SS Peter Minuit

Summary

SS Peter Minuit was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Peter Minuit, a Walloon from Tournai, in present-day Belgium. He was the 3rd Director of the Dutch North American colony of New Netherland from 1626 until 1631, and 3rd Governor of New Netherland. He founded the Swedish colony of New Sweden on the Delaware Peninsula in 1638. Minuit is generally credited with orchestrating the purchase of Manhattan Island for the Dutch from the Lenape Native Americans. Manhattan later became the site of the Dutch city of New Amsterdam, and the borough of Manhattan of modern-day New York City.

History
United States
NamePeter Minuit
NamesakePeter Minuit
OwnerWar Shipping Administration (WSA)
OperatorGrace Line, Inc.
Orderedas type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 35
Awarded14 March 1941
BuilderBethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland[2]
Cost$1,103,958[1]
Yard number2022
Way number1
Laid down28 January 1942
Launched23 April 1942
Completed27 May 1942
Identification
Fate
General characteristics [3]
Class and type
Tonnage
Displacement
Length
  • 441 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa
  • 416 feet (127 m) pp
  • 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam57 feet (17 m)
Draft27 ft 9.25 in (8.4646 m)
Installed power
  • 2 × Oil fired 450 °F (232 °C) boilers, operating at 220 psi (1,500 kPa)
  • 2,500 hp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion
Speed11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity
  • 562,608 cubic feet (15,931 m3) (grain)
  • 499,573 cubic feet (14,146 m3) (bale)
Complement
Armament

Construction edit

Peter Minuit was laid down on 28 January 1942, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 35, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; and was launched on 23 April 1942.[2][1]

History edit

She was allocated to Grace Line, Inc., on 27 May 1942. On 14 June 1948, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas. On 11 March 1963, she was sold for scrapping to Southern Scrap Material Co., Ltd., for $46,359.79. She was withdrawn from the fleet on 19 April 1963.[4]

References edit

Bibliography edit

  • "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  • Maritime Administration. "Peter Minuit". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  • Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  • "SS Peter Minuit". Retrieved 24 February 2020.