The Pan Pennsylvania Class Ships

S.S. Pan Pennsylvania, first of her class of Welding Shipyards tankers.

The Pan Pennsylvania Class Ships

These ships were built for the U.S. Maritime Commission during World War II, and were a special variation of the T3 type tankers being built.  Only these five of the T3-S-BF1 USMC designation were built.  All five were built by Welding Shipyards, Inc., the company owned shipyard of National Bulk Carriers, Inc.  Somewhat odd looking, the poop deck extended roughly half the length of the ship, giving the after tank sets more volume.  Propulsion consisted of geared steam turbines driving a single shaft at 9,350 shaft horsepower.  Construction progressed rapidly in the single way yard.  Pan Pennsylvania was completed first, in November 1943; the rest were delivered within eight months, Bulkero being completed in June 1944.

Ship	Hull#	Built	GRT	DWT	Length	Beam	Comments
Pan Pennsylvania	13	1943	11,016	18,900	515'11"	70'	Sunk by U-550 off New Jersey April 1944.
Bulklube	14	1943	11,017	18,900	515'11"	70'	Renamed Star Point 1962, Freeport 1963. Scrapped in Hamburg September 1963.
Bulkfuel	15	1943	11,016	18,900	515'11"	70'	Renamed Amoco Texas 1955, Bulkfuel 1961. Scrapped in Hirao October 1964.
Bulkcrude	16	1944	11,016	18,900	515'11"	70'	Renamed Blue Point 1962. Scrapped in Hamburg September 1963
Bulkero	17	1944	11,016	18,900	515'11"	70'	Renamed Amoco Florida 1957, Black Point 1962. Scrapped in Hong Kong May 1963

S.S. Bulkero last of the Pan Pennsylvania class tankers built by Welding Shipyards.

S.S. Bulkero in later life as S.S. Black Point after a tremendous storm in the Pacific stove in her bow.

Created by A. Davis Whittaker, Jr.
Last updated on 20 February 2005.