SS Metallurg Baykov

Sister Turbine-runner Leninsky Komsomol in about 1960 equipped with derricks only.
History
Soviet Union USSR
Class and type: Leninsky Komsomol-class cargo ship
Name:
  • Metallurg Baykov
  • (Russian: Металлург Байков)
  • Call Sign: UQIM [1]
  • IMO number: 5233468[2][1]
Owner: 24 July 1960 – 1985: Black Sea Shipping Company, USSR
Operator: 24 July 1960 – 1985: Black Sea Shipping Company
Port of registry: 1960 – 1985: Odessa, USSR
Builder:  Soviet Union Kherson shipyard
Laid down: 25 March 1958
Acquired: 24 July 1960 - delivered by P.A. Martynov
Maiden voyage: 24 July 1960
Fate: Decommissioned in 1985[1]
General characteristics
Type: Freighter, Tweendecker
Tonnage:
Length: 557 ft (169.9 m)
Beam: 72 ft (21.8 m)
Height: 42 ft (12.9 m)
Draught: 31.9 ft (9.73 m)
Propulsion: two steam turbine engines driving a single 6.3 m (21 ft) screw propeller
Capacity:
  • bale capacity 20,220 cub.m[1]
  • grain capacity 23,765 cub.m[1]
Crew: 48 crew members, 12 passengers and 8 cadets

The SS Metallurg Baykov (Russian: Металлург Байков) was a tweendecker type freighter with steam turbine engines, the second ship built in the Leninsky Komsomol class (Project 567). The merchant ship belonged to the Black Sea Shipping Company (Soviet Union)[3] and was named in honor of Alexandr Baykov, the scientist-chemist in metallurgy .

Ship's Data

Project 567 was developed at the Central Design Bureau Chernomorsudoproekt (CDB ChSP) in Nikolayev.[3] Bohonevich K.I. served as major designer until 1956, when Sidorov B.K. took over until 1961.

All other specifications of this ship are similar to the first ship of Leninsky Komsomol class.

History

Construction

In 1959, despite the fact that the Kherson shipyard delivered ships such as four tanker-ships and the Leninsky Komsomol the output of the shipyard was 82 percent for the year 1959. The inability to fulfill production targets was due to a delay in the construction of cargo ship Metallurg Baykov. Instead of signing the agreement to initiate building of the ship in 1959, the Black Sea Shipping Company only agreed to the terms of construction on 24 July 1960. The delay in reaching an agreement was due to errors committed in the design of the project, which were subjected to numerous changes in 1959. Furthermore, the Soviet Ministry of the Merchant Fleet group which oversaw the construction of ships only filed claims after the construction of the lead ship of the Leninsky Komsomol class. Logistical issues also arose from the change of construction plans since existing Soviet systems prevented hasty acquisition of equipment from manufacturers.[4]

Maiden Voyage

The Singapore Free Press announced that the ship Metallurg Baykov was alongside the berth number 15/16 on 2 November 1960.[5]

Great Labor Victory

The Soviet newspaper "Одесский портовик" (English: "Odessa port workers") wrote in the article "Great Labour Victory" on the 14 of March, 1962:

"The telegram of the Deputy Minister of the USSR Navy was succinct:"Celebrate the good work of the Odessa port workers who have saved in February, more than 121 hours of operational time when processing of the courts Physicist Lebedev and Urgench"...
We should consolidate the achievements. To increase it.
Turbohod Metallurg Baykov unloaded early at 100 hours."[6]

The Cuban blockade

The first voyage to Cuba during the Cuban blockade began in early August from Novorossiysk, and the vessel arrived at Cuba on the 25 of August, 1962. The port of Casablanca, Morocco was announced as a port of arrival. Listed as carrying 1,400 tons of cargo including trucks and cranes on the open deck.[7]

The second voyage to Cuba started on the 14 of September from Sevastopol and the SS Metallurg Baykov arrived in Casilda on the 30 of September, 1962.[7] The technics and personnel of the mobile missile-technical base under command of the Lieutenant-Colonel I.V. Shishchenko, of the 50th missile army, were carried out on the ship.[8]

14 of October, 1962. US intelligence according to the aerial photographic survey concludes the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba [9]

Since 18 September American warships had begun to ask repeatedly about the nature of cargo on Soviet transport ships.[10]

Ivan Shishchenko, who was a Captain (according to some sources a Lieutenant-Colonel) of the subdivision of escort, said

"... At three o'clock in the morning on the 14 of September, Metallurg Baykov casted off from the pier and took the course to the Bosphorus. When the ship was approaching Istanbul the pilot boarded the ship. I was worried, a stranger on board, but it turned out: these are the rules for the ships which passing through the straits...
On the 18 of September, two American warships with numbers on the sides 858 and 931 met us on the line between the island of Sardinia and the peninsula Tunisia. One of them was with uncovered guns (the team was stand by at the fighting positions) and came close to our vessel - at distance of 80–100 meters. Americans commenced a dialogue using flag signals:
- Where is the ship destination?
- We are running to Casablanca - it was answer as per order of the captain of Metallurg Baykov Vasily Gurzhiy.
- What's on board?
- There are agricultural machinery on board.
- Have a good trip…
The American warship 858 turned away and went to the convergencet with another warship 931 which was in distance of one kilometer. On the same day the American reconnaissance aircraft circled over the our ship at altitudes of 2–3 km and then left in the direction of its base in Tunisia.
The ship passed Gibraltar. We get a signal to open the envelope. There was a form with the name of the destination port inside the envelope - Matanzas, and also referential information regarding the political and state system of Cuba, the climatic conditions on the island.
In 15 minutes the officers collected and the contents of the package brought to their attention... The reconnaissance aircraft of the US Air Force again came in sight in the region of the Azores.
On the 28 of September 28, it was is already at the approach to Cuba, an American cargo ship in violation of the rules of navigation went on the direct collision course with our ship. The watch officer reported to Gurzhiy about the threat of the collision. Immediately - the order "Circulation", and an abrupt turn of the ship ... the collision was avoided ..."[10][11][12]

