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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

SS Cape Catoche (AK-5043)

Cape C Class Breakbulk Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down in 1963 as SS Christopher Lykes a Maritime Administration type (C3-S-37c) hull under Maritime Administration contract (MA 133) at Avondale Industries, New Orleans, LA. (Official Number 293220)
  • Launched in 1964
  • Delivered to the Maritime Administration in 1964 for operation by Lykes Bros. SS Co.
  • Reacquired by the Maritime Administration in 1984
  • Entered the Maritime Administrations National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA., 9 November 1984, renamed SS Cape Catoche, Military Sealift Command (MSC) designation AK-5043
  • Outported, 8 January 1986, Promet Marine Pier, Providence, R. I. (MARAD contract DTMA-91-85-C-50673),8 January 1986, agent Interocean Management
  • When activated SS Cape Catoche (AK-5043) was assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as one of the Military Sealift Command's Modular Cargo Delivery System Ready Reserve Force (RRF) Ships that could be activated in 5 days (RRF-5)
  • SS Cape Catoche entered drydock No.3 at the old Brooklyn Navy Yard in August 1989 to be refurbished prior to activation
  • SS Catoche was activated for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm from 30 August 1990 to 6 February 1992
  • Deactived, date unknown, and laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet James River Group
  • Downgraded from the Ready Reserve Force (RRF), 7 October 1994
  • Final Disposition, part of a three ship scrapping contract awarded to Esco Marine, Brownsville, TX., 3 March 2008 for a contract total of $1,136,106
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,800 t.(lt) 19,800 t.(fl)
    Length 494' 8"
    Beam 68' 5"
    Draft 19' 6"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement approximately 21
    Propulsion steam turbine, single propeller, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Merchant Service Lykes Bros SS Corp.
    Cape Catoche 462k Lykes Bros. Cargoliner SS Christopher Lykes under way in the English Channel, circa 1970. Published in the company magazine of Lykes Lines, New Orleans, LA. in the 1960s. Neither the magazine nor the steamship company exist any longer. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Cape Catoche 236k Lykes Bros. Cargoliner SS Christopher Lykes outbound to sea on the Weser River after departing Bremen, Germany, May 1965. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    SS Cape Catoche (AK-5043) - MARAD RRF
    Cape Catoche 53k SS Cape Catoche (AK-5043) and SSCape Carthage (AK-5042) along with another Ready Reserve Force ship moored in the their layberths at Norfolk, VA., circa October 1989. US Maritime Administration
    There is no DANFS history available for SS Cape Catoche (AK-5043) at NavSource
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 3 March 2017