RTC Shipbuilding ~ Shipbuilding History

RTC Shipbuilding

Camden NJ

Most recent update: July 6, 2017.

RTC Shipbuilding was formed in March 1940 by three senior employees of John H. Mathis & Co., L. M. Robinson, G. R. Taylor and J. P. Carson, whose initials are the basis for the company's name. The yard was located at Delaware Avenue and State Street: it is now Cooper's Poynt Park. See the site from the air on Google here: it is immediately to the south of the old Mathis yard, which is now used by Weeks Marine. RTC's first ship was designated Hull 131: they built it at the same time as Mathis was building its own Hull 131, suggesting that the two yards set out to be direct competitors from day one. RTC closed in 1961, the same year that Mathis closed. The Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia has a collection of material from RTC including plans, specifications, photographs, and other related items from the 1930s to the 1960s: visit phillyseaport.org to find out more.

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	O/N	Name	Customer	Type	GT	LOA	Delivered	Notes
131	174837	Hygrade No. 4	Tanker Hygrade Inc.	tank barge	1,044	209	30 Jul 1940	later Red Star 200, NLD
132	174860	Hygrade No. 5	Tanker Hygrade Inc.	tank barge	1,044	209	12 Sep 1940	later Red Star 201, NLD
133	240719	Amboy	Pennsylvania RR	tugboat	354	111	4 Nov 1940
134	240304	Geo. Whitlock	Geo. Whitlock Inc.	tanker	515	151	24 Feb 1941	to USN 1941 as YO-57, sold 1947 as J. A. Cummings, Nepco 10 1965, Karen Tibbetts 1970, Mary Gately 1984, barge Atco Mary Lee 1990, Fayou K. 1992, Nori 1993, deleted 2001
135	240555	F. W. Lloyd	Geo. Whitlock Inc.	tanker	515	151	21 May 1941	to USN 1941 as YO-60, sunk as target 1975
136	240961	T. W. Drennen	Ira S. Bushey	tanker	1737	252	3 Oct 1941	to USA QMS-1942, deleted 1951
137	241204	John B. Caddell	Chester A. Poling Inc.	tanker	712	185	13 Dec 1941	to USN 1942 as YO-140, sold 1946 as John B. Caddell, wrecked 2012 in Hurricane Sandy
138	241390	Geo. Whitlock II	Geo. Whitlock Inc.	tanker	987	214	28 Feb 1942	later Reliable II 1990, scrapped 2005
139	241603	A. C. Dodge	A. C. Dodge Inc.	tanker	987	214	9 May 1942	collision off Reedy Point and blew up 25-May-52
140		Gauger (YO-55)	US Navy	tanker	1,295	235	28 Sep 1942	scrapped 1974
141		Pumper (YO-56)	US Navy	tanker	1,295	235	28 Nov 1942	to France 1944 as Lac Tonle Sap (A-630), sunk as target 1989
142		Derrick (YO-57)	US Navy	tanker	1,295	235	24 Dec 1942	to Korea 1955 as Paek Yeon (AO-5), sold as Hwa Chon
143		Anticline (YO-62)	US Navy	tanker	1,295	235	19 Apr 1943	to France 1944 as Lac Chambon (A-629), sunk as target 1974
144		Syncline (YO-63)	US Navy	tanker	1,295	235	25 Jun 1943	to France 1945 as Lac Tchad (A-631), sank 1972
145		YO-69	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	8 Sep 1943	scrapped 1975
146		YO-70	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	19 Oct 1943	sold 1973 as Ocean Fighter, Mini-One, Carib 1, lost 1991
147		YO-71	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	7 Dec 1943	struck 1946, fate unknown
148		YO-72	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	18 Jan 1944	sold 1974, Olive Oyl, Caribbean Tanker, Laura del Mar, Leticia del Mar (Ecuador)
149		YO-113	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	15 Feb 1944	scrapped 1974
150		YO-114	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	17 Mar 1944	scrapped 1974
151		YO-115	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	18 Apr 1944	to the Philippines 1945
152		YO-116	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	26 May 1944	to the Philippines 1945
153		YO-117	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	28 Jun 1944	later Y-482, then Timor Bharu (Indonesia)
154		YO-118	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	8 Aug 1944	to Korea 1946 as Ku Kyong (YO-1)
155		YO-171	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	15 Nov 1944	to Peru 1981 as Gauden (ACP 119)
156		YO-172	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	14 Dec 1944	scrapped 1974
157		YO-173	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	22 Jan 1945	to the Philippines 1945 as Lake Naujan (YO-43)
158		YOG-56	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	13 Feb 1945	to Vietnam 1975 as HQ-475
159		YOG-57	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	20 Mar 1945	sunk as target 1977
160		YOG-58	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	20 Apr 1945	reefed off NJ 2000
161	293366	YOG-86	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	3 Jul 1945	sold 1977 as fishboat Polar Shell, Chief, St Matthew, lost 1994
162		YOG-87	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	31 Jul 1945	sold 1981 as Petro Venture (Panama), deleted 2010
163		YOG-88	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	28 Aug 1945	sold 2001, Apolo (Mexico)
164		YOG-89	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	20 Sep 1945	sunk as target 1976
165	604676	YOG-90	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	31 Oct 1945	sold for scrap 1974, but rebuilt & documented as Alyeska, Polar Enterprise, Polar Wind, Blue North, Caribbean Soul
166	617019	YOG-91	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	29 Nov 1945	later YO-248, sold as fishboat Dolphin, freight barge
167		YOG-92	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	Feb 1946	cancelled but subsequently completed, sold ~1981, Petrostar VII (Saudi Arabia)
168		YOG-93	US Navy	tanker	1,295	174	Feb 1946	cancelled but completed, IX-523, reefed off DE 2007
171	251392	W. A. Weber	W. A. Weber, Inc.	tanker	616	163	21 Jan 1947	scrapped 1975
172	176732	Hygrade No. 8	Hygrade Oil Co.	tank barge	1,495	294	28 Jul 1946	NLD
173	250807	Hygrade No. 14	Hygrade Oil Co.	tank barge	1,495	294	23 Oct 1946	later Ocean Burning No. 34, NLD
174	252977	Hygrade No. 26	Hygrade Oil Co.	tank barge	1,054	210	3 Jul 1947	later MPE 275, NLD
175	253241	Crab Island	Fish Products Co.	tank barge	171	98	22 Jul 1947	later M.P.T 175 later Simec Basques, Ocean Basques - Canada ON 815636
176			Fish Products Co.	tank barge	981	40	24 Jul 1947	later Simec Basques
177	253996	Hygrade No. 28	Hygrade Oil Co.	tank barge	1,054	210	24 Oct 1947	later Ocean Burning No. 28
178	254394	Socony No. 125	Socony Oil Co.	tank barge	1,036	218	31 Dec 1947	NLD
179	254603	Socony No. 126	Socony Oil Co.	tank barge	1,036	218	14 Feb 1948	NLD
180	255053	Socony No. 127	Socony Oil Co.	tank barge	1,036	218	16 Apr 1948	NLD
181	255758	Socony No. 128	Socony Oil Co.	tank barge	1,036	218	2 Jul 1948	NLD
182	253242	Little George	Fish Products Co.	work boat	11	36	15 Jul 1947	NLD
183	255385	Barnegat	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	178	120	23 May 1948	scrapped 1995
184	256216	Brigantine	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	178	120	21 Aug 1948	later Nils S, reefed off NJ 1989
185	256816	Bernard Samuel	City of Philadelphia	fireboat	77	75	10 Nov 1948	sold 2009
186	257192	Manasquan	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	178	120	16 Feb 1949	later Abraham, ABD Express, lost 1994
187	255550	Little Egg	Fish Products Co.	barge	171	98	27 Jun 1948	NLD
188	259079	Newark	Pennsylvania RR Co.	tugboat	147	98	19 Dec 1949	later Captain Frank, Lewis G Seabrook, NLD
189	257543	Beach Haven	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	177	120	15 Apr 1949	reefed off NJ 1992
190	257665	Sea Girt	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	177	120	23 May 1949	lost 1995
191	257967	Shinnecock	Smith Meal Co.	fishing boat	306	146	10 Jun 1949
192	258001	Montauk	Smith Meal Co.	fishing boat	306	146	13 Jun 1949	later cargo vessel Son of David, NLD
193	258135	Little Gull	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	198	130	30 Jun 1949	NLD
194	258419	Absecon	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	198	130	4 Aug 1949	later Carters Creek, reefed off NJ 2021
195	259759	Brandywine	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	198	130	27 Apr 1950	scuttled 2001
196	259924	Shrewsbury	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	198	130	26 May 1950	later cargo vessel Arelis
197	259410	Resolute	Baker-Whiteley Towing	tugboat	199	95	16 Mar 1950	later David McAllister, Ocean King
198	260197	Franklin	City of Philadelphia	fireboat	81	79	18 May 1950
199	260357	Delaware	City of Philadelphia	fireboat	81	79	23 Jun 1950	in reserve 2007
200		Capt. Crotty	Port of Houston	fireboat	81	79	4 Jul 1950	retired 1983
201	Israel	Kabait	Govt. of Israel	fireboat	81	79	13 Jul 1950
202	260038	East Hampton	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	198	130	8 Jun 1950	later Leisnit
203	261429	Indian River	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	198	130	8 May 1951	later Amelie I, lost 1995
204	261897	Rehoboth	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	198	130	22 May 1951	lost 1994
205	262042	Nantucket	Smith Meal Co.	fishing boat	227	140	10 Jun 1951	later Florida Sun, Wilny Express, Ocean Bay, Intra Pride, NLD
206	262584	Maidstone	Smith Meal Co.	fishing boat	227	140	1951	later John Marvin, lost 1992
207	262886	Tamaqua	Reading Railroad	tugboat	245	104	1951	later J Barton Greer, Nonie, J K McLean, Signet Defender, Edith Thornton, Chassidy (Guyana)
208	263382	Shamokin	Reading Railroad	tugboat	188	104	1952	later Russell B. Murray
209	263176	Pottsville	Reading Railroad	tugboat	147	104	1952	later Michael J McAllister, William A Weber, American Endeavor, Beverly B, Valviria (Panama)
210	262196	Ellis A. Gimbel	City of Philadelphia	tugboat	78	62	1951	later E Homan Stroud, Gar-Den S, for sale 2016
211	262699	Alex M	Fish Products Co.	passenger	12	36	1951	NLD
212	264321	Liberty	Central RR of NJ	tugboat	233	104	8 Sep 1952	later J W Phipps Jr, Walter J Tuohy, M I Dunn, James M Witte, Theresa S. Krause
213	264578	Sandy Hook	Central RR of NJ	tugboat	233	104	8 Nov 1952	later Fall River, Elizabeth Krause, Elizabeth (Jamaica)
214	264785	Sound Shore	Central RR of NJ	tugboat	233	104	9 Jan 1953	later Wm. H. McAllister, scrapped 2003
215	265021	Communipaw	Central RR of NJ	tugboat	233	104	6 Mar 1953	later James E Kusik, J Speed Gray, Brian F, Mack Point, NLD
216	265167	Roy B. White	B. & O. Railroad	tugboat	238	104	27 Mar 1953	later Hercules
217	265390	Howard E. Simpson	B. & O. Railroad	tugboat	234	104	6 May 1953	later Douglas F, Leonard J, scrapped 2006
218	265799	William C. Baker	B. & O. Railroad	tugboat	238	103	25 Jun 1953	later Jeanne C, J L Krause, Espirito (Bolivia)
219	266173	Walter L. Price	B. & O. Railroad	tugboat	238	104	28 Aug 1953	later Walter J Tuohy, Carol Wales, Scooby Doo, lost 2008
220	265528	Moriches	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	199	130	20 May 1953	reefed Gulf of Mexico, ca. 1976
221	267714	Winter Quarter	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	199	87	20 May 1954
222	266683	Lehigh	Reading Railroad	tugboat	169	87	2 Dec 1953	later Craig Smith, Leo
223	266934	Schuylkill	Reading Railroad	tugboat	169	87	22 Jan 1954	later Blue B
224	267129	Delaware	Reading Railroad	tugboat	169	87	26 Feb 1954	later Big Daddy
225	267350	Brandywine	Reading Railroad	tugboat	169	87	2 Apr 1954
226	267824	Amagansett	Smith Meal Co.	fishing boat	226	140	28 May 1954	sank 1964
227	268826	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania RR Co.	tugboat	292	105	16 Dec 1954	later Northampton, yacht Yemitzis.
228	269169	Chicago	Pennsylvania RR Co.	tugboat	292	103	14 Mar 1955	later Staten Island, Accomack, Cape Rosier, scrapped 2012
229	268668	Seven Islands	Fish Products Co.	tank barge	265	133	28 Oct 1954
230	269525	Parramore Banks	Fish Products Co.	fishing boat	198	130	14 May 1955	NLD
231	269649	Napeague	Smith Meal Co.	fishing boat	231	162	27 May 1955	later cargo Miss Shandeline, Miss Shandy Express, St. Andre, Miss Shandy Express
232	270572	Holland	Baker-Whiteley Towing	tugboat	187	95	17 Nov 1955	later Barbara McAllister, scuttled 2004
233	270553	Mary J. Sheridan	Sheridan Towing Co.	barge	2,168	262	11 Nov 1955	later Montis
234	272398	Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro	City of Baltimore	fireboat	149	100	12 Sep 1956	NLD
235	272746	Morania Marlin	Morania Corp.	tanker	1,068	217	17 Nov 1956	later Bonnie B, Alisa A, NLD
236	273952	Dalzell 1	New Haven Transport	tugboat	214	96	15 May 1957	later Lacey 1, David McAllister, NLD
237	274443	Dalzell 2	New Haven Transport	tugboat	214	96	2 Jul 1957	later Lacey 2, Michael J McAllister, Rachel Rae, Blacksmith III, NLD
238	274845	Dalzell 3	New Haven Transport	tugboat	214	96	4 Sep 1957	later Lacey 3, Timothy McAllister, scuttled 2007
239	276371	Morania Abaco	Morania Corp.	tanker	1,173	260	21 Apr 1958	reefed off NJ 1985
240	277742	Wilfred M. Sheridan	Sheridan Transport	barge	3,216	305	10 Nov 1958	later General 6000, American Gulf VI, COV Thor
241		Dredge #127	USACE	dredge		120	10 Apr 1959	reconstruction of dredge Commodore
242		Derrick Boat #12	USACE	derrick boat		66	21 Nov 1958
243	280088	Port Welcome	Maryland Port Auth.	passenger	91	122	24 Nov 1959	later MV Ocean Club
244	283028	Virginia C	State of Delaware	ferry	35	65	27 Feb 1961	sold 2008