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Isthmian Name: | Steel Vendor | Period: | Modern |
| Gross Tonnage: | 8,114 | Net: | 4,721 |
| Dimensions: | 492' 0" x 69' 7" x 29' 5" | MC Type: | C3-S-A2 |
| Builder: | Western Pipe & Steel Co. San Francisco, CA | Hull # USMC Hull # Date of Build: Delivered: | 127 1550 1944 9/30/44 |
| Engines: | 2 Steam Turbines DR Geared to Single Screwed Shaft | Engine Builder: | General Electric Co. Lynn, MA |
| Navigation: | DF, ESD, GC, RDR, RT | Decks, etc.: | 2 Decks & Open Shelter Deck |
| Began Isthmian Service: | 1947 | Ended Isthmian Service: | 1971 |
----------------------------------- Vessel History ----------------------------------- |
Date | Vessel # | Vessel Name | Vessel Owner | Call Ltrs | Home Port | Flag |
1944 | 246464 | Sea Partridge | US War Shipping Administration, operated by American President Lines as Army Troopship | KSYV | San Francisco | USWB |
1946 | 246464 | Sea Partridge | US Maritime Commission | KSYV | San Francisco | US |
1947 | 246464 | Steel Vendor | Isthmian Lines, Inc. New York | KSYV | New York | US |
| Disposition Date | Comments |
| 1971 | 10/7: Stranded @ 10.43 N, 114.12 E, South China Sea, 250 miles ENE of Manila, Phillipines from Manila to Saigon with cargo of cement, following boiler failure. The vessel departed Houston for the Far East via the Indian Ocean on 7/26. Beginning 9/4, the day before she was due at Rangoon, a series of engine room mishaps took place. On that day, her port boiler economiser ruptured. The level of water in the opposing boiler dropped rapidly but its fires were not shut down and it functioned normally until the end of the month, when leaking tubes were plugged. At Manila, repairs were made to the faulty economiser but, after departure for Saigon with a cargo of cement, more leaks were found in the port boiler, requiring its shutdown for repairs. It then became impossible to maintain the water level in either boiler, but after further repairs to the economiser, both boilers recommenced operations the next day. Soon after, with the plant restored for normal steaming, the No. 1 generator sustained a major casualty and the emergency generator cut in. Then both turbine feed pumps began to malfunction. After further repairs the ship again attained "full ahead". On 10/5, with the vessel 700 miles south of Hong Kong, both boilers lost water and the starboard one was cut out, although it was uncertain which one was leaking. The water level in the other continued to drop, so the starboard fires were relit, giving enough power for slow steaming. The water levels still dropped and it was realised both boilers were leaking, so both were secured and the ship suddenly blacked out as the emergency generator starter motor burned out. Later it was started manually and the wash-water pump rigged with a garden hose in an attempt again to refill the starboard heater and boiler. After 6 hours of pumping, the drain valve to the double bottom was found to be open and the heater still empty. The situation was perilous. Dead in the water in the South China Sea, the vessel was wallowing and rolling up to 40 degrees in heavy seas and typhoon winds. Her bilges were deep with water and some was sloshing over the engine room deck plates. In these conditions the engineers strove to restore the plant by plugging more leaks. Satisfied, they commenced filling the port boiler, again with the garden hose, but leaving the starboard one closed off. In time, the port fires were relit and it was seen that water was rising in the starboard boiler whilst dropping in the port heater. A boiler feedline had been inadvertently left open. So again the port boiler was closed down and with it a loss of suction by the turbine feed pumps. On the morning of 10/7 the heater was again filled and with it came the hope that steaming on limited revolutions would be possible by the afternoon. At the same time observations enabled her crew to get a navigational fix as the sun broke through for the first time in 4 days. As these were being made, breaking white water of a reef was seen ahead and it was found that their true position was 90 miles south of the dead-reckoning one. As the wind and seas set the vessel inexorably toward the reef, a distress message was dispatched and the work to restore engine power was accelerated. At 13.45 hours, with no power to operate the windlass, the port anchor was let out on the handbrake; but the brake failed and the chain just ran out to the end. At first it had no effect, then it touched and held, with the reef just 400 yards away. Soon it broke ground and began to drag. Anticipating the main engine to be operative at any minute and that two anchors would finish the chances of a successful manuever, the starboard one was not used. Then, just as the bridge was informed that the main engine was capable of slow revolutions, the ship slammed into the Loaita Bank Reef, near Spratly Island in position 10.43 N, 114.12 E. Badly holed and pinioned by rocks, each roll in the heavy seas took her further on to the reef. At 14.35 hours a helicopter from the British Aircraft Carrier HMS Eagle appeared and it was decided to evacuate the sticken ship's crew by this means. An hour later, when the Master departed his ship, she was listing badly, was hogged at No. 3 hold and had fractures in the plating. Later, a sighting from the air showed the ship to be broken in two and flooded. |
| The information on this page is the kind contribution of Skip Lewis. Skip, whose dad sailed for Isthmian, is an avid collector and researcher of everything Isthmian. In his quest, he has used many sources and publications including Lloyd's of London and Imperial Steel by John Atherton. Thank you, Skip. Copyright © 2003-2007 - All rights reserved. |
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