Welding Shipyards was founded by American shipping businessman, Daniel K. Ludwig (1897–1992) in 1940 at Norfolk, Virginia on the Sewell's Point peninsula. Welding Shipyards build T3 tanker ships for World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Welding Shipyards had one construction berth with 600 workers. The shipyard built what Ludwig was known for Oil tankers. Welding Shipyards built five type T3-S-BF1 tankers, the largest at the time.[1] Ludwig' Welding Shipyards used what is called block construction. To shorten keel to ship launching time due losses to German U-boats, block construction was used. Ships blocks were built as the keel was being laid and then the prefabricated parts were then put in place and welded. With this construction time was reduced dramatically. Welding Shipyards and Ludwig had an important role in this new type of construction.[2][3]
All of the tanker ships were operated by Ludwig's shipping company that he founded, the National Bulk Carriers in 1936 in New York. National Bulk Carriers owned and operated oil tanker ships and bulk carriers. Some of the ships were among the largest in the world at that time. In 1953 Ludwig moved the shipyard operated to the Kure shipyard in Japan. Ludwig leased the Japanese navy Kure yard for 10 years (1950 to 1960). The Welding Shipyards site today is part of the Naval Station Norfolk.[4][5] In 1940 and early 1941, Welding Shipyards converted older World War I surplus cargo ships into oil tankers.
Ships built
Ships built at Welding Shipyards: (To save money some of the ships had used reconditioned engines).[6][7]
renamed Vega 1966, combined with Mobile Energy 1971, scrapped 1975, Largest tanker in the world in 1948. (Improved T3-S-BZ1)
*
Bulkoil
15,600
630
1949
renamed Altair 1966, Pegasus 1967, Keo 1968, broke in two and sank off Nantucket 5 November 1969 in an Atlantic storm, with 210,000 US gallons fuel oil (Improved T3-S-BZ1)[13][14]
*
Bulkoceanic
15,600
630
1949
renamed Pacocean 1968, broke in two and sank off Taiwan 1969 (Improved T3-S-BZ1)[15]
*
Bulkstar
15,600
630
1949
renamed Amphialos 1963, broke in two and sank off Cape Cod 1964 (Improved T3-S-BZ1)[16]
*
Bulktrader
15,600
630
1950
renamed Golden Drake 1964, exploded and sank off Venezuela 1972 (Improved T3-S-BZ1).[17]
The first T3-S-BZ1, SS Phoenix was constructed in just 76 days keel to launching and 24 days to completion. The ships were 556 feet long, 80 foot beam, 14,160 gross tonnage, deadweight capacity 23,600 tons and with a barrel capacity off 217,000. T3-S-BZ1 had high pressure turbines with double reduction gears for 13,400 shp, to a single propeller with a top speed of 17 knots.[18]
Notable incident
USS Pan Pennsylvania, a Type T3-S-BF1 tanker, on 16 April 1944 was sunk off Nantucket by a torpedo from U-boatU-550 commanded by Klaus Hänert. Pan-Pennsylvania was steaming from New York Harbor on the afternoon of 15 April 1944 as part of convoy CU-21, going to England with 140,000 barrels (22,000 m3) of 80-octane aviation fuel. She had a crew of 50 men and 31 members of the Naval Armed Guard. The 28 merchant ships of CU-21 were accompanied by Escort Flotilla 21.5, which consisted of six destroyer escorts.[19]
