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

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

Most recent update: April 16, 2020.

Between WWII and 1982, when CDS funding was cut off, 30 special-purpose ships were built under MARAD's oversight.

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Year	Type	Name	Customer	Builder			MA #	MA Design	GT	DWT	Price ($M)	Notes
1955	refrig. stores ship	Rigel	MARAD	Ingalls SB	464	AF-58	36	R3-S-4a	2,500			scrapped 2008
1955	refrig. stores ship	Vega	MARAD	Ingalls SB	465	AF-59	37	R3-S-4a	2,500			scrapped 1977
1958	assault ship	Point Barrow	MARAD	Maryland Shipbuilding		AKD-1	43	ST-S2-23a				later Point Loma (AGDS 2), scrapped 2006
1957	freighter	Eltanin	MARAD	Avondale Industries	801	AK-270	46	C1-ME2-12a	2,500			later AGOR 8, scrapped 1992
1958	freighter	Mirfak	MARAD	Avondale Industries	802	AK-271	47	C1-ME2-12a	2,500			scrapped 2003
1958	freighter	Mizar	MARAD	Avondale Industries	803	AK-272	48	C1-ME2-12a	2,500			later AGOR 11, scrapped 2005
1960	survey ship	Surveyor	NOAA	NASSCO	316		54	S2-S-RM28a	2,650		7	NDRF 1981, sold 1995
1962	passenger cargo ship	Savannah	MARAD	New York Ship	529	287392	55	P2-N1-40a	10,000	16,000		NDRF
1960	special-purpose barge	Atomic Servant	NASA	Todd Houston	255		85	B2-51a
1963	survey ship	Peirce	NOAA	Marietta Mfg.	902	S-328	130	S1-MT-59a	907		2	donated to NYC-1993, E. A. Fisher
1963	survey ship	Whiting	NOAA	Marietta Mfg.	903	S-329	131	S1-MT-59a	907		2	decommissioned 2003
1966	research ship	Oceanographer	NOAA	Jacksonville	633	R-101	145	S2-MET-62a	3,700		10	sold 1995
1967	research ship	Discoverer	NOAA	Jacksonville	634	R-102	155	S2-MET-62a	3,700		9	sold 1996 for conversion to cruise ship LaMer, but not converted
1968	survey ship	Mount Mitchell	NOAA	Jacksonville	639	S-223	183	S1-MT-27a	1,800		5	sold 1995
1966	survey ship	McArthur	NOAA	Norshipco	164	S-330	189	S1-MT-70a	995		3	to Marshall Islands 2003, sold 2006
1967	survey ship	Davidson	NOAA	Norshipco	165	S-331	190	S1-MT-70a	995		3	sold 1989
1967	survey ship	Rude	NOAA	Jakobson	428	S-590	195	S1-MT-71a	220		1
1967	survey ship	Heck	NOAA	Jakobson	429	S-591	196	S1-MT-71a	220		1	sold 1995
1968	survey ship	Fairweather	NOAA	Jacksonville	644	S-221	197	S1-MT-63a	1,800		5
1968	survey ship	Rainier	NOAA	Jacksonville	645	S-222	198	S1-MT-63a	1,800		5
1970	research ship	Researcher	NOAA	AmShip Toledo	198	R-103	219	S2-MT-74a	2,750		9	later Malcolm Baldridge, Ushuaia
1968	research ship	Hero	N.S.F.	Harvey Gamage	238		220	SV-BP
1968	research ship	Ferrel	NOAA	Zigler Shipyards	187	R-492	226	S1-MT-83a	360		1	decommissioned 2002
1968	buoy tender		NOAA	Equitable Equipment	1497		227	S1-MT-83a
1968	hydrographic station		NOAA	Equitable Equipment	1508		239	S1-MT-84a
1982	trailer barge	American/Caroline	Coord. Carib. Tpt.	Seatrain Sbldg.	105		323	IB5-MT-121a	14,000	6,680	21	completed by Norshipco, Strong American
1978	heavy lift ship	John Henry	Am. Heavy Lift	Peterson Builders	9411		329	C1-MT-123a	3,000	4,500	17	to NDRF 1986, to Worldwide Water Fndn 2000 as Revival, barge MarineLift Explorer 2008, Chaulk Lifter 2013, Coastal Titan 2015
1979	heavy lift ship	Paul Bunyan	Am. Heavy Lift	Peterson Builders	9412		330	C1-MT-123a	3,000	4,500	17	to NDRF 1987, renamed James McHenry, scrapped 2015
1980	research ship	Chapman	NOAA	Bender Shipbuilding	748	R-446	335	S1-M-124a	520		3	deactivated 1988, for sale
1982	island cargo ship	P'tit Bleu II	Blue Lines	Atlantic Marine	187		356	N1-MT-138a			1