LONG LINES

[aukepalmhof]

This vessel is the ALERT. See under:
http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... 7287#p7287



Built as a cable layer under yard No 560 by Schlieker Werft at Hamburg for the Transoceanic Cable Ship Company Inc., New York. (the company was part of AT&T Corp.)
24 September 1961 launched as the LONG LINES.
Tonnage 11,326 grt, 4,859 net, 9,310 dwt. Dim. 155.91 x 21.29 x 13.87m., length bpp. 136.71m.
Powered by two G.E. steam turbines, turbo-electric, 10,000 shp., twin screws, speed 16 knots.
When nearly finished the German yard was declared bankrupt, and after a lengthy delay was she completed by the Deutsche Werft, Finkenwarder near Hamburg.
Three cable tanks, two of 16.76m.in diameter and one with a diameter of 12.80 m., all have a height of 9.75m.
Crew 150.
Building cost USA$17 million.
02 April 1963 sailed from Hamburg for the USA.

She was based in Honolulu Harbour, and after delivery was she the largest and most advanced cable layer in the world.
Her total cable laying capacity was 139,000 cubic feet, equivalent to 2,000 nautical mile of light cable.
There were two spare tanks which could hold 100 n.m. repair cable.
Her first cable she lay in 1963 between the USA and England the TAT 3 cable before she moved to Hawaii in 1964 where after she laid the TPC 1 cable from Oahu to Japan.
Her cable laying work you can find at: tp://atlantic-cable.com/Cableships/LongLines/index.htm
1993 Sold to CS Long Lines LP, New York, not renamed.
2003 Sold to shipbreakers in India and arrived at Alang June 2003 her final voyage she made under the name CHICAGO, Georgia flag and registry
27 June 2003 beached.

Ghana 1983 2.30c sg1050, scott837.

Source; Various web-sites.

[aukepalmhof]

From Mr. Peter Crichton I got an e-mail in which he gives that not the LONG LINES is depict on the stamp but the British cable ship ALERT, by comparing the stamp with a photo he is right she can not be the LONG LINES.
The stamp shows us a vessel with one yellow painted funnel, while the LONG LINES has two white painted smokestacks, also other details are not the same as seen on the stamp, while the details are the same of the ALERT after her refit, see photo.