SS Alcyone Angel

[Dennis Murphy]

Did anybody sail on the SS ALCYONE ANGEL (formerly OCEAN ANGEL Liberty Ship) of welded construction between 30th August 1954 to 2nd February 1955? Does anyone know of the former history of this ship when it was called the Ocean Angel?

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1942 Ocean Angel, MOWT (Barr, Crombie & Co), Glasgow
1946 MOT (Alcyone Shipping Finance Co, Ltd.), London.
1949 Alcyone Angel, Alcyone Shipping Finance Co, Ltd., London.
1951 Alcyone Shipping Co, Ltd., London.
1956 Continental, Cia de Navegacion San Agustin S.A, Monrovia.
1960 Scrapped Taiwan

hese sixty 'Ocean' class vessels were built to the original 'Empire Liberty' design which was in essence the first 'North Sands' ship. Thirty of the vessels were built on the West Coast at Richmond, California and thirty on the East coast at South Portland, Maine. All of these 'Ocean' vessels were paid for and owned by the British Government. When the U.S.A. joined the war, no further ships were ordered directly by the British Government from the U.S.A. but were dealt with under the Lease-Lend Act.

The 'Ocean' vessels differed from the Canadian 'Forts' and 'Parks' in that they were of a welded construction. Welding saved weight due to the elimination of plate overlaps and rivets. Another advantage was minimal surface friction, bringing economies in fuel consumption. However, a significant disadvantage was that a number of these welded ships developed major fractures.

The plans for the main engines originated from a design by the British company of North Eastern Marine Engineering Company Limited. The main engine contract was awarded to the General Machinery Corporation of Ohio but not all of the sixty sets went to the 'Ocean' ships as some were interchanged with the US Maritime Commission's Canadian- built 'Fort' ships. The same engine was used in the 'Liberty' ships.

Seventeen out of the sixty 'Ocean' ships were lost during WW2.

The measurements of the 'Ocean' type ships was registered at 441.5' x 57'. Gross tonnage was 7,174 and deadweight was 10,500 tons. Speed was 11 knots.