Rahul Sharma (Editor)

SS Alk

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Builder
  
Neptun AG

Length
  
67 m

Launched
  
1924

Name
  
Alk (1924-45) Empire Contest (1945-46) Vereshyagin (1946-60)

Owner
  
Roland Linie AG (1924-26) Norddeutscher Lloyd (1926-33) Argo Reederei AG (1933-37) Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Co (1937-45) Ministry of War Transport (1945) Ministry of Transport (1945-46) Soviet Government (1946-60)

Operator
  
Roland Linie AG (1924-26) Norddeutscher Lloyd (1926-33) Argo Reederei AG (1933-37) Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Co (1937-45) W A Wilson Ltd (1945-46) Soviet Government (1946-60)

Port of registry
  
Bremen (1924-33) Bremen (1938-45) London (1945-46) Archangelsk (1946-60)

Identification
  
Code Letters QLWM (1924-34) Code Letters DOMF (1934-45) Code Letters GQXW (1945-46) United Kingdom Official Number 180727 (1945-46)

Alk was a 1,175 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1924 by Neptun AG, Rostock, Germany for German owners. She was seized by the Allies in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and was renamed Empire Contest. In 1946, she was allocated to the Soviet Union and renamed Vereshyagin (Верещагин). She served until about 1960, being deleted from Lloyd's Register in that year.

Contents

Description

The ship was built in 1924 by Neptun AG.

The ship was 221 feet 4 inches (67.46 m) long, with a beam of 34 feet 9 inches (10.59 m) and a depth of 11 feet 2 inches (3.40 m). The ship had a GRT of 1,175 and a NRT of 612.

The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 17 916 inches (44.6 cm), 29 916 inches (75.1 cm) and 47 18 inches (120 cm) diameter by 31 12 inches (80 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Neptun.

History

Alk was built for Roland Linie AG, Bremen. Her port of registry was Bremen and she was allocated the Code Letters QLWM. By 1926, Norddeutscher Lloyd had taken over Roland Linie. In 1933, Alk was transferred to Argo Reederei AG, Bremen. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DOMF. In 1936, the company changed its name to Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Co.

In May 1945, Alk was seized by the Allies at Brunsbüttel. She was passed to the MoWT and renamed Empire Contest. Her port of registry was changed to London. The Code Letters GQXW and United Kingdom Official Number 180747 were allocated. She was placed under the management of W A Wilson Ltd.

In 1946, Empire Contesnt was transferred to the Soviet Government and was renamed Vereshyagin. Her port of registry was changed to Archangelsk. She served until c1960, when she was deleted from shipping registers.

References

SS Alk Wikipedia