The Concrete Ships of WWI and WWII: An Experiment In Maritime Construction
WWI
Atlantus
Cape Fear
Cuyamaca
Dinsmore
Latham
Moffitt
Palo Alto
Peralta
Polias
San Pasqual
Sapona
Selma
WWII
Anderson
Aspdin
Chateliere
Considere
Cowham
Eckel
Grant
Hennibique
Humphrey
Kahn
Lesley
Meade
Merriman
Pasley
Pollard
Saylor
Slater
Smeaton
Talbot
Thatcher
Vicat
Vidal
Vitruvius
Wason
Barges
Quartz
YOGN 82
Breakwaters
Powell River
Kiptopeke
 

The World War I Emergency Fleet

During the first World War, steel was becoming scarce. President Woodrow Wilson approved the construction of 24 concrete ships. Of the 24, only 12 were built, at a total cost of $50 million. By the time the ships were completed, the war had already ended.

S.S. Atlantus
A steamer that was eventually purchased for use in a ferry landing. During construction of the landing, she broke free in a storm and grounded on the beach of Cape May, NJ.
S.S. Cape Fear
A steamer that collided with a cargo ship in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. The Cape fear shattered and sank, killing 19 crewmen.
S. S. Cuyamaca
An oil tanker later stripped and converted into a floating oil barge in New Orleans.
S. S. Dinsmore
An oil tanker probably sunk as a breakwater in Texas.
S. S. Latham
An oil tanker turned into a floating oil barge in New Orleans.
S. S. Moffitt
An oil tanker also turned into a floating oil barge in New Orleans.
S. S. Palo Alto
An oil tanker turned into a dance club and restaurant at Seacliff Beach, California. She is now fishing pier.
S. S. Peralta
An oil tanker turned into fish cannery and finally a floating breakwater in British Columbia, Canada. She is the last of the fleet still afloat.
S. S. Polias
A steamer that hit an underwater ledge off Maine and eventually sank.
S. S. San Pasqual
An oil tanker that ran aground off Cuba and was used as a depot ship and prison. Today, she is now a ten-room hotel.
S. S. Sapona
A steamer sold for scrap but converted into a floating liquor warehouse during Prohibition. Finally, she was grounded off shore of Bimini during a hurricane and is now a popular dive site.
S. S. Selma
The "Flagship of Texas", an oil tanker that was scrapped and grounded off the coast of Galveston, Texas.