SS Frontier (1922)

{{Short description|Cargo ship built in 1922}}

{{other ships|SS Frontier}}

File:Frontier on Rocks - Original Photo.jpg

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}

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{{Infobox ship career

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| Ship name =*Cattaro (1922–30)

  • Finkenau (1930–45)
  • Levensau (1945)
  • Empire Convoy (1945–46)
  • Grebberg (1946–47)
  • Echo (1947–53)
  • Frontier (1953–57)

| Ship owner =*Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt AG (1922–30)

  • Bugsier Reederei & Bergungs AG (1930–45)
  • Ministry of War Transport (1945)
  • Atkinson & Co Ltd (1945–46)
  • Dutch Government (1946–47)
  • Hudig & Veder (1947–52)
  • African Coasters (Pty) Ltd (1952–57)

| Ship operator =*Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt AG (1922–30)

  • Bugsier Reederei & Bergungs AG (1930–45)
  • Ministry of War Transport (1945)
  • Ministry of Transport (1945–46)
  • Dutch Government (1946–47)
  • Hudig & Veder (1947–52)
  • African Coasters (Pty) Ltd (1952–57)

| Ship registry =*{{flagicon|Weimar Republic|civil}} Hamburg (1922–30)

  • {{flagicon|Weimar Republic|civil}} Bremerhaven (1930–33)
  • {{Flagicon|Nazi Germany}} Bremerhaven (1933–45)
  • {{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} London (1945–46)
  • {{flagicon|Netherlands}} Netherlands (1946–52)
  • {{Flagicon|South Africa|1912}} Durban (1952–57)

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| Ship builder = Lindenau & Co, Memeler Schiffswerke

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| Ship launched = 1922

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| Ship out of service = 27 September 1952

| Ship identification =*Code Letters RDFQ (1922–34)

  • {{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Mike}}{{ICS|Foxtrot}}{{ICS|Mike}}
  • Code Letters DQOY (1934–45)
  • {{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Quebec}}{{ICS|Oscar}}{{ICS|Yankee}}
  • Code Letter GJBX (1945–46)
  • {{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Juliet}}{{ICS|Bravo}}{{ICS|X-ray}}
  • United Kingdom Official Number 180585 (1945–46)

| Ship fate = Wrecked

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{{Infobox ship characteristics

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| Ship type = Cargo ship

| Ship tonnage =*{{GRT|1,424}} (1922–30)

  • {{GRT|916|link=off}} (1930–45){{GRT|1000|link=off}} (1945–57)
  • {{NRT|810}} (1922–30)
  • {{GRT|473|link=off}} (1930–45)
  • {{NRT|433|link=off}} (1945–57)
  • 1,400 DWT (1952–57)

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| Ship length = {{convert|227|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}}

| Ship beam = {{convert|34|ft|3|in|m|2|abbr=on}}

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| Ship power = Triple expansion steam engine

| Ship propulsion = Screw propeller

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Frontier was a {{GRT|1000|link=off}} cargo ship that was built in 1922 as Cattaro by Memeler Schiffswerke, Lindenau & Co, Memel, Germany. After a sale in 1930 she was renamed Finkenau. In 1945, she was renamed Levensau and was seized later that year by the Allies at Brunsbüttel, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and was renamed Empire Convoy. She was allocated to the Netherlands in 1946 and renamed Grebburg. She was sold into merchant service in 1947 and renamed Echo. A sale to South Africa in 1952 saw her renamed Frontier. The ship served until 1957 when she ran aground and broke up.

Description

Frontier was built in 1922 by Memeler Schiffsbau, Lindenau & Co Memel, Germany.{{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|227|ft|2|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|34|ft|3|in|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|20|ft|1|in|m|2}}.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0225.pdf|title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=23 October 2010}} She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of {{convert|15+3/4|in|cm}}, {{convert|26|in|cm}} and {{convert|43+3/16|in|cm}} diameter by {{convert|27+3/4|in|cm}} stroke. The engine was built by Vulcan Werke, Stettin, Germany.

History

The first ship built by Lindenau at the Memeler Schiffswerke,{{cite web|url=http://www.mazoji-lietuva.lt/article.php?article=440 |title=Mažosios Lietuvos įvykių chronologija 1918-1922 m. |publisher=Mažoji Lietuva |language=lt |access-date=24 October 2010}} Cattaro was built for the Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt AG, Hamburg. She was allocated the Code Letters RDFQ and was assessed as {{GRT|1424|link=off}}, {{NRT|810|link=off}}. In 1930, she was sold to Bugsier Reederei & Bergungs AG, Bremerhaven and was renamed Finkenau. She was assessed as {{GRT|916|link=off}}, {{NRT|473|link=off}}.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b1370.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=23 October 2010}} In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DQOY.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/34/34b0303.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=23 October 2010}} In May 1940, Finkenau was damaged by a mine in the Baltic Sea.

In 1945, her hame was changed to Levensau. She was seized in May 1945 at Brunsbüttel, passed to the MoWT and renamed Empire Convoy. Her port of registry was changed to London. She was placed under the management of Atkinson & Co Ltd. The Code Letters GJBX and United Kingdom Official Number 180585 were allocated. Empire Convoy was assessed as {{GRT|1000|link=off}}, {{NRT|433|link=off}}.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/45/45a1185.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=23 October 2010}} In 1946, Empire Convoy was allocated to the Netherlands and was renamed Grebberg.

In 1947, she was sold to Huidig & Veder and was renamed Echo. In 1952, she was sold to African Coasters (Pty) Ltd, Durban, South Africa. In 1953, she was renamed Frontier, the fourth African Coasters ship to bear that name. She was assessed at 1,400 DWT.{{cite web|url=http://www.capeports.co.za/files/PP_200804.pdf |title=BUSY SHIPPING INDUSTRY DESERVES EXCELLENT POLITICAL LEADERSHIP |publisher=Capeports |access-date=23 October 2010}} She served until 27 September 1957 when she ran aground near the mouth of the Ncera River, {{convert|23|nmi|km}} east of East London while on a voyage from Durban to Port Elizabeth. On 29 September, she broke up and was declared a total loss.

References