Twenty-Five Years Ago In New York Harbor – May 14, 1983

A Photo Essay by Theodore W. Scull

World Ship Society and Steamship Historical Society members chartered a Great Kills, Staten Island fishing boat named "Miss Moore" and toured New York Harbor. The following nineteen photographs were taken in the Hudson River as that day’s cruise ships departed for Bermuda and Nassau; plus both active and laid up cargo and cargo/container ships along the Brooklyn waterfront from 39th Street north to the Erie Basin, Red Hook and Brooklyn Heights; a burned out container ship hull and laid up excursion vessel in the Brooklyn Navy Yard; and a combat stores vessel at Bayonne Military Ocean Terminal on the New Jersey side.

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Chandris Lines 18153 grt BRITANIS sailing on a cruise. She was built in 1932 as MONTEREY for Matson Lines.

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Home Lines 27645 grt OCEANIC built in 1965. Sailing on her weekly service to Bermuda and Nassau.

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OCEANIC backs away from her berth.

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The 1958-built VEENDAM of Holland-America Line with Home Lines ATLANTIC sailing for Bermuda.

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The 33800 grt ATLANTIC was built in 1982.

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A stern view of ATLANTIC.

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STROMNESS

The 523-foot, 12359 grt STROMNESS is berthed at the Bayonne Military Ocean Terminal. Built in Britain in 1967 for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, she was purchased in 1983 by the U.S. Navy to serve as a combat stores ship to supply other ships with food and equipment. She had yet to be renamed the USNS SATURN. She also carries 120 civilian mariners and 40 military personnel.

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ATLANTIC bound for Bermuda.

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The laid up cargo ships of Moore-McCormack Lines. MORMACTIDE and MORMACWAVE at 39th Street Brooklyn.

Both built in 1962 and of 12691 grt, they are steam driven, combination cargo/container ships each capable of carrying 12 passengers.

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The AMERICAN CHIEFTAN of United States Lines.

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AMERICAN CHAMPION

Both of the above pictured steam cargo ships were built in 1963 for United States Lines transatlantic cargo services.
They measure 11105 grt and are shown laid up in the Erie Basin, Red Hook Brooklyn.

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S.A.CONSTANTIA

South African Marine Corporation cargo ship, built 1968 at 12239 grt docked Red Hook Brooklyn after arriving from Durban, South Africa.

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CARIBE ENTERPRISE

Vanessa Trading Company steam engined combination cargo/container vessel built 1945 as PACIFIC ENTERPRISE, 11447 grt, docked at Brooklyn.

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ALCHATBY

The Egyptian Navigation Company vessel built in 1976, 5769 grt, docked at Pier 1 Brooklyn and loading for Alexandria, Egypt

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SEA WITCH

The hull of the SEA WITCH in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Delivered in September 1968 by the Bath Iron Works, she was the largest ship ever built in Maine at the time, a 610-foot cargo/container vessel for American Export Isbrandtsen Lines. Just after midnight on June 2, 1973, she lost her steering gear off Staten Island and collided broadside with the ESSO BRUSSELS. Both ships were engulfed in flames, and the ESSO BRUSSELS sank, while the SEA WITCH burned for two weeks. The FDNY fireboat FIREFIGHTER sailed into the burning oil and rescued thirty crewmembers from the tanker. Sixteen died in the tragedy. The SEA WITCH suffered severe bow damage as seen here, and a new forward section would be constructed to be welded to the existing stern. She would re-enter service as the container chemical carrier CHEMICAL DISCOVERER.

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BAY BELLE

In 1983 the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal Railroad (BEDT) merged with the New York Dock Railway to become the New York Cross Harbor Railroad, and the last named still operates today. However, the facility has been abandoned and remnants of it may be seen from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.