Whatzit? Where has it come from and where … going to? Doubleclick enlarges.
The piles are coal, the bucket-wheel at the tip of the stacker-reclaimer (s-r) might be at least 15′ diameter, so the s-r arm must be as long as an Oldendorff self-unloader. Note the white vessel between the stacks.
A different view of the stacks shows more of the white vessel. Can you identify it, pretty as an Edsel or gorgeous as a 1953 Studebaker?
Savannah, resplendent, built in New Jersey and designed by George G. Sharp Company, who also designed several classes of Staten Island ferries, and many other vessels. Here’s a memory site devoted to the vessel that has very interesting historical fotos and info. Under the section “radioactive waste,” I like the detail of the waste discharge barge called Atomic Servant. I understand that Savannah is open only on rare occasions to the public. It seems appropriate to see this foto of Savannah surrounded by mounds of coal, given how miniscule the “bulk” of her fuel was relative to that of ships that burned coal as fuel.
Nearby in the Canton portion of the port, here’s another look at USNS Comfort, a vessel with an interesting past life. Guess? Look at the hull. Answer below.
Atlantic Impala (built on the Russian Black Sea) offloads containers while off its stern, Navios Star prepares to head for sea with many tens of thousands of tons of coal . . . bound for South Korea’s steel mills.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.
And the unusual history of Comfort: she began her life in 1976 as an oil tanker called Rose City.
8 comments
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March 24, 2010 at 1:29 pm
mageb
Just two small comments. I got to go aboard the Savannah in the early sixties when she was in Virginia. And, as you probably know, the Mercy, sister ship to the Comfort, is here in my town. One of my grandsons has been stationed aboard for the last few years.
March 24, 2010 at 3:34 pm
tugster
mage– could your grandson give us a foto tour of mercy? i’d love to know how some portions of the holds have been transformed.
March 25, 2010 at 9:33 am
Daniel Meeter
So there is the Savannah. Is it berthed in honor or dishonor?
March 25, 2010 at 9:54 am
tugster
dan–purgatory comes to mind . . . or limbo. i hope to get on board when it’s open to visitors this summer.
March 26, 2010 at 7:55 pm
Dennis
Savannah as a museum? I’ve heard the rumors, but seems like it was open only for special events a few times a year. Does it have an official museum site?
March 27, 2010 at 6:07 am
tugster
dennis– check out this link http://www.nssavannah.net/?ID=39 So far as I know, no progress has been made toward turning the ship into a museum.
March 28, 2010 at 10:24 pm
Maritime Monday 207
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December 6, 2017 at 10:10 am
tugster
For a disconcerting story on COMFORT’s deployment in Puerto Rico, see this: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/us/puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-hospital-ship.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0