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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Roanoke (T-AO-155)

Suamico Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 3 April 1944, as SS Esso Roanoke, a Maritime Administration type (T-2-SE-A1) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC 1749) at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 30 June 1944
  • Completed and delivered to Standard Oil of N.J., 14 July 1944, as a time-charter
  • Sold to ESSO Shipping Co., New York, N.Y., 4 November 1945
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 29 September 1955, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Renamed SS Roanoke, October 1956
  • Reactived and transferred to the US Navy Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 12 June 1956, placed in service as USNS Roanoke (T-AO 155)
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 21 October 1957, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont TX.
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1957
  • Title transfer to Sea-Land Service, 25 April 1969, MARAD Exchange Program
  • Converted to a container ship in 1969 at Willamette Iron and Steel Corp., Portland, OR.
    Aft section joined to fore and mid-body of the C-4 type SS Baltimore, the former SS Marine Cardinal, and converted to a container carrier
    length 497ft
    beam 72ft
    10,498GRT, 9,036DWT
  • Finished ship was the Sea Land Services Co.'s SS Baltimore, 18 March 1970
  • Sold to Monterey Transportation Co. Inc., December 1970
  • Final Disposition, scrapped foreign, March 1985
    Specifications (As Built):
    Displacement 10,200 t.(lt) 22,380 t.(fl)
    Length 523' 6"
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 10"
    Speed 15.1 kts.
    Complement unknown
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament none
    Cargo Capacity 15,300 DWT
    Oil 120,400 Bbls
    Gasoline 575,000 Gals
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 9,235 Bbls,
    Propulsion
    one General Electric turbo-electric engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boiler, 450psi 730°
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 400Kw 450V A.C.
     two turbo-drive 85Kw 120V D.C.
     two turbo-drive 55Kw 120V D.C.
     one turbo-drive 50Kw 450V A.C.
    single propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Merchant Service Standard Oil of New Jersey< Sea Land Services
    Roanoke 37k SS ESSO Roanoke launching, 30 June 1944, at Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
    Photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages    		 Robert Hurst
    Roanoke 54k Sea Land Services containership SS Baltimore under way, date and location unknown.
    Photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages    		 Robert Hurst
    Roanoke 1292k SS Baltimore moored pierside at Bremerhaven, Germany while working cargo in August 1972. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Roanoke 1219k
    There is no DANFS History available for USNS Roanoke (T-AO-155) at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    (ESSO Roanoke) MARAD Vessel History Database
    (Roanoke) MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 16 October 2015