Calmar Steamship Company
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Founder | Bethlehem Steel |
| Defunct | 1976 |
| Fate | Discontinued operations |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | United States (Atlantic to Pacific coast) |
| Parent | Bethlehem Steel |
Calmar Steamship Company operated as a wholly owned division of Bethlehem Steel, established in New York City in 1927. At the time, Bethlehem Steel ranked as the world's second-largest steel producer and launched Calmar to resolve inefficiencies in its transportation network. The company primarily focused on moving Bethlehem Steel's products from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific coast, while transporting lumber back eastward from the West Coast. Calmar discontinued its activities in 1976, coinciding with the downturn of the American steel industry.
Ships
- Among its prominent vessels were:
- SS Portmar, a steam-powered cargo ship constructed in 1919
- SS Corvus, built by Columbia River Shipbuilding Company
- Alamar (1919), steam cargo vessel
- SS Circinus, steam cargo ship dating from 1919
- SS Oakmar, which was sunk by U-71 near Virginia in 1942
- Calmar (1), belonging to the Type C4 ship class
- Liberty ships acquired and renamed under Calmar's operation included:**
- Marymar (formerly SS Frederick H. Baetjer)
- Alamar (2) (previously Samuel F. B. Morse)
- Massmar (ex-Alexander V. Fraser)
- Flomar (ex-Arlie Clark)
- Seamar (ex-George M. Verity)
- Kemmar (formerly George R. Holmes)
- Calmar (ex-Vincent Harrington)
- Portmar (ex-Joseph B. Eastman)
- Pennmar (ex-William S. Baer)
- Yorkmar (ex-Walter Kidde)
- Lomar (ex-Morris Sigman)
- Texmar (ex-Harold O. Wilson)
World War II
Throughout World War II, subsidiaries of Bethlehem Steel, including Calmar Steamship Company and Interocean, operated chartered vessels under contracts with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. These firms managed fleets of Victory and Liberty ships, crewed by civilians alongside U.S. Navy Armed Guards who manned deck armaments and handled communications equipment. Typical weaponry featured 20mm Oerlikon autocannons and assorted deck guns of various calibers.
Following the war, a surplus of vessels entered the market, intensifying competition among shipping companies. Black Diamond Steamship Company maintained operations for a period but ultimately ceased in 1955.
- Calmar Steamship Company managed several notable Victory ships during this era:**
- Blue Ridge Victory
- Hagerstown Victory
- Honduras Victory
- Nashua Victory
- In addition, Calmar operated an extensive roster of Liberty ships, including:**
- Andrew G. Curtin (lost in 1944)
- Thomas McKean (sunk 1942)
- Pierce Butler (sunk 1942)
- Benjamin Harrison (sunk 1943)
- James W. Denver (sunk 1943)
- James A. Butts
- Roy K. Johnson
- Flora MacDonald
- Frank R. Stockton
- Frederick H. Baetjer
- Frederick L. Dau
- Thomas Sully
- Philip F. Thomas (went down in 1956 as PELAGIA)
- Additional vessels included: Benjamin Chew, Christopher Newport, Thomas Nelson, Richard Henry Lee, Grace Abbott, William Paca, Eleazar Wheelock, James W. Wheeler, and John H. B. Latrobe
This wartime shipping effort formed a crucial part of Bethlehem Steel's operational strategy, bolstering its international presence and influence throughout the conflict period.
See also
References
- Articles with short description
- Defunct shipping companies of the United States
- Transport companies established in 1927
- Transport companies disestablished in 1976
- American companies established in 1927
- 1927 establishments in New York (state)
- 1976 disestablishments in New York (state)
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment