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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

SS Cape Florida (AK-5071)

Lighter Aboard Ship (LASH) Barge Carrier:
  • Laid down, 29 December 1969, as SS LASH Turkiye a Maritime Administration type (C8-S-81b) hull under Maritime Administration contract (MA 229) at Avondale Industries Corp., New Orleans, LA.
  • Launched, 10 October 1970
  • Delivered to the Maritime Administration, 12 September 1973, for operation by Prudential Grace Line
  • Acquired by Delta Line and renamed SS Delta Caribe, date unknown
  • Renamed SS American Caribe, date unknown
  • Reacquired by the Maritime Administration for assignment to the Ready Reserve Fleet (RRF), 17 February 1987
  • Berthed at Beaumont, TX. as part of the Maritime Administration Ready Reserve Fleet
  • When activated SS Cape Florida (AK-5071) is assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as one of the Military Sealift Command's four LASH Ready Reserve Force Ships
  • Cape Florida can be activated in 10 days
  • Removed from MSC control, withdrawn from the RRF by reassignment to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX., 28 July 2006
  • Final Disposition, removed from the National Defense Reserve Fleet anchorage at Beaumont, TX, 10 August 2020, under tow to the ISL Dismantlement Facility, Beaumont, TX for recycling.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 14,790 t.(lt) 44,610 t.(fl)
    Length 893'
    Beam 100'
    Draft 38' (max.)
    Speed 18.7 kts.
    Cargo Capacity assigned 77 barges
    Full Operating Status Complement 31 Civilian Mariners
    Propulsion steam turbine, single propeller
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Merchant Service
    Cape Florida 122k SS American Caribe underway, date and location unknown.
    US Maritime Administration photo.    		 MARAD web site
    MARAD Ready Reserve Fleet
    Cape Florida 47k SS Cape Florida (AK-5071) moored pierside, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 MSC web site
    Cape Florida 81k SS Cape Florida (AK-5071) at anchor on the Mississippi River in July 1995.
    Photo courtesy Karsten Petersen, Global Sailor Images    		 Robert Hurst
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To the Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 14 August 2020