SS Fort McMurray

SS Fort McMurray was a North Sands–type Fort ship, a type of cargo ship.[1] She took her name from the town of Fort McMurray in Alberta, following the same naming scheme as the other Fort ships. She was built as yard number 164 at the Burrard Dry Docks in Vancouver and was successfully delivered in 1942.[2][3]

SS Fort McMurray
History
NameFort McMurray
NamesakeFort McMurray
Owner
  • Ministry of War Transport (1942–1947)
  • United States War Shipping Administration (1947)
  • Italia – Società di Navigazione (1948–1951)
  • Achille Lauro (1951–1967)
BuilderBurrard Dry Docks, Vancouver, British Columbia
Cost$1,856,500 (CAD)
Yard number164
Launched27 August 1942
FateBroken up in 1967, La Spezia, Italy
General characteristics
Class and typeNorth Sands–type Fort ship
Tonnage
  • 7,133 GRT (1942–1948)
  • 6,968 GRT (1948–1967)
Length129.39 m (424 ft 6 in)
Beam17.37 m (57 ft 0 in)
Height10.64 m (34 ft 11 in)
Propulsion1 × 3-cylinder 2,500 ihp (1,900 kW) Dominion steam reciprocating engine
Speed11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph)
Armament

Service history

World War II

Fort McMurray initially served under the Ministry of War Transport, along with the other Fort ships, where she was operated and managed by Morel Ltd. of Cardiff. She joined several convoys transporting cargo across the Atlantic Ocean to Britain and the Mediterranean, visiting cities including Glasgow, Alexandria, and Bizerte.[1][4][5]

Postwar

Fort McMurray was transferred to the United States Maritime Commission in 1947, where she served for a year, ferrying cargo and personnel across the Atlantic numerous times. Post-1948, she was removed from military service, renamed Pegaso, and sold to the Italian Line. The Italian Line operated her for only three years before she was sold to Napolitano entrepreneur Achille Lauro in 1951.[1] For the next 17 years, she served as a merchant cargo ship throughout the Mediterranean.[6] The ship was recorded as being only 6,968 GRT at this time, compared to her earlier 7,133 GRT measurement.[7] This was likely due to owner modifications and the removal of her armament after being sold to Italian Line. She was broken up in La Spezia during 1967, following a 25-year career.[1][6]

References
  1. "FORT SHIPS K - S". www.mariners-l.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  2. "Fleet List M-Q". fortships.tripod.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  3. "Merchant Ships Built in Canada in World War Two". shipbuildinghistory.com. 4 March 2015. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  4. "Convoy MKS 25 - warsailors.com". www.warsailors.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  5. "Convoy MKS 23 - warsailors.com". www.warsailors.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  6. "Ship details". www.nauticapedia.ca. 23 August 2023. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  7. "Società Italia Flotte Riuniti / Italia Società Anonima di Navigazione". www.theshipslist.com. 3 February 2005. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
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