CAPE BRETON (AK-5056)


Cape_Breton_Photo_Page_1.jpg
Cape Breton at sea. Date and location unknown. MARAD photo.
Year Built
1967
Official Number
508378
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
Still in Govt. Service

Historical Narrative



The break-bulk cargo ship Cape Breton was originally built as the SS Dolly Turman at the Avondale Shipyards in Avondale, Louisiana in 1966.  The ship was delivered to its owner, Lykes Brothers Steamship Company later that year.  The Dolly Turman 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. 

Dolly Turman was one of a number of ships acquired by the Maritime Administration in 1985 and assigned to its Ready Reserve Force.  Dolly Turman was renamed Cape Breton, placed on a five-day activation status, and homeported in Alameda, California. 

Five years later, Cape Breton was among the 78 Ready Reserve Force ships activated to support Operations DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM.  The vessel was ordered to activate on August 24, 1990, and placed under the operational control of the Navy’s Military Sealift Command.  It continued in service until September 1991. 

Cape Breton
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 Breton, available in the Documents section, contains a detailed history of the vessel.

Vessel Name History

1967 - 1985: Dolly Turman
1985 - present: Cape Breton


Vessel Name History

CAPE BRETON (AK-5056)

DOLLY TURMAN

Mission
Mission Name
Operations Desert Shield/Storm/Sortie
Historical Documents
Name Download

Milestones


Event Date Content
Ship Name Change
1/11/1985 Ship DOLLY TURMAN changes name to CAPE BRETON
Entry
1/11/1985
Acquisition
1/11/1985
Interim Movement
8/15/1997 ENRTE: San Francisco Drydock
Interim Movement
8/15/1997 At San Francisco Drydock
Interim Movement
8/29/1997 ENRTE: Alameda Point
Interim Movement
8/29/1997 At Alameda Point
Interim Movement
9/25/1997 Conducting maintenance activation
Interim Movement
9/26/1997 Complete maintenance activation
Interim Movement
9/20/1998 No-Notice Turbo Activation 98-5
Interim Movement
9/21/1998 Completed Turbo Activation
Interim Movement
3/7/1999 No-Notice Turbo Activation 99-2
Interim Movement
3/8/1999 Completed Turbo Activation 99-2
Interim Movement
11/18/1999 ENRTE: SBRF
Interim Movement
11/18/1999 New homeport at SBRF
Interim Movement
10/17/2000 ENRTE: Alameda for RRF Maintenance
Interim Movement
10/17/2000 At Alameda Point Pier 3 Berth 15
Interim Movement
4/5/2001 ENRTE: Cascade General S/Y Portland OR
Interim Movement
4/7/2001 In for drydocking at Cascade General S/Y
Interim Movement
5/3/2001 Conducting maintenance sea trial
Interim Movement
5/5/2001 Completed drydocking and sea trial
Interim Movement
10/2/2001 ENRTE: SBRF
Interim Movement
10/2/2001 Returned from drydocking
Interim Movement
9/14/2002 Under tow to Alameda CA for TA02-03
Interim Movement
9/14/2002 At Alameda for no-notice activation
Interim Movement
9/21/2002 Turbo Activation 02-03 sea trial
Interim Movement
9/24/2002 Completed Turbo Activation 02-03 S/T
Interim Movement
1/8/2003 Moving alongside the CAPE GIRARDEAU
Interim Movement
1/8/2003 Completed shift for downgrade to NDRF
Interim Movement
3/25/2003 ENRTE: SBRF
Interim Movement
3/25/2003 Returned from repairs and downgrade
Stripping Action
6/7/2005 "SSTG parts removed 6/7/2005, transferred to TS ENTERPRISE to support upgrade. Boxes EM-97, 98, 102 transferred."
Disposal
9/27/2012 Vessel cleared historic review.

Ship Imagery




Status Cards



Documents


Date Type Name Download
9/14/2012 National Register Eligibility Assessment Cape Breton.pdf Default Generic Download Image

Plans


No documents for this vessel


Shipwreck Information


Vessel Information
Owner
--

Operator
--

Operator Agreement
Unknown

Flag State
--

Incident Information
Incident Date
--

Use at Loss
--

Cause
Still in Govt. Service

Cause Comments
--

Conflict
--

Location of Incident
--

Accuracy of Incident Location
--

Lat/Long
--

Incident Location Comments
--

Lives Lost
--