United States Lines

[david]

Hello Shipmates,
I am not sure if this is the best place to be asking about the above, but I have spent some time trying to get some details concerning that once famous company that we mostly remember as the operators of the "LEVIATHIAN", "AMERICA" and of course the glorious "UNITED STATES".
all of which are very heavily covered on the net on many sites.
My interest is more about the actual company, particularly about the disaster they dumped upon themselves by ordering 12 slow steaming and expensive Korean built container ships.
I have been able to track down a number of them, but what amazes me is there are (Thumb) (Thumb) no pics on our site, (or the 'other one') of these vessels that I can find.
I would hope that someone, especially our shipmates domiciled in the USA may be able to give me a start.
Hoping for for a reply,
Cmon Ozzie Cmon tonite,
Regards, David D.

[john shaw]

Hello David

I'm not quite sure if this will be pertinent to you, but in late 1977 the Uk company I worked for, Souter Shipping, began to manage two United States Lines feeder container ships. These were Spanish built (I believe in Huelva) and had previously been operated by U.S.L. in the Far East using Phillipino crew, but were brought back to the US that year. I joined "American Islander" O.N. 4307 3139grt in Brooklyn as 3rd Mate as we renovated her,ready to inaugurate a feeder service to Hamilton, Bermuda. I forget the name of the sister ship which followed.

Somewhere, I will have extensive slide photos of American Islander in Brooklyn, at sea, in Hoboken shipyards and in Hamilton.

It was rapidly obvious that these ships were unsuited, due to their length, to the operating area NYC/Hamilton,and in 1979 I was again on the "Islander" when we took her back to the Far East, for a feeder service HK/Manila. I left 4/79 and many of the crew were again replaced by Philipinos. If any of my photos, info are of interest to you, please let me know.Regards.

[rstimaru]

It is stated in the Sea Breezes magazine that the United States is about to under go a compleate refurbishment and enter the American cruise business

[turbines48]

I have posted a photo of one of those "Econoships" in the container ship section.

Look under Sealand Performance entering Charleston.

When operated by SeaLand (now Maersk Sealand) they were/are known as ACV's (for Atlantic Class Vessels).

[david]

Hello Turbines48.
Thanks for your comments and interest.
I tried to check out your post of the "Sea-Land Performance", but have had no luck at all.
Since I posted this thread back in June, I have made some 'discoveries' about these vessels in a book my local municipal library acquired, and have reviewed under the "BOOKS- MAGAZINES" etc section on our site.
As an ex Sea-Land man you will probably get some enjoyment from this excellent publication.
Regards,
David D.

[turbines48]

sorry..look under S-L Performance on the search bar in container ships