Type C6 ship

The Type C6 ship is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for a container ship developed during the transition years from moving goods by breakbulk cargo to containerization. The Type C4 ships Mariner class, arranged with its house/engine-room in the center of the vessel with cargo hatches at 4 forward and 2 aft, was very successful. Eleven of these Mariner ships were converted into Type C6 container ships, and eight vessels were new built. As of September 2023 only three C6 ships, the converted C4s, are extant. All three are crane ships in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.

Type C6 ship SS Grand Canyon State as a converted auxiliary crane ship.
Class overview
Builders	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding, Mobile, Alabama (MA-8 and MA-10) Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway Yard, Baltimore, Maryland (MA-12 and MA-15) Ingalls Shipbuilding (West Yard), Pascagoula, Mississippi (MA164-166; MA-244 - MA-247) Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock, Norfolk, Virginia (MA-14) Todd Shipyards, Galveston, Texas (MA-9 and MA-13) Todd Shipyards, Brooklyn, New York (MA-30) Todd Shipyards, Seattle, Washington (MA-164 - MA-166)
Operators	United States Maritime Commission
Preceded by	Type C4 and C5 class ships
Succeeded by	Type C7 container ship
Subclasses	Four
Completed	19
Laid up	3 (NDRF)
Scrapped	16
General characteristics
Type	C6-S-1qa partial container ship (3 converted from C4-S-1a) C6-S-1w container ship (8 converted from C4-S-1a) C6-S-85a container ship (4 new built) C6-S-85b container ship (3 new built)
Tonnage	16,820 gross tons (C6-S-1qa) 15,830 gross tons C6-S-1w 21,150 gross tons C6-S-85a 21,500 gross tons C6-S-85b
Length	668.65 ft (203.80 m) C6-S-1qc 661.17 ft (201.52 m) C6-S-1w 669.67 ft (204.12 m) C6-S-85a
Beam	76 ft (23 m) C6-S-1qc 76 ft (23 m) C6-S-1w 90 ft (27 m) C6-S-85a
Draft	33.08 ft (10.08 m) C6-S-1qc 27 ft (8.2 m) C6-S-1w 29 ft (8.8 m) C6-S-85a
Speed	19.5 - 22.5 knots
Range	13,700 miles (C6-S-1qc) 9,400 miles (C6-S-1w) 16,200 miles (C6-S-85a)
Complement	Varied by design type

American President Lines

Three vessels of the American President Lines had been built in 1966 as Type C4-S-1qa ships by National Steel and Shipbuilding, San Diego, California. Between 1972 and 1973 these breakbulk cargo vessels were converted into partial containerships.^[1] The conversion work was done at Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington. Overall length was extended by 105 ft. Bow thrusters were also fitted into the ships for improved maneuverability along with an improved stabilization system.^[2] Between 1984-1986 all three vessels were acquired by the U.S.Navy and re-fitted as Auxiliary Crane Ships for use by the Military Sealift Command (C6-S-MA1qd).^[3] As of September 2023 all three of these converted vessels were listed in the Ready Reserve Force, National Defense Reserve Fleet.^[4]

Type C4-S-1qa Breakbulk Cargo Ship conversions to Type C6-S-1qa Container Ship

Original name	MARAD No.	National Steel hull no.	Notes
President Polk (3)	MA-164	338 [5]	1986 conversion to a crane ship at Dillingham Ship Repair (Portland, OR); renamed Grand Canyon State (T-ACS 3)[5]
President Monroe (3)	MA-165	339 [5]	1986 conversion to a crane ship at Dillingham Ship Repair (Portland, OR); renamed Gem State (T-ACS 2)[5]
President Harrison (3)	MA-166	340 [5]	1984 conversion to a crane ship at Manitowoc (WI); renamed Keystone State (T-ACS 1)[5]

The American President lines also took delivery on four new built ships, designated Type C6-S-85b, the Pacesetters,^[6] from Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Three were delivered in 1973 and the fourth in 1974. Between 1979 and 1982 the vessels were traded in to MARAD as partial down payment for new ships. They were first laid up at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet but were eventually scrapped.

New built C6-S-85b Container Ships
Ship Name	MARAD No.	Ingalls Hull No.	Notes
President Jefferson (3)	MA-248	1184 [7]	Scrapped 2001[8]
President Madison (4)	MA-249	1185 [7]	Scrapped 1999
President Pierce (3)	MA-250	1186 [7]	Scrapped 2005 [9]
President Johnson (5)	MA-255	1187 [7]	Scrapped 1999

United States Lines

The United States Lines choose all 8 of their C4-S-1a cargo vessels for conversion to C6-S-1w container ships. The conversion work was divided among five shipyards, and the vessels re-entered service between late 1970 and early 1971. The vessel overall length was increased by approximately 100 ft. The vessels remained in service until 1983 when they were laid-up at New York City but by 1987 all eight vessels were scrapped.^[3]

