SS Alk
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = | Ship caption = }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name = *Alk (1924-45)
| Ship owner = *Roland Linie AG (1924-26)
| Ship operator = *Roland Linie AG (1924-26)
| Ship registry = *{{flagicon|Weimar Republic|civil}} Bremen (1924-33)
| Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Neptun AG | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 1924 | Ship completed = | Ship commissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship christened = | Ship acquired = | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship identification = *Code Letters QLWM (1924-34)
| Ship fate = Scrapped | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type =Cargo ship | Ship tonnage = *{{GRT|1,175}}
| Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|221|ft|4|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|34|ft|9|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship depth = {{convert|11|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship registry = | Ship power = Triple expansion steam engine | Ship propulsion = Screw propeller | Ship speed = | Ship capacity = | Ship crew = | Ship notes = | Ship armament = }} |
Alk was a {{GRT|1175|link=off}} cargo ship that was built in 1924 by Neptun AG, Rostock, Germany for German owners. She was seized by the Allies in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and was renamed Empire Contest. In 1946, she was allocated to the Soviet Union and renamed Vereshyagin (Верещагин). She served until about 1960, being deleted from Lloyd's Register in that year.
Description
The ship was built in 1924 by Neptun AG.{{cite book |last1= Mitchell |first1=W.H. |last2=Sawyer |first2=L.A. |year=1995 |title=The Empire Ships |page=not cited |publisher= Lloyd's of London Press Ltd |location= London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong |isbn=1-85044-275-4}}
The ship was {{convert|221|ft|4|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|34|ft|9|in|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|11|ft|2|in|m|2}}. The ship had a GRT of 1,175 and a NRT of 612.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0045.pdf|title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=23 September 2010}}
The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of {{convert|17+9/16|in|cm}}, {{convert|29+9/16|in|cm}} and {{convert|47+1/8|in|cm}} diameter by {{convert|31+1/2|in|cm}} stroke. The engine was built by Neptun.
History
Alk was built for Roland Linie AG, Bremen.{{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/roland.htm |title=Roland Line / Roland Linie Aktien Gesellschaft 1905-1925 Bremen |publisher=The Ships List |access-date=23 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604161859/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/roland.htm |archive-date=4 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }} Her port of registry was Bremen and she was allocated the Code Letters QLWM. By 1926, Norddeutscher Lloyd had taken over Roland Linie. In 1933, Alk was transferred to Argo Reederei AG, Bremen. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DOMF.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/34/34b0039.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=23 September 2010}} In 1936, the company changed its name to Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Co.{{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/argo.htm |title=Argo Line, Bremen / Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft Argo AG 1896-1923 / Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft Argo mbH 1923-1925 / Argo Reederei AG 1933-1936 / Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Co. 1936-1952 / Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Söhne 1952-present |publisher=The Ships List |access-date=23 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204085951/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/argo.htm |archive-date=4 February 2010 |df=dmy-all }}
In May 1945, Alk was seized by the Allies at Brunsbüttel. She was passed to the MoWT and renamed Empire Contest. Her port of registry was changed to London. The Code Letters GQXW and United Kingdom Official Number 180747 were allocated. She was placed under the management of W A Wilson Ltd.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/45/45a1195.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=23 September 2010}}
In 1946, Empire Contesnt was transferred to the Soviet Government and was renamed Vereshyagin. Her port of registry was changed to Archangelsk.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/45/45a1306.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=23 September 2010}} She served until c1960, when she was deleted from shipping registers.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Norddeutscher Lloyd ships}}
{{Empire ships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alk}}
Category:Ships built in Rostock
Category:Steamships of Germany
Category:Merchant ships of Germany
Category:World War II merchant ships of Germany
Category:Ministry of War Transport ships
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom
Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom