Type C7 ship

Eight Type C7-S-68 ships were built by Sun Shipbuilding for the United States Lines and entered service from 1968 to 1971. Upon the bankruptcy and dissolution of the company the ships were sold to other carriers. The design proved very reliable as all of the Lancer Class vessels operated until at least 2002. In October 2014 the last active '68 series Lancer Horizon Discovery, was delivered to the Bay Bridge Scrapyard in Brownsville, Texas. "..the Lancers revolutionized shipping as being the first true large (at that time) container ships. [They were] built for U.S. Lines and ran on the East Coast to Far East run for many years...Discovery also served in Desert Storm. Her keel was laid exactly 47 years ago on 10/26/1967..It has been an honor taking this grand ole girl to her final resting place. She sure had a good run for many years. Instead of going down kicking and screaming she ran proud and well right to the very end and went down easy." - Captain Bill Boyce {{Cite web |url=http://mebaunion.org/MEBA/meba-telex-times-october-30-2014/ |title=End of an Era: Last of the "Lancers" is "Finished with Engines|publisher=Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association|access-date=30 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141117211639/http://mebaunion.org/MEBA/meba-telex-times-october-30-2014/ |archive-date=17 November 2014|url-status=unfit}}

File:American Astronaut.jpg

class="wikitable"
MA Hull #	MA Design	Original Name	Shipyard Hull #	GT	DWT	Delivery	IMO	Later Names	Fate
184	C7-S-68c	American Lancer	640	18,764	22,225	1968	IMO 6708379	Humacao	Scrapped 2002{{cite web|title=HUMACAO IMO No: 6708379 CONTAINER 1968 / 19046 GT|url=http://www.cargo-vessels-international.at/HUMACAO_IMO6708379.pdf|publisher=Steffen Wiedner|access-date=6 October 2012}}
185	C7-S-68c	American Legion	641	18,764	22,138	1968	IMO 6812211	Sea-Land Challenger, Horizon Challenger	Scrapped 2014{{cite web|title=ABS Class Suspensions, Withdrawals, & Reinstatements - 4 Mar 2014|url=http://www.eagle.org/safenet/suspension/class_suspended|publisher=American Bureau of Shipping|access-date=30 December 2014}}
186	C7-S-68d	American Liberty	642	18,876	21,665	1968	IMO 6820579	Sea-Land Discovery, Horizon Discovery	Scrapped 2014
187	C7-S-68d	American Lynx	643	18,876	21,665	1968	IMO 6828624	Mayaguez{{cite web|last=Piché|first=Marc|title=AMERICAN LYNX - IMO 6828624|url=http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=872031|publisher=shipspotting.com|access-date=6 October 2012}}	Scrapped 2004
188	C7-S-68d	American Lark	644	18,876	20,574	1969	IMO 6905252	Horizon Crusader	Scrapped 2010{{cite web|last1=Des Bois|first1=Robin|title=ShipBreaking.com #21|url=http://www.robindesbois.org/english/shipbreaking21.pdf|website=www.robIndiasbois.org|publisher=Association de Protection de l’Homme and de l’Environnement|access-date=13 December 2014}}
240	C7-S-68e	American Astronaut	649	18,876	20,574	1969	IMO 6916861	Guayuma	Scrapped 2002{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Robert J.|title=AMERICAN ASTRONAUT - IMO 6916861|url=http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1048621|access-date=11 February 2015}}
251	C7-S-68e	American Apollo	654	18,876	20,574	1970	IMO 7026259	Nuevo San Juan	Scrapped 2002
252	C7-S-68e	American Aquarius	655	18,876	20,480	1971	IMO 7042485	Carolina	Scrapped 2002

Bethlehem Steel's Sparrows Point Shipyard constructed two C7-S-88a container ships for San Francisco, California–based Pacific Far East Line (PFEL). These two ships were actually designed for and ordered by Matson Navigation, but when Matson decided to discontinue its transpacific operations the two ships were taken over by PFEL while still under construction. PFEL's ship names ended with Bear,{{cite web|title=Pacific Far East Line|url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us~hfpa.html#pacfareast|work=House Flags of US Shipping Companies|publisher=Flags Of The World|access-date=30 September 2019}} and the two new ships were launched as SS Australia Bear and SS New Zealand Bear. Australia Bear was completed in 1973, but before New Zealand Bear had been fully outfitted both ships were sold in 1974 to Sea-Land Service, Inc. and renamed Sea-Land Consumer and Sea-Land Producer as Sealand's SL18P class.Cudahay 206 pp. 133-134, 266-267 Sea-Land was bought by the CSX Corporation in 1986, and both ships were renamed in 2000. The domestic U.S. liner operations of Sea-Land were sold in 2003 and subsequently operated under the name Horizon Lines.{{Cite web |url=http://www.horizonlines.com/service/how-we-ship/vessels |title=How We Ship - Vessels |publisher=Horizon Lines |access-date=30 September 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326105027/http://www.horizonlines.com/service/how-we-ship/vessels |archive-date=26 March 2015 |url-status=unfit}} Their service life came in a full circle when Matson, who had initially designed the ships decades earlier, acquired Horizon Lines in 2015. The vessels would serve their new owners a few more years as Matson Consumer and Matson Producer. They were scrapped in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

class="wikitable"
MA Hull #	MA Design	Original Name	Shipyard Hull #	GT	DWT	Delivery	IMO	Later Names	Fate
253	C7-S-88a	Australia Bear	4639	23,763	26,600	1973	IMO 7224306	Sea-Land Consumer, CSX Consumer, Horizon Consumer, Matson Consumer	Scrapped 2018{{cite web|title=United States Flag Privately Owned Merchant Fleet - Summaryary of Changes|url=https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/oictures/Consolidated_In_Out_List_20190815.pdf|access-date=30 September 2019}}
254	C7-S-88a	New Zealand Bear	4640	23,763	26,600	1974	IMO 7366312	Sea-Land Producer, CSX Producer, Horizon Producer, Matson Producer	Scrapped 2019{{cite web|title=Weekly Vessel Scrapping Report: 2019 Week 35|url=https://shipandbunker.com/news/features/risk-management/457400-weekly-vessel-scrapping-report-2019-week-35|access-date=30 September 2019}}