Type C4-S-1a conversions to Type C6-S-1w Container Ship

C6 Ship Name	MARAD No./Name	Original builder/ hull No./year	Rebuilder	Notes
American Archer	MA-8/Cotton Mariner	Ingalls / 461/ 1953[10]	Alabama Dry Dock & Shipbuilding	Pioneer Mist 1956-1970. Laid up 1983, Scrapped 1985 in Kaohsiung
American Legend	MA-9/Pelican Mariner	Ingalls/ 462/ 1954 [7]	Todd Shipyards, Galveston	Pioneer Myth 1956-1971. Laid up 1983, Scrapped 1986 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
American Argosy	MA-10/Peninsula Mariner	Ingalls /463 /1954[10]	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding	Pioneer Main 1956-1970. Laid up 1983, Scrapped 1986 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
American Accord	MA-12/Mountain Mariner	Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard /4508 /1953[11]	Bethlehem Steel Key Highway Yard	Pioneer Mart 1956-1971. Laid up 1983, Scrapped 1986 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
American Leader (3)	MA-13/Gopher Mariner	Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard /4509 /1954[11]	Todd Shipyards, Galveston	Pioneer Minx 1956-1970. Laid up 1983, Scrapped 1985 Castellon de la Plana, Spain.
American Alliance	MA-14/Show Me Mariner	Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard /4510 /1954[11]	Norfolk Shipbuilding	Pioneer Mill 1956-1970. Laid up 1983, Scrapped 1987 in Kaohsiung.
American Ace	MA-15/Sunflower Mariner	Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard /4510 /1954[11]	Bethlehem Steel Key Highway Yard	Pioneer Moor 1956-1970. Laid up 1983, Scrapped 1986 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
American Legacy	MA-30/Silver Mariner	New York Ship/ 496/ 1954[12]	Todd Shipyards, Brooklyn	Pioneer Ming 1956-1970. Laid up 1983, Scrapped 1986 Castellon de la Plana, Spain.

Farrell Lines

The Farrell Lines commissioned naval architect George G. Sharp to develop a design for their rapidly growing services. The four new-built vessels were designated as Type C6-S-85a by the Maritime Commission. The vessels were built at the Ingalls Shibuilding(West Yard) with delivery starting in December 1970. The ships operated between U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico ports and to Australia and New Zealand.^[3] All four vessels were eventually acquired by Horizon Lines and remained in service until 2014. Ex-Astral Endurance was scrapped in 2014 after Horizon reduced the frequency of service between Puerto Rico and the US. In December 2014 Horizon ended all service to Puerto Rico and sold the former Austral Entente to All Star Metals LLC, Brownsville, Texas, for demolition in the US, though the vessel was subsequently towed to India.^[13][14] Ex-Austral Ensign, after having been laid up Bellingham, WA since 2007, was sold for scrap in April 2016.^[15] The remaining Farrell Lines ship, ex-Austral Envoy, was last named Matson Navigator and sold for scrap in 2018.^[16]

New build C6-S-85a Container Ships

Original name	MARAD No.	Ingalls hull no.	Notes
Austral Envoy	MA-244	1180 [7]	Modified to Type C8 in 1984, later Matson Navigator (IMO 7116315); scrapped 2018.
Austral Ensign	MA-245	1181 [7]	Later Horizon Fairbanks (IMO 7218462); scrapped 2016
Austral Endurance	MA-246	1182 [7]	Later Horizon Hawaii (IMO 7233278); scrapped 2014[17]
Austral Entente	MA-247	1183 [7]	Later Type C8 Horizon Trader (IMO 7326233); sold for scrapping 2015.[13][14]

References

1. "Vigor Industrial, Seattle WA". Tim Colton, ShipbuildingHistory.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
2. "C4-S-1A Mariner". Global Security.org. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
3. "Profiles of Maritime Administration Vessels - The C6-Designs". Frank A. Gerhardt, Shipbuilding under the US Maritime Commission. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
4. "National Defense Reserve Fleet Inventory". NDRF Archive. US Department of Transportation. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
5. "American President Lines 1952-1969 Vessel History" (PDF). American President Lines. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 February 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
6. "American President Lines 1971-1974 Vessel History" (PDF). American President Lines. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 February 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
7. "Ingalls Shipbuilding Pascagoula, MS". Tim Colton, ShipbuildingHistory.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
8. "Chief Officer aboard Master Cody January 13 - May 31, 2001". aladdin.st. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
9. "MSC LAUREN - IMO 7320409". ShipSpotting.com. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
10. "BAE Systems Southeast, Mobile AL". Tim Colton, ShipbuildingHistory.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
11. "Bethlehem Steel Company, Sparrows Point MD". Tim Colton, ShipbuildingHistory.com. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
12. "New York Shipbuilding, Camden. NJ". Tim Colton, ShipbuildingHistory.com. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
13. Vyas, Sharad (3 January 2016). "Vessel tugging stranded ship Horizon Trader traced". Hindu Times. Chennai. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
14. "NGOs applaud Matson for clean and safe recycling policy, but regret ship beached in India". Brussels: NGO Shipbreaking Platform. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
15. Wohlfeil, Samantha (April 25, 2016). "Horizon Fairbanks ship leaves Bellingham for good". BellinghamHerald.com. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
16. "Weekly Vessel Scrapping Report: 2018 Week 35". Ship & Bunker. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
17. "ABS Class Suspensions, Withdrawals, & Reinstatements". American Bureau of Shipping. Retrieved 16 April 2014.