SS Cape Gibson (AK-5051)

Former Merchant Marine Academy flagship SS Cape Gibson, ex-SSIndian Mail.
Career (US)
Name: SS Indian Mail, later changed to SS President Jackson
Owner: American Mail Lines, then sold to American President Lines
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia
Acquired: 13 December 1968
Homeport: Seattle, Washington
Fate: Transferred to MARAD, placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Alameda, California.
Career (US)
Name: T.S. Texas Clipper IV
Owner: United States Maritime Administration
Operator: Texas A&M University at Galveston
In service: 19 October 2009
Out of service: 2012
Homeport: Galveston, Texas
Status: Reacquired by MARAD, placed in the Beaumont Reserve Fleet
General characteristics
Class and type:Breakbulk cargo ship, Training Ship
Displacement:9,779 tons light, 31,995 tons fully loaded
Length:605 ft (184 m)
Beam:82 ft (25 m)
Draft:35 ft (11 m)
Installed power:24,000 shp at 105 rpm [1]
Propulsion:Single steam turbine, two boilers, single propellor
Speed:11 kt cruise
Capacity:22,216 DWT
Crew:32

SS Cape Gibson (AK-5051) is a Cape G Class Break bulk cargo ship of the United States Maritime Administration, last used as a training ship at Texas A&M University at Galveston. Currently she is mothballed in the Beaumont Reserve Fleet.

History

The ship was originally delivered as SS Indian Mail to American Mail Line Ltd., of Seattle in 1968 as one of five C-5-S-75a class breakbulk cargo container ships (the others being SS Alaskan Mail, SS American Mail, SS Korea Mail, and SS Hong Kong Mail). With the onset of containerization, this type of cargo ship was approaching obsolescence, but this class was well equipped for handling a wide variety of cargoes. The ship was later acquired by American President Lines and name was changed to SS President Jackson.[1]

In 1988 the ship was transferred to MARAD, renamed SS Cape Gibson and mothballed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Alameda, California. She was assigned to the Military Sealift Command as a Modular Cargo Delivery System Ship and capable of being reactivated in five days.[2]

In 2009 SS Cape Gibson was reactivated as training ship for Texas A&M Martime Academy cadets, serving until 2012 until being replaced by TS General Rudder. She was subsequently placed in the Beaumont Reserve Fleet.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Fleet profile – The C-5-S-75a Class". The Maritime Blog. Maritime Networks. 2010-02-23. Retrieved 2014-06-01. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  2. Priolo, Gary (2010-11-19). "NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive SS Cape Gibson (AK-5051)". NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
  3. "Training Ship GENERAL RUDDER". Texas A&M University. 2013. Retrieved 2014-06-01.

External links