Type C8

SSCape May (T-AKR-5063) at C8-S-82a type ship
Class overview
Builders	Avondale Shipyard GD'sFore River Shipyard Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard
Built	1968–1979
Completed	26
Lost	none
General characteristics
Type	Heavy Lift Barge Carrier: C8-S-81b, C8-S-81d, C8-S-82a, C8-S-85d
Displacement	20,574 to - 29,820 deadweight tons.
Length	876 ft (267 m)
Beam	106 ft (32 m)
Draft	40 ft (12 m)
Installed power	steam turbines 22,109 HP to 32,000 hp
Speed	16.2 knots (30.0 km/h; 18.6 mph)
Crew	34 when operational

Type C8-class ships are a type of Heavy Lift Barge Carrier. Type C8 ships were the 8th type of ship designed by theUnited States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) in the late 1960s. As done with theType C1 ships andType C2 ships, MARCOM circulated preliminary plans for comment. The design presented was not specific to any service ortrade route. Type C8 ships measuring 876 feet (267 m) from stem to stern, and designed to make 16.2knots (30.0 km/h; 18.6 mph).^[1][2][3]

The Type C8 ships are a type of HeavyLighter aboard ship. The lighter aboard ship orLASH is a system for loadingbarges or (lighters) onto a largevessel fortransport. At the destination, the barge are unloaded and the vessel is then free to move on to the next shipment. Barges and lighters are usually unpowered floating platforms forinland waterways that are separated from the openseas. Barge and lighters are typically towed or pushed aroundharbors,canals orrivers bytugboats. The carrier ships are also known as LASH carriers, barge carriers, kangaroo ships and lighter transport ships. Barges are load into the ship from the rear-stern of the ship. Two barge-lighters weighing up to 1,000 metric tons placed onto an underwater platform. The ship raises the platform up to the deck. On the deck are special rails to move the lighters down the length of the ship to their holding spot. The ship as a loading power to lift with a force of more than 2,000 Mp.^[4][5][6]

In the late 1960s, shipbuilding engineer Jerome L. Goldman designed the first LASH ships the Acadia Forest and the Atlantic Forest. Avondale shipyard start construction in 1969 of the second LASH ships the C8-S-81b. The eleven C8-S-81b LASH ships were of identical design and built from 1970 to 1973. The 11 ships were used by two shipping lines Prudential Grace Line in New York andPacific Far East Line in San Francisco. The price for each ship was $21.3 million.^[7]

• Avondale Industries built eleven C8-S-81b at 29,820 DWT each in 1970 - 1971 for theGrace Line. Example is theSSLash Turkiye.^[8]
• Fore River Shipyard byGeneral Dynamics CorporationQuincy, Massachusetts built three C8-S-82a at 20,574 DWT each in 1972. The three built for theLykes Brothers Steamship Company: SSDoctor Lykes, SSAlmeria Lykes andSSTillie Lykes.
• Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard built two C8-S-85d at 27,340 DWT each in 1979. TheAustral Pioneer andAustral Puritan for theFarrell Lines.^[9][10]

C8-S-82a were used by theUS Navy and called seabee LASH, (Lighter aboard ship).^[11]

• SSCape May (T-AKR-5063) - Built as SSAlmeria Lykes C8-S-82a^[12]
• SSCape Mohican (T-AKR-5065) built as the SSTillie Lykes C8-S-82a^[13]
• SSCape Mendocino (T-AKR-5064) - Built as SSDoctor Lykes C8-S-82a. In October 2011 she was moved to theJames River Reserve Fleet to the Beaumont Reserve Fleet to theBeaumont Reserve Fleet.^[14][15]

In San Francisco, California is Lash Lighter Basin, located byHeron's Head Park inSan Francisco Bay. The Lash Lighter Basin atBayview–Hunters Point, San Francisco is a protected port that is used by C8-class ships for loading and unloading lighter-barges. Barges from theStockton Deepwater Shipping Channel,Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel andSacramento–San Joaquin River Delta are taken to Lash Lighter Basin. The Lash Lighter Basin is located at37°44′19.8″N122°22′18.9″W / 37.738833°N 122.371917°W /37.738833; -122.371917.^[16][17]

• On May 21, 2001, the SS Cape Mohican (T-AKR 5065) was participating in an exercise at Chilpo Beach, just north ofPohang,South Korea. While in the harbor, heavy winds caused her to drag anchor approximately 150 feet and run aground on rocks, causing damage to her hull and internal tanks. This damage required salvage work and emergency dry-docking along with 1500 tons of steel to make her seaworthy again^[18]

In 1980 Avondale Industries built two 41,500 DWT Type C9-S-81f barge carriers: the SSEdward Rutledge (now SSSpirit and the SSEdward Rutledge (Now MVGeorge II, formerly SSReliance). In 2024, after a lengthy shipyard period, the SSReliance was renamed and resumed commercial service as the MVGeorge II, after undergoing a conversion from steam power to LNG-fueled diesel, a modification that was first of its kind. In 1974-75 Avondale Industries built nine 41,000 DWT C9-S-81d barge carriers, some used by the US Navy.^[19][20] C9-S-81d examples are theSS Delta Norte and theSS Delta Mar built in 1971.^[21] In 1980-83 Avondale Industries also built three C9-M-132b, but these are 32,800 DWTcontainer ships built for the American President Line:President Washington (now M/VManoa),President Lincoln (now M/VMahimahi) andPresident Monroe (now M/VMokihana).^[22][23]

• Type C4 ship
• T2 tanker
• Liberty ship
• Victory ship

• Auxiliary ship classes of the United States Navy

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