CAPE BLANCO (AK-5060)

Bow of the Cape Blanco while in Alameda, California, and laid-up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet. MARAD photo.

Year Built

1966

Official Number

505406

Shipyard

Avondale Marine Ways

General Type

Naval Auxiliary

Specific Type

AK Cargo Ship

MARAD Type

C4-S-66a

Ship Length

540.00 feet

Beam

76.00 feet

Mast Height

143.00 feet

Net Tons

6320.00 tons

Gross Tons

10950.00 tons

Cargo Capacity

54033.00 square feet

Draft, Summer

22.00 tons

Draft, Lightweight

12.60 tons

Displacement, Summer

21840.00 tons

Displacement, Lightweight

7178.00 tons

Immersion, Summer

69.00 tons

Immersion, Lightweight

54.00 tons

Fate

Sold - Scrap

Historical Narrative

The break-bulk cargo ship Cape Blanco was originally built as the SS Mason Lykes at the Avondale Shipyards in Avondale, Louisiana in 1965. The ship was delivered to its owner, Lykes Brothers Steamship Company on September 20, 1966. The Mason Lykes was a traditional break-bulk cargo vessel that transported cotton and other palletized and bulk cargoes from the Gulf of Mexico to the West Indies, Great Britain, and from the northern border of Portugal to the southern border of Denmark.

Mason Lykes was one of a number of ships acquired by the Maritime Administration in 1985 and assigned to its Ready Reserve Force (RRF). The Mason Lykes was renamed Cape Blanco, placed on a five-day activation status, and homeported in Alameda, California.

Five years later, the Cape Blanco was among the 78 RRF ships activated to support Operations DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM. The vessel was ordered to activate on December 9, 1990, and placed under the operational control of the Navy’s Military Sealift Command. It continued in service until September 1991.

Cape Blanco was maintained in a reduced operating status (partially crewed) in Alameda, California, after which it was laid-up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet.

The MARAD's National Register Eligibility Assessment for Cape Blanco, available in the Documents section, also contains a detailed history of the vessel.

Vessel Name History

CAPE BLANCO (AK-5060)

MASON LYKES

Mission

Mission Name
Operations Desert Shield/Storm/Sortie

Historical Documents

Name	Download

Milestones

Event	Date	Content
Ship Name Change	(No Date)	Ship MASON LYKES changes name to CAPE BLANCO
Acquisition	1/11/1985
Interim Movement	8/1/1997	ENRTE: San Francisco Drydock
Interim Movement	8/1/1997	At San Francisco Drydock
Interim Movement	8/15/1997	ENRTE: Alameda Point
Interim Movement	8/15/1997	At Alameda Point
Interim Movement	9/18/1997	Conducting sea trial
Interim Movement	9/19/1997	Completed sea trial
Interim Movement	9/12/1998	No-Notice Turbo Activation 98-4
Interim Movement	9/13/1998	Completed Turbo Activation
Interim Movement	10/25/2000	Conducting annual maintenance sea trial
Interim Movement	10/26/2000	Completed annual maintenance sea trial
Interim Movement	5/28/2001	Conducting TA-01-03 Sea Trial
Interim Movement	5/29/2001	Completed TA-01-03 Sea Trial
Interim Movement	7/1/2002	Under tow to San Franciscoe Drydock
Interim Movement	7/1/2002	At San Francisco Drydock
Interim Movement	7/16/2002	Under tow to Alameda CA
Interim Movement	7/16/2002	Returned from drydocking
Interim Movement	7/31/2002	Conducting sea trial and maintenance act
Interim Movement	8/2/2002	Completed sea trial
Interim Movement	3/27/2003	Under tow to SBRF
Interim Movement	3/27/2003	NDRF downgrade \| New homeport is SBRF
Disposal	9/27/2012	Vessel cleared historic review.
Location Movement	6/16/2016	Vessel departed SBRF, under domestic sale contract with All Star Metals, LLC.