SS Equality State (T-ACS-8)

SS Equality State (T-ACS-8)
History
United States
Name:	SS Equality State (T-ACS-8)
Builder:	Todd Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California
Laid down:	1961
Launched:	11 May 1961
Acquired:	1989
In service:	4 March 1965
Out of service:	28 July 2006
Status:	National Defense Reserve Fleet - Logistical Support
Notes:	Launched as SS Washington Mail
General characteristics
Class & type:	Keystone State-class crane ship
Displacement:	31,500 tons
Length:	668 ft 5 in (203.73 m)
Beam:	76 ft 1 in (23.19 m)
Draft:	33 ft 6 in (10.21 m)
Propulsion:	Single screw, 2 GE geared turbine powered, 22,000 HP., Two Combustion Engineering WT boilers
Speed:	20 kn (23 mph; 37 km/h)
Capacity:	1,100 Cargo Containers
Complement:	Full Operational Status: 89 civilian mariners Reduced Operational Status: 10 civilian mariners
Armament:	None
Aviation facilities:	None

SS Equality State (T-ACS-8) was laid down on 6 July 1960, as the break-bulk freighter SS Washington Mail, ON 287238, IMO 5386605, a Maritime Administration type (C4-S-1s) hull under MARAD contract (MA 86). Built by Todd Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California, hull no. 77, she was launched on 11 May 1961, and delivered to MARAD 2 January 1962, entering service for American Mail Lines, a subsidiary of American President Lines. In 1971 she was lengthened and converted to a type (C6-S-1s) hull container ship by Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco, CA. On 26 November 1975 the ship was renamed SS President Roosevelt, after AML was merged into APL. She was sold to Delta Steamship Lines 7 September 1983, and renamed SS Santa Rosa. She was again sold to United States Lines in 1985 when USL absorbed Delta Line, and renamed SS American Builder. After the collapse of US Lines in 1986, the ship was returned to MARAD 6 April 1987 and laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) at Hampton Roads, VA. In 1989 she was converted to a type (C6-S1aq) Crane Ship by Tampa Shipyards, Tampa, Florida. Completed on 24 May 1989, she was assigned to the Ready Reserve Force (RRF), under operation control of the Military Sealift Command (MSC) and placed in service as SS Equality State (ACS-8).^[1] Equality State was berthed at Houston, TX. and assigned to Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Three and was maintained in a four-day readiness status. Removed from MSC control, withdrawn from the RRF by reassignment to the National Defense Reserve Fleet (Beaumont, TX), 28 July 2006.

References

1. Silverstone 2011 p. 237

• SS Equality State (ACS-8)
• This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.

External links

• National Defense Reserve Fleet Inventory