USNS American Explorer (T-AOT-165)

American Explorer
History
United States
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, MS
Laid down: July 9, 1957
Launched: April 11, 1958
Completed: October 27, 1959
Homeport: Beaumont, Texas
Nickname(s): Hull#469
Fate: To be scrapped
Status: Scrapped
General characteristics
Type: Type T5-S-RM2a Tanker
Tonnage: 14,980 gross tons
Length: 595 ft (181 m)
Beam: 80 ft (24 m)
Draft: 36.1 ft (11.0 m)
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h)
Complement: 47
Armament: none

USNS American Explorer (T-AOT-165) was a tanker built for the United States Military Sea Transport Service. The tanker was built by Ingalls SB of Mississippi in 1958, and at the time her keel was laid was intended to be the world's first nuclear-powered tanker, but was completed with a conventional steam power plant. The ship was transferred to the US Maritime Administration in 1984 and was part of the US Reserve Fleet, Beaumont Reserve Fleet, Texas. The Explorer was sold for scrap on July 8, 2008 to the Southern Scrap Metal Corporation in New Orleans, Louisiana.[1] On August 13, two weeks before Hurricane Gustav struck the Southeastern Louisiana coastline, the tanker was moved to New Orleans' Industrial Canal.[2]

The Florida Avenue Bridge was struck and damaged by one of two military ships during hurricane Gustav

Adrift during Hurricane Gustav

During the night of August 31/September 1, 2008, as Hurricane Gustav approached the coast of Louisiana, two clusters (Export Courier) of ships were dislodged from their moorings and broke free. American Explorer was shown in video coverage to be one of two military vessels (along with the former US Navy submarine tender Hunley) that ran into the Florida Avenue Bridge. [3] After hitting the bridge, the ships then ran into two concrete pile-barriers that protect pump station #19, which serves the 9th ward of New Orleans.[4] A United States Coast Guard (USCG) tug eventually pinned the ships into position so that they would not move. Joel Dupree of Southern Scrap Metal Corporation claims the Corps of Engineers were testing docks on the Industrial canal which prevented moving the ships prior to Gustav entering the Mississippi River, and that the American Explorer was properly anchored during the storm.[5] However, the level of the surge and winds were sufficient to break their moorings.[6] The USCG, however, said that it had recommended that ships double-up mooring lines prior to the storm.[7] Shortly after the peak of the storm, reporters for a local radio station went to the Florida Avenue bridge and reported the damage as being minor.

Another naval ship, the former US Navy cargo ship Courier, and two barges were involved in separate incidents at the Almonaster rail bridge and a nearby pump station. As a consequence of these events, all vessels to be removed from the Industrial Canal in advance of gale-force wind conditions, and Southern Scrap Metal Corporation was told to remove all floating vessels for the duration of the 2008 season.[8] A US Coast Guard Investigation has been launched into the corporation's activities prior to Gustav.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Basic ship data - American Explorer Property Management & Archive Record System, Division of Reserve Fleet Archived July 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ Shannon Russell (2008-07-16). "Two Ships from Beaumont Fleet Sell for $1.6 Million" (PDF). U.S. Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 12, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  3. ↑ Coast Guard trying to secure a barge and two vessels in the Industrial Canal by Michelle Krupa, The Times-Picayune Monday September 01, 2008, 10:10 AM - nola.com
  4. ↑ Derelict vessels pinned down in Industrial Canal -- Willie J. Allen Jr., Times staff writer - Posted by Times Editor at 5:29:56 PM on September 1, 2008 - Storm Watch - Tampabay.com
  5. ↑ Mooring plan under fire following Industrial Canal wreckage episode Hurricane Gustav News and Storm Tracking - Nola.com
  6. ↑ Joel Dupre from Southern Scrap updates on the barges and ship that ran aground in the Industrial New Orleans - Update on barges in Industrial Canal - Yahoo-local news
  7. ↑ Hurricane Gustav News and Storm Tracking Nola.Com
  8. ↑ Ships and barges ordered from Industrial Canal for rest of 2008 Atlantic hurricane season Industrial Canal would have been safe if Ike had approached, Coast Guard commander says by Sheila Grissett, The Times-Picayune Thursday September 18, 2008, 5:57 PM Nola.com
  9. ↑ Loose storm barges in New Orleans from one company The Associated Press - Sept 16th 2008
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