SS Harald Torsvik

History
United States
Name	Henry B. Plant Harald Torsvik
Namesake	Henry B. Plant Harald Torsvik
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2502
Awarded	23 April 1943
Builder	St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida
Cost	$955,581
Yard number	66
Way number	6
Laid down	25 September 1944
Launched	28 October 1944
Completed	6 November 1944
Fate	Transferred to Norway under Lend-Lease, 6 November 1944
Norway
Name	Harald Torsvik
Owner	Norway
Fate	Sold, 1946
Norway
Name	Grey County
Owner	Klaus Wiese Hansen
Fate	Sold, 1951
Panama
Name	Aegean Sailor
Owner	Cia Nav del Egero
Operator	Lemos & Pateras
Refit	Converted to M/V, 1960
Fate	Sold, 1960
Greece
Name	Kyramorouko
Owner	Marafecto Cia Nav
Fate	Sold, 1964
Greece
Name	Spalmatori
Owner	Spalmatori Cia Nav
Fate	Sold, 1966
Greece
Name	Anastassios
Owner	Astro-Mareante Nav
Fate	Sold, 1967
Greece
Name	Stymfalos
Owner	Stymfalos SA
Fate	Scrapped, 1968
General characteristics
Class and type	Liberty ship type EC2-S-C1, standard
Tonnage	10,865 LT DWT 7,176 GRT
Displacement	3,380 long tons (3,434 t) (light) 14,245 long tons (14,474 t) (max)
Length	441 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa 416 feet (127 m) pp 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam	57 feet (17 m)
Draft	27 ft 9.25 in (8.4646 m)
Installed power	2 × Oil fired 450 °F (232 °C) boilers, operating at 220 psi (1,500 kPa) 2,500 hp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion	1 × triple-expansion steam engine,  (manufactured by General Machinery Corp., Hamilton, Ohio) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	562,608 cubic feet (15,931 m3) (grain) 499,573 cubic feet (14,146 m3) (bale)
Complement	38–62 USMM 21–40 USNAG
Armament	Varied by ship Bow-mounted 3 inches (76 mm)/50 caliber gun Stern-mounted 4 inches (102 mm)/50 caliber gun 2–8 × single 20 millimeters (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons and/or, 2–8 × 37 millimeters (1.46 in) M1 AA guns

SS Harald Torsvik was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was first named after Henry B. Plant, an American businessman, entrepreneur, investor involved with many transportation interests and projects, mostly railroads, in the southeastern United States. She was transferred to Norway after launching and renamed Harald Torsvik after Harald Torsvik, a Norwegian lawyer that aided refugees fleeing to England during World War II, he was captured by the Nazis and executed.

Construction

Henry B. Plant was laid down on 25 September 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2502, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; and was launched on 28 October 1944.

History

She was transferred to Norway, under the Lend-Lease program, on 6 November 1944, and renamed Harald Torsvik. She was sold for commercial use, 10 October 1946, to Klaus Wiese Hansen, for $574,830.27, and renamed Grey County.

Bibliography

• "St. John's River Shipbuilding, Jacksonville FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
• Maritime Administration. "Harald Torsvik". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
• "SS Henry B. Plant". Retrieved 31 January 2020.