. She was constructed by The Marinship Corporation in 1948, under the name Potrero Hills. She was rechristened the Ideal X in 1955, when purchased by Malcom McLean's Pan-Atlantic Steamship Company.[7][8][9]
In 1959 the vessel was acquired by Bulgarian owners, who rechristened her Elemir. The Elemir suffered extensive damage during heavy weather on 8 February, 1964 and was sold in turn to Japanese breakers. She was finally scrapped on 20 October, 1964 in Hirao, Japan.