page_title: SS W. L. Steed
section_title: Design and Construction
hierarchical_section_title: SS W. L. Steed / Design and Construction
caption_attribution_description: English: The launching of tanker SS W. L. Steed in 1918 prior to her 1918-1919 U.S. Navy service as W. L. Steed (ID-3449)
context_page_description: W. L. Steed was a steam tanker built in 1917–1918 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of Quincy for Pan American Petroleum and Transport Company, with intention of transporting oil and petroleum products between Mexican and Gulf ports and the Northeast of the United States. The ship was briefly requisitioned by the US Government during World War I but returned to commercial service in early 1919. The ship was named after William L. Steed, superintendent of the Mexican Petroleum Company of California.
context_section_description: Early in 1917 Pan American Petroleum & Transport Co. decided to add two more tankers of approximately 9,000 deadweight to its existing fleet, expanding their oil carrying business. A contract for these vessels was awarded to the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. On August 3, 1917 the future tanker along with her sister-ship George W. Barnes were requisitioned by the Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) for war purposes. Due to the fact that Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. was awarded US government contract to build several steel tankers designated as Design 1045 ships, it was decided to use the same blueprint to construct these vessels as well. The ship was laid down at the Fore River shipyard in Quincy (yard number 269) on 9 November 1917, and launched on 2 September 1918, with Mrs. Paul H. Harwood, wife of Vice-President of Pan American Petroleum & Transport Company, serving as the sponsor. During the launch the vessel struck the ledge on the opposite side of the river and had several plates bent in around her starboard side #4 hold, which, however, did not prevent her speedy completion. The vessel construction was completed on September 9, which set a new record with less than nine days passing between the launching and delivery. After successfully finishing sea trials on September 10, she was placed in a drydock to repair the damage sustained during the launching, and was not officially accepted by USSB until September 18.
  The ship was built on the Isherwood principle of longitudinal framing providing extra strength to the body of the vessel, and had two main decks. The vessel was later equipped with wireless of De Forest type. The tanker had a cargo pump room located amidships, and had cargo tanks constructed throughout the vessel with a total capacity to carry 3,200,000 US gallons of oil.
  As built, the ship was 416 feet 8 inches (127.00 m) long (between perpendiculars) and 56 feet 1 inch (17.09 m) abeam, and had a depth of 31 feet 1 inch (9.47 m). W. L. Steed was originally assessed at 6,450 GRT and 4,620 NRT and had deadweight of approximately 9,030. The vessel had a steel hull, and a single 525 Nhp (2,600 ihp) vertical triple expansion steam engine, with cylinders of 26 ¹⁄₂-inch (67 cm), 44-inch (110 cm) and 74-inch (190 cm) diameter with a 51-inch (130 cm) stroke, that drove a single screw propeller and moved the ship at up to 10 ¹⁄₂ knots (12.1 mph; 19.4 km/h). The steam for the engine was supplied by three single-ended Scotch boilers fitted for oil fuel.
caption: The launch of SS W. L. Steed on September 2, 1918.
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