Fort ship

Fort Stikine
Class overview
Builders: Burrard Dry Dock
Canadian Vickers
Davie Shipbuilding
Marine Industries
North Vancouver Ship Repairs
Prince Rupert Drydock & Shipyard
United Shipyards
Victory Machinery Depot
West Coast Shipbuilders
Yarrow Shipbuilders
Operators: Ministry of War Transport
United States Maritime Commission
Subclasses: Canadian type
North Sands type
Victory type
Cost: $1,856,500
Built: 1941-44
In service: 1941-85[1]
Building: 198
Completed: 198
Lost: 28 (enemy action)
25 (accident)
Scrapped: 145
General characteristics
Type:Cargo ship
Tonnage:7,130 GRT
Length:424 feet 6 inches (129.39 m)
Beam:57 feet 0 inches (17.37 m)

The Fort Ships were a class of 198 cargo ships built in Canada during World War II for use by the United Kingdom under the Lend-Lease scheme. They all had names prefixed with "Fort" when built. The ships were in service between 1942 and 1985, with two still listed on shipping registers until 1992. A total of 53 were lost due to accidents or enemy action. One of these, Fort Stikine, was destroyed in 1944 by the detonation of 1400 tons of explosive on board her. This event, known as the Bombay Explosion, killed over 800 people and sank thirteen ships.

Description

The Fort Ships were 424 feet 6 inches (129.39 m) long with a beam of 57 feet 0 inches (17.37 m). They were assessed at 7,130 GRT. The ships were of three types, the "North Sands" type, which were of riveted construction, and the "Canadian" and "Victory" types, which were of welded construction. They were built by eighteen different Canadian shipyards. Their triple expansion steam engines were built by seven different manufacturers.[2]

History

The ships were built between 1941 and 1945 by ten different builders. The first to be built was Fort St. James, which was laid down on 23 April 1941 and launched on 15 October. The eight ships built by Burrard Dry Dock cost $1,856,500 each.[3] During WWII, 28 were lost to enemy action, and four were lost due to accidents. Many of the surviving 166 ships passed to the United States Maritime Commission. The last recorded scrapping was in 1985,[4][5][6] and two ships, the former Fort St. James and Fort St. Paul, were listed on Lloyd's Register until 1992.[5]

Losses

Twenty-eight ships were lost due to enemy action and a further 25 due to accidents.

Enemy action

Accident

References

  1. Last confirmed scrapping, two ships may have been in service until the 1990s
  2. "'FORT', 'OCEAN' & 'PARK' TYPE SHIPS". Mariners. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  3. "The Forts". Angela DeRoy-Jones. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 "FORT SHIPS A - J". Mariners. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28 "FORT SHIPS K - S". Mariners. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 "FORT SHIPS T - Y". Mariners. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  7. "Fort Concord". Uboat. Retrieved 12 August 2014.