Ordered 20 October 1970 Construction started 26 July 1971 Length 204 m | Laid down 26 July 1971 Launched 8 July 1972 Builder Bath Iron Works | |
 | ||
Name SS Export Leader (MA 257) Owner United States Maritime Administration Operator American Export Isbrandtsen Line In service 22 January 1973 to 1986 | ||
SS Gopher State (T-ACS-4) is a crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy. The ship was named for the state of Minnesota, which is also known as the Gopher State.
History
Gopher State was laid down on 26 July 1971, as the container ship SS Export Leader, ON 545126, IMO 7226689, a Maritime Administration type (C5-S-73b) hull under MARAD contract (MA 257). Built by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, hull no. 358, she was launched on 8 July 1972, and delivered to MARAD 22 January 1973, entering service for American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines. She was sold to Farrell Lines in 1978 without name change. The ship was returned to MARAD in 1986 and laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF). In 1987 she was converted to a type (C5-S-MA73c) Crane Ship by Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock, Norfolk, Virginia. Completed on 12 October 1987, she was placed in service as SS Gopher State (T-ACS-4) and assigned to the Ready Reserve Force (RRF), under operation control of the Military Sealift Command (MSC).
Gopher State is in ready reserve, laid up at Newport News, Virginia. As of December 2016, she is in Drydock No. 3 in Boston, MA.