The States Steamship Lines (or States Lines) ordered four C7-S-95a ships from Bath Iron Works{{cite web|last=Toppan|first=Andrew|title=Bath Iron Works Production Record|url=http://www.hazegray.org/shipbuilding/biw3.htm|access-date=21 Dec 2014}} to carry both mixed and containerized cargo. These vessels differed from the earlier C7s in that they have an aft cargo ramp. Their service speed is 23 knots and the States Lines operated the vessels between the US west coast and Asian ports.{{cite web|title=Bath Iron Launches Fourth Ro/Ro Ship For States Steamship|url=http://www.shipyarddirectory.com/shipbuilding-companies/launches-fourth-states-steamship-209837|work=Shipyard Directory|publisher=Maritime Activity Reports, Inc.|access-date=12 October 2012}} Their service time with the States Line however was brief as high fuel prices and competition drove the company into bankruptcy in 1979.{{cite web|title=States Steamship Co.|url=http://fotw.fivestarflags.com/us~hfst.html#statessteamship|work=House Flags of US Shipping Companies|publisher=Flags of the World|access-date=12 October 2012}} The vessels were eventually acquired by the US Government and are among the 27 RO/RO ships in the Military Sealift Command. All are steam powered and maintained in the Ready Reserve Force with 5 days as time to activate.

File:SS Cape Island MSC.jpg

class="wikitable"
MA Hull #	MA Design	Original Name	Shipyard Hull #	GT	DWT	Delivery	IMO	Later Names	Status
279	C7-S-95a	Maine	366	15,000	14,500	27 April 1976	7390105	Tyson Lykes, Cape Inscription	RRF at Long Beach, CA 2020
280	C7-S-95a	Arizona	367	15,000	14,500	8 June 1976	7390117	Lipscomb Lykes, USNS Jupiter, Cape Intrepid	RRF at Tacoma, WA 2020
281	C7-S-95a	Nevada	368	15,000	14,500	30 Nov 1976	7390129	Charles Lykes, Cape Isabel	RRF at Long Beach, CA 2020
295	C7-S-95a	Illinois	369	15,000	14,500	3 June 1977	7390131	USNS Mercury, Cape Island	RRF at Tacoma, WA 2020

Three C7 ships in the RO/RO configuration, designated as MARAD design C7-S-1331a, were built for the Waterman Line. The John B. Waterman and Thomas Heyward were completed by Sun Shipbuilding. The Charles Carroll was subcontracted to the General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division.{{cite web|last1=Colton|first1=Tim|title=Ro-Ro Ships Built in U.S. Shipyards|url=http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/merchantships/postwwii/roroships.htm|website=Shipbuilding History|publisher=ShipbuildingHistory.com.|access-date=30 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924101402/http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/merchantships/postwwii/roroships.htm|archive-date=24 September 2015}} These would be the last ships constructed by the respective shipyards before their closure.{{cite web|last1=Colton|first1=Tim|title=Sun Shipbuilding, Chester PA|url=http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/inactive/sun.htm|website=Shipbuilding History - Large Shipyards, Inactive|publisher=ShipbuildingHistory.com|access-date=30 December 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Colton|first1=Tim|title=Bethlehem Steel Company, Quincy MA|url=http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/inactive/bethquincy.htm|website=Shipbuilding History - Large Shipyards, Inactive|publisher=ShipbuildingHistory.com|access-date=30 December 2014}} In 1984-1985 all three were converted to pre-positioning supply ships for the US Navy Military Sealift Command (MSC) by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, CA.{{cite web|last1=Colton|first1=Tim|title=NASSCO, San Diego CA|url=http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/active/nassco.htm|website=Shipbuilding History - Large Shipyards, Active|publisher=ShipbuildingHistory.com|access-date=30 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101011036/http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/active/nassco.htm|archive-date=1 January 2015}} The ships gained 157 feet amidships, a helicopter landing platform, and cranes to enable them to unload their own cargo. They retained their steam boilers but were retrofitted with two GE turbines. As of July 2020 all three were in the inventory of the MSC. All three ships were commissioned into the MSC as Sgt. Matej Kocak-class dry cargo ships.

class="wikitable"
MA Hull #	MA Design	Original Name	Shipyard Hull #	GT[as built]	DWT	Delivery	IMO	Later Names	Status
346	C7-S-1331a	John B. Waterman	679	18,500	23,500	23 March 1983	7802706	USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005)	Active 2020
347	C7-S-1331a	Thomas Heyward	680	18,500	23,500	11 February 1983	7823463	USNS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK-3006)	Active 2020
511	C7-S-1331a	Charles Carroll	86	18,500	23,500	18 April 1983	7912123	USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK-3007)	Active 2020

{{USNAVY}}

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{cite book| last= Cudahay |first= Brian J. |title=Box Boats: How Container Ships Changed the World |publisher= Fordham University Press |year=2006 |isbn=9780823225699}}

• [http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=873496 Image of American Lancer as shown while in San Francisco Bay in February 1971]
• [http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1106904 Image of Horizon Challenger (ex-American Legion) in 2010 showing raised wheel house]

{{Cape Isabel class cargo ship}}

{{MARCOMships}}

Category:Ship types

Category:Container ships

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