Gopher State-class crane ship
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2008) |
 SS Gopher State
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Gopher State class |
| Builders | Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine |
| Operators |  United States Navy |
| Built | 1967–1972 |
| In commission | 1986–present |
| Completed | 3 |
| Active | 3 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Crane ship |
| Displacement | 13,500 long tons (13,717 t) light |
| Length | 668 ft 7 in (203.78 m) |
| Beam | 76 ft 1 in (23.19 m) |
| Draft | 33 ft 6 in (10.21 m) |
| Propulsion | list error: <br /> list (help) 2 boilers 2 steam turbines 1 shaft 17,500 shp (13,050 kW) |
| Speed | 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Capacity | list error: <br /> list (help) 300+ containers Four 30 ton cranes |
| Complement | list error: <br /> list (help) 9 civilians in Reduced Operating Status 32 civilians in Full Operating Status |
The Gopher State-class crane ships of the United States Navy are a class of auxiliary vessels. The lead ship of the class is named in honor of the state of Minnesota.
All three vessels of the class were former Sea Witch-class container ships built at the Bath Iron Works for American Export Lines. After AEL was acquired by Farrell Lines in 1978, the ships sailed for a few years before being returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD). They were converted to naval service as crane ships in the mid-1980s.
External links
 | This article about a specific ship or boat of the United States Armed Forces is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |