Old Saltwater Ships

[William Lafferty]

The Anasazi, as SS Williams Clark (a name it never sailed under), was broken up at Amelia, Louisiana, arriving there 17 December 2010. I attach a link to a photograph of it there awaiting demolition.

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/pho ... id=2321646

El Morro was scrapped at Brownsville, arriving there 15 May 2014, and, yes, El Yunque was quickly whisked to Brownsville for demolition late in 2016. The process was about two-thirds complete by April of this year. Here it is at Seattle not long before heading to the torches. The description is interesting.

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/pho ... id=2645410

[Guest]

I believe all of the American Heavy Lift ships are razor blades now. The Anasazi was scrapped back in 2009-2010, which I found out from the pumpman who worked on it. He helped take a lot of stuff off the ship after AHL went out of business.
I believe the El Morro and El Yunque were scrapped too. I remember hearing one was scrapped before the El Faro sinking and the other was scrapped after the sinking with almost indecent speed!!

[Guest]

Thanks! Going down the list, the Chemical Pioneer is the oldest one still in service.

From what I can tell, the Lihue, Horizon Consumer, and Matsonia are also still in service on that list. And of course the Tina Litrico is now on the Lakes as the Tecumseh.

[Guest]

Tina Litrico is now Tecumseh for LLT. Chemical Pioneer is operational and arrived in New York City yesterday.

[William Lafferty]

ABS has the Captain H. A. Downing as laid-up. It had been for a long time at New Orleans. Equasis says it was broken up in 2011. I have it as arriving at Alang in August 2011; it left documentation that March. It was the first double-hull tanker under the American flag. As for the rest, Chemical Pioneer is still with us, at this moment off New Jersey. The Lihue had been in extended lay-up since 2012 but is active again, as was its Matson fleetmate Lurline since 2013, but it, too, is back in service. The El Yunque, fleetmate of El Faro, was brought to Brownsville late last year for demolition. The Tina Litrico is, of course, the Tecumseh. The other vessels on the list have all been broken up. The Alaska ferries Malaspina, Matanuska, and Tustumena (the latter built by Christy at Sturgeon Bay) entered service 1963-1964, and qualify, I think.

[Ray]

Depends on how you define operational. The John Brown and Jeremiah O'Brien (World War 2 liberty ships) are both operational and Jones Act compliant, thought I doubt either has actually carried a cargo in a while.

[Mr Link]

Here is a 2010 list to start from, of ships above 10,000 dwt.

I'm sure a lot have been retired since then, and of course the El Faro is gone.


Curent Name Vessel Type Beneficial Owner Dwt Year
CAPTAIN H. A. DOWNING Tanker American Heavy Lift Shipping 40,017 1957
SS WILLIAMS CLARK Tanker Keystone Shipping 39,385 1958
THE MONSEIGNEUR Tanker American Heavy Lift Shipping 39,483 1959
NEW RIVER Tanker American Heavy Lift Shipping 39,483 1960
HORIZON CHALLENGER containership Horizon Lines LLC 21,274 1968
HORIZON DISCOVERY containership Horizon Lines LLC 20,585 1968
CHEMICAL PIONEER Tanker American Petroleum 35,489 1968
LIHUE containership Matson Navigation 38,656 1971
HORIZON NAVIGATOR containership Horizon Lines LLC 31,303 1972
HORIZON CONSUMER containership Horizon Lines LLC 25,651 1973
HORIZON FAIRBANKS containership Horizon Lines LLC 22,041 1973
HORIZON HAWAII containership Horizon Lines LLC 21,909 1973
HORIZON TRADER containership Horizon Lines LLC 31,657 1973
TINA LITRICO Dry Bulk Teco Ocean Shipping 29,984 1973
LURLINE Roll-On/Roll-Off Matson Navigation 22,221 1973
MATSONIA Roll-On/Roll-Off Matson Navigation 22,501 1973
HORIZON PRODUCER containership Horizon Lines LLC 25,651 1974
SS EL MORRO Roll-On/Roll-Off Sea Star Line LLC 16,079 1974
EL FARO Roll-On/Roll-Off Sea Star Line Llc 17,915 1975
GREAT LAND Roll-On/Roll-Off Interocean American 16,188 1975
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND Tanker Shipco 667 125,926 1975
SEABULK AMERICA Tanker Seabulk Interntnl 46,587 1975
SS EL YUNQUE Roll-On/Roll-Off Sea Star Line LLC 16,403 1976

[Guest]

I'm wondering if someone here can answer this for me: what is the oldest Jones Act cargo ship or tanker in service on saltwater? The Alpena is the oldest on the Lakes.