Metallurg Baykov moored in the port of Casilda. On the 30 of September the command of the troops arrived on the ship with the mandate of the Soviet Ambassador in Cuba Aleksandr Alekseyev for holding the unloading. The same night the first convoy was sent to the location in Las Villas province, accompanied by Cuban motorcyclists that attracted the attention of local residents.[13]

Odessa city newspaper Вечерняя Одесса (Evening Odessa) wrote on the 16 of August, 2012:

"Only during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, US aircraft and other NATO countries have made 1300 provocative overflights of our (Soviet) ships. Their ships, maneuvering in close proximity to our ships, provoked collisions and 75 times made attempts to stop our ships for their inspection in the open seas."[14]

1980s.

Certificate for 2nd place in the rifle competition signed and stamped with the ship's stamp by the captain of Metallurg Baykov I. Shalamay and signed by the head of DOSAAF for the ship, V. Marushevskiy.

Day of Sea and River Fleet Workers

The Day of Sea and River Fleet Workers of the USSR was founded by the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union № 3018 - X " Regarding public holidays and commemorative days " on 1 October, 1980, and amended by the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union № 9724-XI "Regarding Amendments to the legislation of the USSR regarding holidays and commemorative days" of 1 November, 1988.[15] It became a holiday for sea and river fleet workers in the USSR, and celebrated annually on the first Sunday of each July.

Competitions in rifle shooting were carried out periodically on the Soviet Union Merchant Fleet ships as a part of DOSAAF; programs in the USSR to provide military training for civil seamen during the Cold War period. One of these competitions in pneumatic rifle shooting was carried out on the ship Metallurg Baykov during the voyages in the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea from 5 to 12 of July 1981.

Crossing the Equator Line

The ship crossed Equator Line on the 6 of July 1984. It is marked in the Equator Line Crossing Certificate.

Fate

the SS Metallurg Baykov was decommissioned at Valencia in 1985; she was the third ship ship of the Leninsky Komsomol class cargo ships after the Fizik Vavilov and the Bratstvo to be decommissioned and scrapped.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Водный транспорт >> Металлург Байков.
  2. 1 2 3 Marine Traffic > METALLURG BAYKOV General Cargo General Cargo.
  3. 1 2 Проект 567, 567К, тип Ленинский комсомол.
  4. ↑ "Мой город Херсон » Организации Херсона » Херсонский судозавод » Первые сухогрузы".
  5. ↑ "Ships in Port.". The Singapore Free Press, 2 November 1960, Page 2.
  6. ↑ "Из архива газеты «Одесский портовик» за 1962 год.". Администрация Одеского морского порта.
  7. 1 2 "СССР в строительстве ВМС Кубы. » 8. Советские суда участвовавшие в переброске войск в ходе операции "Анадырь".".
  8. ↑ "ИСТОРИЯ 50-й РАКЕТНОЙ АРМИИ » I. СОЗДАНИЕ И СТАНОВЛЕНИЕ (1959-1964 гг.) » 50-я ракетная армия в период Карибского кризиса.".
  9. ↑ Время новостей. № 186. (11 October 2007). "Хроника операции "Анадырь".". Издательство «Время».
  10. 1 2 Рогозин Александр (co-authors: Г.И. Смирнов, А.И. Ясаков.) (2002). "СССР в строительстве ВМС Кубы.". Ружаны стратегические.
  11. ↑ Антонина Столбовская (2015-01-27). ""Куба — рядом!". Участие моих земляков в советско-кубинских отношениях в 60-е годы ХХ века.". Урок истории XX век.
  12. ↑ I.V. Shishchenko (2000). ""Стратегическая операция "Анадырь". Как это было" >> "Ракетный поход на Кубу"". M. p. 137.
  13. ↑ Анатолий ДОКУЧАЕВ (September 2003). "СПЕЦИАЛЬНЫЕ ОПЕРАЦИИ: "Анадырь" на Острове Свободы". "Братишка" - the journal of special subdivisions.
  14. ↑ "Операция "Анадырь". К 50-летию Карибского кризиса.". Newspaper "Вечерняя Одесса". 16 August 2012.
  15. ↑ День работников морского и речного флота — 4 июля. История и особенности праздника в проекте Календарь Праздников 2010.

To see

  1. ↑ Розин Александр. "СССР в строительстве ВМС Кубы. >> Chapter 8: Советские суда участвовавшие в переброске войск в ходе операции «Анадырь».".
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