cargo ship AVRANCHES

Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, 1946 - 1962 (en gérance)

Design features

Avranches (liberty-ship) 1946 - 1962
hull material : ...................
previous name(s) of ship : ........tecumseh
detailed type : ...................liberty-ship
type of propulsion : ..............1 propeller
building year of ship : ...........1943
name of shipyard : ................Richmond Shipbldg. Corp.
place of construction : ...........Richmond
year of entering the fleet : ......1946
length (in meters) : ..............126,79
width (in meters) : ...............17,37
gross tonnage (in tons) : .........7176
deadweight (in tons) : ............10432
type of engine : ..................inverted, triple expansion 3 cylinders
engine power (in HP) : ............2500
nominal speed (in Knots) : ........11

History

11 cargo liners of the liberty-ship type were entrusted with management by the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique before the conclusion of the Blum-Byrnes agreements of May 26, 1946. Following these agreements, the French government acquired of 75 liberty-ships, of which 21 in turn were entrusted with management to Transat, which amounts in total to 32. The deliveries stretched over until 1947. These ships were used, according to the needs, on the lines of the North Atlantic, of the West Indies, of the North and South Pacific. Between 1957 and 1960, thirteen of them were especially equipped for transport of Renault cars in the United States and were chartered by the "Compagnie d'Affrêtement et de Transport (CAT)", then subsidiary company of Régie Renault. The first liberty-ship to leave the fleet of Compagnie Générale Transatlantique after the accident of the GRANDCAMP in 1947 was SAINT VALERY in May 1948 and the last the DOMFRONT and the BAYEUX in 1965. The last of the liberty-ships "ex-Transat" to disappear was the ARGENTAN, demolished in 1973. Built in 1943 under the name of TECUMSAH (TECUMSEH?) on behalf of the U.S. Shipping War Administration. Delivered to the French government in 1946. Renamed AVRANCHES and entrusted to management to Compagnie Générale Transatlantique. From 1957, is used to transport Renault cars to the United States. With SAINT LO, she is the first liberty-ship being fitted-out for transport of the new cars. In May 1960, is laid up in Landevennec. Returned to the Government in April 1962. In 1964, is transferred to Société Navale Caennaise. Retains her name. In 1967, is sold to a panamanian shipowner and renamed AVRANCHOISE. Demolished in Split, in Yugoslavia, in 1970.