cargo ship PONT-L'EVêQUE

Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, 1945 - 1961 (en gérance)

Design features

Pont-L'Evêque (liberty-ship) 1945 - 1961
hull material : ...................
previous name(s) of ship : ........Ernest L. Dawson
detailed type : ...................liberty-ship
type of propulsion : ..............1 propeller
building year of ship : ...........1945
name of shipyard : ................New England Shipbuilding Corporation
place of construction : ...........Portland
year of entering the fleet : ......1945
length (in meters) : ..............126,79
width (in meters) : ...............17,37
gross tonnage (in tons) : .........7302
deadweight (in tons) : ............10633
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 to Compagnie Générale Transatlantique before the conclusion of the Blum-Byrnes agreements of May 26, 1946. Following these agreements, the French government acquired 75 liberty-ships, of which 21 in their turn were entrusted with management to Transat, which amounts their total to 32. The deliveries spread out until 1947. These ships were used, according to the needs, on the lines of the North Atlantic, of the West Indies, of the North Pacific or the South Pacific. Between 1957 and 1960, thirteen of them were especially equipped for the transport of the Renault cars in the United States and were chartered by the Compagnie d’Affrêtement et de Transport (CAT), then sub 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 DOMFRONT and BAYEUX in 1965. The last of the liberty-ships "ex-Transat" to disappear was the ARGENTAN, demolished in 1973. Built in 1945 under the name of ERNEST L. DAWSON on behalf of the U.S. Shipping War Administration. Delivered to the French government in 1945. Entrusted with management to Compagnie Générale Transatlantique. In 1947, is renamed PONT L'EVEQUE. From 1959, is used to transport Renault cars to the United States. In 1961, is transferred to Compagnie Havraise de Navigation Corblet. Retains her name. In 1963, is transferred to Société Navale Delmas-Vieljeux. Retains her name. Demolished in 1972 in Spain. PONT-L'EVEQUE was the last liberty-ship operated under French flag.