It is doubtful that Alkimos was a true passenger ship even for a short time. At best, she was helping the Greek Coastal Shipping when things were in bad shape, as with the strike of 1951 that is discussed in Greek below. Yet, the ship stayed with the Greek Government for a while. It appears that they tried to sell her in the early 1950s but who would buy a huge salvage vessel...
So, she lasted only 10 years before she went for salvage herself! But of course note that this was a wooden ship!!
There is a wonderful Web site (http://www.risdonbeazley.co.uk/page2.html) talking about all these 1943 US salvage vessels and giving even a nice photo of a sister ship. We note:Name: SOUTHAMPTON SALVOR Launch Date: 23.1.43
Type: Salvage vessel Date of completion: 12.43
Flag: GBR Keel:
Tons: 800 Link:
DWT: 0 Yard No:
Length overall: 55.8 Ship Design:
LPP: 51.8 Country of build: USA
Beam: 11.3 Builder: Bellingham IW
Material of build: w Location of yard: Bellingham
Number of screws/Mchy/ Speed(kn): 2DE-12
Subsequent History: 48 ALKIMOS
Disposal Data: BU Greece 1953
Name Tons Change Registered Owner
SOUTHAMPTON SALVOR 800 1943 Royal Navy
ALKIMOS 945 1948 Greek Govt
And then moreCoastal Class salvage vessel on trials, the HELP?
By 1943 the Admiralty were taking delivery new salvage vessels from shipyards in the UK and USA. In addition to the 30 plus vessels that they already managed Risdon Beazley were given 30 more, making them the biggest civilian salvor in the World. Their ships worked in the Mediterranean and east to Colombo. They lost three ships due to enemy action. With the exception of three wreck clearance vessels, they managed all of the salvage ships and equipment that crossed the Channel for D-Day; they went on to clear the ports in Northern Europe. Their shipyard built 22 Fairmile ML/MGB/MTBs, a number of smaller vessels and acted as an assembly point for equipment & stores.
Salvage vessels.jpgRISDON BEAZLEY ADMIRALTY OWNED FLEET - RED ENSIGN FLEET (29 vessels).
All vessels were lightly armed. American Lease Lend Salvage Vessels
Part of a class of eight fully equipped salvage wooden vessels 183' x 37' x 14.75' Diesel Electric 1,200 BHP 12 knots. Displacement 800 tons, Crew 35. Rest of the class were retained by the USN and were at the Utah and Omaha beaches on D-Day.
..........Southampton Salvor (USN BARS 10) 1943 " " (Returned to USN 10/46)
And please in no way should you confuse her with the sad Alkimos in Peru http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkimos_(ship)
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Αδυνατον να δεχθουμε το Αλκιμος σαν επιβατηγο. Μαλλον χρησιμοποιηθηκε απλα για λιγο διαστημα οταν η Ελληνικη Ακτοπλοια το ειχε αναγκη, οπως επι παραδειγματι στην περιοδο απεργιας και λοκ−αουτ το 1951 (βλεπε παρα κατω). Τα χαρακτηριστικα αυτου του Αμερικανικου ξυλινου πλοιου του 1943 δινονται παρα πανω στα αγγλικα. Ηταν ενα μεγαλο ρυμουλκο!
Φαινεται οτι το πλοιο ηταν ελευθερο απο τον Οκτωβριο του 1946 και οτι το πηραμε το 1948 μια και βρισκουμε μια μικρη ανακοινωση στις εφημεριδες της εποχης που λεει οτι το Αλκιμος, το Αγερωχος και το Απτοητος (τι ονοματα!!!!) ηταν στον δρομο απο την Αμβερσα στον Πειραια στις 8 Σεπτεμβριου 1948.
19480908 Alkimos.jpg
Φαινεται οτι δεν βοηθησαν πολυ τοτε γιατι περασαν στον πλειστηριασμο στις 24 Δεκεμβριου 1949
19491224 Alkimos.jpg