SS Zaanland

Zaanland as a commercial ship prior to her United States Navy service
History
Netherlands
Name	Zaanland
Namesake	Zaanland River
Owner	Zuid Amerika Lijn (1900-1908) Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyd (1908-1918)
Builder	Russell & Co., Port Glasgow
Yard number	460
Launched	7 September 1900
Completed	October 1900
Maiden voyage	12 October 1900
Homeport	Amsterdam
Identification	Call sign QCVP
Fate	Transferred to US Navy
History
United States
Name	USS Zaanland
Owner	USSB
Operator	U.S. Navy (1918)
Acquired	25 March 1918
Commissioned	29 March 1918
Fate	Sunk in collision, 12 May 1918
General characteristics
Type	Cargo ship
Tonnage	4,160 GRT (1900-1906) 5,417 GRT (1907-1918) 2,714 NRT (1900-1906) 3,526 NRT (1907-1918) 6,490 DWT
Length	389 ft 4 in (118.67 m)
Beam	51 ft 1 in (15.57 m)
Draft	23 ft 6 in (7.16 m) mean
Depth	25 ft 2 in (7.67 m)
Installed power	449 Nhp
Propulsion	Dunsmuir & Jackson 3-cylinder triple expansion
Speed	11 kn (13 mph; 20 km/h)
Complement	81 (during WWI)

Zaanland was a steam single-screw cargo ship built in 1900 by Russell and Company of Port Glasgow for Zuid Amerika Lijn of Amsterdam with intention of carrying cattle from Argentina and Uruguay to various ports in Europe, including England. The cargo ship operated on South America to Europe route during her entire career. She was requisitioned by the US Navy in March 1918 and sunk after colliding with another vessel on her first trip under Navy flag two months later.

Design and Construction

Due to increasing economic growth in South American countries of Argentina and Brazil in late nineteenth century prominent Dutch shipping, trade and banking circles felt the need to establish regular shipping connections with South America. In July 1899 they established Zuid Amerika Lijn (Z.A.L.) with total capitalization of approximately 2 million guldens. In addition, an order for three cargo ships, future SS Amstelland, SS Zaanland and SS Rijnland, was placed with Russel & Co. Zaanland was the second of these ships, and was laid down at the builder's yard in Port Glasgow (yard number 460) and launched on 7 September 1900. The ship was of the spar-deck type, had a continuous sheltered deck constructed both fore and aft to carry large quantities of cattle or light cargo. The vessel had all the modern machinery fitted for quick loading and unloading of the cargo and had electrical lights installed along the decks.

As built, the ship was 389 feet 4 inches (118.67 m) long (between perpendiculars) and 51 feet 1 inch (15.57 m) abeam, a depth of 25 feet 2 inches (7.67 m). Zaanland was assessed at 4,160 GRT and 2,714 NRT and had deadweight of approximately 6,490. The vessel had a steel hull with a double bottom built on the cellular principle, and a single 449 nhp triple-expansion steam engine, with cylinders of 27-inch (69 cm), 42-inch (110 cm) and 69-inch (180 cm) diameter with a 54-inch (140 cm) stroke, that drove a single screw propeller, and moved the ship at up to 11.0 knots (12.7 mph; 20.4 km/h). The steam for the engine was supplied by three single-ended Scotch marine boilers fitted for coal fuel.

The sea trials were held on October 12 during which the ship performed satisfactorily. Following their completion, the ship was transferred to her owners and departed for Buenos Aires.

Operational history

Upon delivery Zaanland loaded full cargo of coal and departed Greenock on 12 October 1900 bound for Buenos Aires. She reached her destination on November 10 and departed for her return trip on December 15. Zaanland eventually arrived at Dunkirk on 13 January 1901, thus successfully concluding her maiden voyage. The freighter continued sailing on the same route through 1906, carrying cattle, meat and other agricultural products from South American ports of Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro to European ports, and coal on her way down south.

Due to epidemics of foot and mouth disease in Argentina in 1900-1903 she was precluded from carrying any meat or cattle to Europe and United Kingdom during her first two and half years of service. This ban which resulted in Z.A.L.'s reduced profitability, increasing surplus of their vessels cargo space, and negatively impacting freight rates, was not lifted until September 1903. As a result, Z.A.L.'s bottom line was significantly affected and in fact during the first five years of the company's existence it suffered a cumulative loss of nearly 700,000 guldens. Shortly afterwards, the company entered into negotiations with the government asking to provide subsidies for their service between Holland and South America. On 28 November 1907 the Senate approved such subsidy in an amount of 3 million guldens payable over a time span of fifteen years. As part of this bill, all assets owned by Z.A.L. were transferred to a newly created company, N.V. Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyd.

At the same time a significant rise in immigration from Europe to South America brought in considerable demand for passenger service from Low Countries, France, Spain and Portugal. In September 1906 Z.A.L. inaugurated such passenger service between continental Europe and Argentina and Brazil. In order to accommodate the passengers, Zaanland and her sister ships had to be rebuilt, and as a result their gross-tonnage increased significantly. Each of the vessels was able to accommodate approximately 1,400 steerage passengers.

Sinking

On 20 March 1918, Zaanland was seized at Newport News, Virginia, by the United States Government under the right of angary, which allowed a belligerent power to use the property of a neutral nation if necessary, subject to full indemnification. She was acquired by the United States Navy for use by the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS) on 25 March 1918, the cargo ship was assigned the identification number (Id. No.) 2746 and commissioned as USS Zaanland at Hampton Roads on 29 March 1918, Lieutenant Commander Daniel Brown, USNRF, in command.

Zaanland was repaired and fitted out at Newport News, Virginia, by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, before sailing for the Gulf of Mexico on 4 April. Arriving at New Orleans, Louisiana on 11 April, she simultaneously underwent further repairs and conversion work and loaded 4,946 long tons (5,025 t) of general cargo consigned by the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps. She departed New Orleans on 20 April and arrived back at Hampton Roads on 25 April.

Zaanland sailed from Norfolk, Virginia on 30 April, in Convoy HN-67, bound for La Pallice, France. During the voyage, in a heavy mist at 20:26 on 12 May, she apparently suffered a rudder casualty and was rammed by the tanker USS Hisko (ID-1953). The collision tore a jagged, 15 in (0.38 m) hole in the cargo ship's starboard side, amidships between her bridge and fire room. Zaanland soon assumed a heavy list and began to sink by the bow. At 20:40, all hands were called topside as boats were launched. Within an hour, all of Zaanland's crew were safely aboard the United States Army-chartered Munson Line cargo ship SS Munalbro, which later in 1918 would be commissioned into the U.S. Navy as USS Munalbro.

Although settling deeper in the water with each passing hour, Zaanland remained afloat into the next day. At 04:00 on 13 May, Lt. Cdr. Brown reboarded Zaanland and inspected the ship. He found that there was no hope of towing the vessel to port and predicted that she probably would sink within a few hours. His observation proved to be correct, for Zaanland sank, bow first, at 07:10 on 13 May.

Munalbro — while endeavoring to overtake the convoy — soon met SS Minnesota en route, and transferred Zaanland's crew to the west-bound vessel for passage back to the United States.

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Department of the Navy, Naval Historical Center: Online Library of Selected Images: S.S. Zaanland (Dutch Freighter, 1900) Served as USS Zaanland (ID # 2746) in 1918