SS Memel

History
Name	Reval (1925–34); Memel (1934–45); Empire Constellation (1945–46); Ivan Sechenov (1946–1977);
Owner	Lübeck Linie AG (1925–34); Mathies Reederei (1934–45); Ministry of War Transport (1945); Ministry of Transport (1945–46); Soviet Government (1946–1977);
Operator	Lübeck Linie AG (1925–34); Mathies Reederei (1934–45); J Hay & Sons Ltd (1945–46); Soviet Government (1946–1977);
Port of registry	Lübeck (1925–33); Lübeck (1933–34); Hamburg (1934–45); London (1945–46); Soviet Union (1946–1977);
Builder	Schiffs-und Dockbauwerft Flender
Launched	1925
Identification	Code Letters PCDL (1925-34); ; Code Letters DRBK (1934–45); ; Code Letters GKTC (1945–46); ; United Kingdom Official Number 180774 (1945–46);
Fate	Sunk in 1977
General characteristics
Type	Cargo ship
Tonnage	1,102 GRT; 575 NRT;
Length	220 ft 7 in (67.23 m)
Beam	34 ft 6 in (10.52 m)
Depth	12 ft 5 in (3.78 m)
Installed power	Triple expansion steam engine
Propulsion	Screw propeller

Memel was a 1,102 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1925 as Reval by Schiffs-und Dockbauwerft Flender AG, Lübeck, Germany for German owners. A sale in 1934 saw her renamed Memel. She was seized by the Allies in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and was renamed Empire Constellation. In 1946, she was transferred to the Soviet Union and renamed Ivan Sechenov.^{[Note A]}

Description

The ship was built in 1925 by Schiffs-und Dockbauwerft Flender AG, Lübeck.^[1]

The ship was 220 feet 7 inches (67.23 m) long, with a beam of 34 feet 6 inches (10.52 m) and a depth of 12 feet 5 inches (3.78 m). The ship had a GRT of 1,102 and a NRT of 575.^[2]

The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 16 3⁄4 inches (43 cm), 27 9⁄16 inches (70.0 cm) and 43 5⁄16 inches (110.0 cm) diameter by 27 9⁄16 inches (70.0 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Waggon-und Maschinenbau AG, Görlitz.^[2]

History

Reval was built for Lübeck Linie AG, Lübeck.^[1] Her port of registry was Lübeck. The Code Letters PCDL were allocated.^[2] In 1929, her captain was Walter Heinrich Giermann, who had previously captained the four-masted schooner Vaterland.^[3] In 1934, Reval was sold to Mathies Reederei, Hamburg and was renamed Memel after the Baltic port ceded to Lithuania after World War I.^[1] Her port of registry was changed to Hamburg and the Code Letters DRBK were allocated.^[4]

In May 1945, Memel was seized by the Allies at Flensburg. She was passed to the MoWT and renamed Empire Constellation.^[1] Her port of registry was changed to London and she was placed under the management of J Hay & Sons Ltd. The Code Letters GKTC and United Kingdom Official Number 180774 were allocated.^[5] In 1946, Empire Constellation was transferred to the Soviet Union,^[1] and was renamed Ivan Gegenov.^[6]

On 14 January 1977, the ship, now renamed Ivan Sechenov, sank after colliding with the Liberian cargo ship Praktikolas Maris in foggy conditions in the Sea of Marmara, Turkey, with the loss of 22 crew.^[7]^{[Note A]}

Notes

^Note A Mitchell & Sawyer give the name as Ivan Sechenov (Ива́н Се́ченов), but it was recorded as Ivan Gegenov in contemporary shipping registers. It is possible that she was later renamed Ivan Sechenov or that Ivan Gegenov is an error.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Mitchell, W.H.; Sawyer, L.A. (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. p. not cited. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
^ ^a ^b ^c "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
^ "Walter Heinrich Giermann" (in German). Jürgen Ruszkowski. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
^ "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
^ "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
^ "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
^ "37 are feared dead after collisions at sea". The Times. No. 59907. London. 14 January 1977. col D, p. 10.

External links

Photo of Ivan Sechenov

40°26′N 27°23′E / 40.43°N 27.38°E / 40.43; 27.38

[Ships-1] Mitchell, W.H.; Sawyer, L.A. (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. p. not cited. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.

[Reval30-2] "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 August 2010.

[Giermann-3] "Walter Heinrich Giermann" (in German). Jürgen Ruszkowski. Retrieved 25 August 2010.

[Memel34-4] "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 August 2010.

[Constellation45-5] "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 August 2010.

[Gegenov45-6] "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 August 2010.

[Times140177-7] "37 are feared dead after collisions at sea". The Times. No. 59907. London. 14 January 1977. col D, p. 10.

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v t e Empire ships
By suffix, Empire x
A B Ca–Cl Co–Cy D E F G H I–J K L M N O P R Sa–Sh Si–Sy Ta–Te Th–Ty U–Z
See also: Fort ship, Liberty ship, Park ship, Ocean ship, Victory ship.

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1977
Shipwrecks	13 Jan: Ivan Sechenov 23 Jan: Lucona January (unknown date): Success Star 17 Jan: Irenes Challenger 2 Feb: Vasso M. 17 Feb: USS Stockham 24 Feb: MV Hawaiian Patriot 28 Apr: USS Blue 1 Jun: Seaspeed Dora 3 Jun: William Carson June (unknown date): USS Butternut 22 Aug: USS Rowan 6 Nov: Piraeus II November (unknown date): Hero 6 Dec: Empire Rosa Unknown date: Himma
Other incidents	24 Feb: Marine Floridian 10 May: Venture One 20 Sep: USS Ray 20 Oct: Stolt Surf 16 Dec: Venoil, Venpet Unknown date: Claude W. Somers, Transport
1976 1978