Home  US-Built Merchant Ships by Type

Special-Purpose Ships Built in U.S. Shipyards Since WWII

Most recent update: December 13, 2010.

37 Other Ships Built Since WWII

MA # Design Type Original Name Original Owner Shipbuilder Hull # GT DWT Price ($mm) Built Notes

34 Special-Purpose Ships Built with CDS
46 R3-S-4a Refrig. Stores Ship Rigel MARAD Ingalls SB 464 2,500     1955 Scrapped 2008
46 R3-S-4a Refrig. Stores Ship Vega MARAD Ingalls SB 465 2,500     1955 AFS 59, scrapped 1977
43 ST-S2-23a Assault Ship Point Barrow MARAD Maryland Shipbldg.         1958 AKD 1, later "Point Loma" (AGDS 2), scrapped 2006
46 C1-ME2-12a Cargo Ship Eltanin MARAD Avondale Industries 801 2,500     1957 AK 270, later AGOR 8, scrapped 1992
47 C1-ME2-12a Cargo Ship Mirfak MARAD Avondale Industries 802 2,500     1958 AK 271, scrapped 2003
48 C1-ME2-12a Cargo Ship Mizar MARAD Avondale Industries 803 2,500     1958 AK 272, later AGOR 11, scrapped 2005
54 S2-S-RM28a Survey Ship Surveyor N.O.A.A. NASSCO 316 2,650 na 7 1960 NDRF 1981, sold 1995
55 P2-N1-40a Passenger Cargo Ship Savannah MARAD New York Ship 529 10,000 16,000   1962 NDRF 
85 B2-51a Special-Purpose Barge Atomic Servant N.A.S.A. Todd Houston 255       1960 Active
130 S1-MT-59a Survey Ship Peirce (S 328) N.O.A.A. Marietta Mfg. 902 907 na 2 1963 Donated to NYC 1993, now "E. A. Fisher"
131 S1-MT-59a Survey Ship Whiting (S 329) N.O.A.A. Marietta Mfg. 903 907 na 2 1963 Decommissioned 2003
145 S2-MET-62a Research Ship Oceanographer (R 101) N.O.A.A. Jacksonville 633 3,700 na 10 1966 Sold 1995
151 S1-MT-63a Survey Ship Fairweather (S 221) N.O.A.A. Marietta Mfg. 941         Cancelled
152 S1-MT-63a Survey Ship Rainier (S 222) N.O.A.A. Marietta Mfg. 942         Cancelled
155 S2-MET-62a Research Ship Discoverer (R 102) N.O.A.A. Jacksonville 634 3,700 na 9 1967 Sold 1996, converted to cruise ship?
183 S1-MT-27a Survey Ship Mount Mitchell (S 223) N.O.A.A. Jacksonville 639 1,800 na 5 1968 Sold 1995
189 S1-MT-70a Survey Ship McArthur (S 330) N.O.A.A. Norshipco 164 995 na 3 1966 To Marshall Islands 2003, sold 2006
190 S1-MT-70a Survey Ship Davidson (S 331) N.O.A.A. Norshipco 165 995 na 3 1967 Sold 1989
195 S1-MT-71a Survey Ship Rude (S 590) N.O.A.A. Jakobson 428 220 na 1 1967 Active
196 S1-MT-71a Survey Ship Heck (S 591) N.O.A.A. Jakobson 429 220 na 1 1967 Sold 1995
197 S1-MT-63a Survey Ship Fairweather (S 221) N.O.A.A. Jacksonville 644 1,800 na 5 1968 Active
198 S1-MT-63a Survey Ship Rainier (S 222) N.O.A.A. Jacksonville 645 1,800 na 5 1968 Active
219 S2-MT-74a Research Ship Researcher (R 103) N.O.A.A. AmShip Toledo 198 2,750 na 9 1970 Later "Malcolm Baldridge", now "Ushuaia"
220 SV-BP Research Ship Hero N.S.F. Harvey Gamage 238       1968  
226 S1-MT-83a Research Ship Ferrel (R 492) N.O.A.A. Zigler Shipyards 187 360 na 1 1968 Decommissioned 2002
227 S1-MT-83a Buoy Tender No name N.O.A.A. Equitable Equipment 1497       1968  
239 S1-MT-84a Hydrographic Station No name N.O.A.A. Equitable Equipment 1508       1968  
323 IB5-MT-121a Trailer Barge American/Caroline Coord. Carib. Tpt. Seatrain Sbldg. 105 14,000 6,680 21 1982 Completed by Norshipco, now "Strong American"
324 IB5-MT-121a Trailer Barge Unnamed Coord. Carib. Tpt. Seatrain Sbldg. 106 14,000 6,680 21   Not completed, scrapped
329 C1-MT-123a Heavy Lift Ship John Henry Am. Heavy Lift Peterson Builders 9411 3,000 4,500 17 1978 To NDRF
330 C1-MT-123a Heavy Lift Ship Paul Bunyan Am. Heavy Lift Peterson Builders 9412 3,000 4,500 17 1979 To NDRF as James McHenry
331 C2-S-125a Trailer Barge Unnamed Cumberland Seatrain Sbldg. 106         Cancelled
335 S1-M-124a Research Ship Chapman (R 446) N.O.A.A. Bender Shipbuilding 748 520 na 3 1980 Deactivated 1988, for sale
356 N1-MT-138a Island Cargo Ship P'tit Bleu II Blue Lines Atlantic Marine 187     1 1982 Active

Three Commercially Built Special-Purpose Ships
  Pipelay Ship Apache Santa Fe Drilling Todd Galveston 56 7,280 5,259 29 1979 Now CSO Apache
  Incinerator Ship Apollo One At-Sea Incin. Tacoma Boat 433 7,182 12,400   1991 Now Alaskan Pilot
  Rocket Carrier Delta Mariner Foss Maritime Halter Marine M257 8,677 5,000 35 2000 Active