Alaska Tanker Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping, Transportation, Logistics |
| Founder | Charles Kurz |
| Headquarters | Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania , United States |
Area served | United States, Great Lakes |
Key people | Charles Kurz (founder) |
| Products | Tankers, dry bulk carriers, tugboats, tank barges, roll-on/roll-off ships |
Keystone Shipping Company is a U.S.-based transportation and shipping enterprise with its main offices located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company manages a diverse fleet exceeding 20 vessels, which includes tankers, dry bulk carriers, tugboats, tank barges, and roll-on/roll-off ships. Its tanker division is responsible for moving crude oil and various petroleum products along the coastlines of the United States.
Origins and Initial Development
Established by Charles Kurz, Keystone Shipping Company has been providing logistical support to the United States Armed Forces worldwide since the time of World War I. The firm is also an active participant in the Ready Reserve Fleet initiative. Before launching Keystone, Kurz had experience as a shipping agent, commodity trader, and vessel owner. The corporate headquarters is situated in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Role during World War II
In the period of World War II, Keystone served as a principal tanker operator under the War Shipping Administration, overseeing a fleet consisting of more than 60 tankers, including numerous Type T2 tankers. Typically, each vessel was staffed by a merchant crew composed of approximately 9 officers and 39 crew members. During this era, Charles Kurz held the position of director at the War Shipping Administration.
Among the prominent ships managed were the escort carrier SS Santee and several Liberty ships such as Christopher L. Sholes, Charles A. Wickliffe, Andrew A. Humphreys, Henry L. Ellsworth, Thomas F. Cunningham, David Holmes, and S.S. Seakay. The company also operated T2 tanker models including Oscar F. Barrett, Oscar S. Straus, Bennington, and Bunker Hill.
Key Lakes
Key Lakes, based in Duluth, Minnesota, operates as a subsidiary under Keystone Shipping Company and maintains a fleet of 20 vessels on the Great Lakes. This division manages various types of ships including tankers, dry bulk carriers, tugboats, tank barges, and roll-on/roll-off vessels.
Alaska Tanker Company
Keystone Shipping collaborated in establishing the Alaska Tanker Company in 1999 together with OSG America Operating Company from Tampa, Florida and BP Oil Shipping Company. On March 12, 2020, Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (NYSE: OSG) acquired full ownership of Alaska Tanker Company, which now functions as a subsidiary headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon. The company focuses on transporting crude oil from Alaska using four tankers each with a capacity of 190,000 tons.
- Vessels:**
- Alaska Explorer
- Alaska Frontier
- Alaska Legend
- Alaska Navigator
Keystone Shipping Company Fleet
- Selected vessels operated by Keystone Shipping:
- MV Cape Kennedy (T-AKR-5083)
- SS Denebola (T-AKR-289)
- RS RocketShip – primarily used to transport rocket components for ULA Atlas V, Delta IV, and Vulcan launch vehicles to locations such as Cape Canaveral, Fla. and Vandenberg AFB.
- MV Cape Knox (T-AKR-5082)
- USNS Potomac (T-AO-181)
- MV Roger Blough
- Significant former vessels include:
- SS Chancellorsville (T2 tanker)
- SS Fredericksburg (1958) (in service from 1976 to 2004)
- SS Murfreesboro (T2)
- SS Perryville (T2)
- SS Pueblo (T2)
- Birch Coulie
- Oakley Wood
- Henry C. Wallace
- New Zealand Victory
- David Holmes
- Alan Seeger
- Little Big Horn
- Fort Capot River
- MV Sea Isle City
- SS Bridgeton
- USS Saugatuck