SS Frosta
Encyclopedia
SS Frosta was a Norwegian
oil tanker
, built in 1961 in Germany
by Bremer Vulcan and owned by A/S J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi of Bergen
, Norway. The Frosta was 664 feet in length, 90 feet in breadth, with a gross weight of 22,850 tons, and powered by a steam turbine
engine, rated at 16,800 horsepower. It was rebuilt as a chemical tanker
in 1971 at Kristiansands mek. Verksted. Decommissioned in 1979.
occurred on the morning of 20 October 1976. The ferry George Prince was struck by the SS Frosta, which was traveling upriver on the Mississippi River
. The collision occurred at mile post 120.8 above Head of Passes
, less than three-quarters of a mile from the construction site of the bridge
that would replace the ferry 7 years later. The ferry was crossing from Destrehan, Louisiana
on the East Bank to Luling, Louisiana
on the West Bank. SS Frosta was sailing from Rotterdam, Holland, on 4 October, bound for Baton Rouge, Louisiana
. Ninety-six passengers and crew were aboard the ferry when it was struck, and seventy-eight perished.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
oil tanker
Oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
, built in 1961 in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
by Bremer Vulcan and owned by A/S J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi of Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway. The Frosta was 664 feet in length, 90 feet in breadth, with a gross weight of 22,850 tons, and powered by a steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
engine, rated at 16,800 horsepower. It was rebuilt as a chemical tanker
Chemical tanker
A chemical tanker is a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk.Ocean-going chemical tankers generally range from to in size, which is considerably smaller than the average size of other tanker types due to the specialised nature of their cargoes and the size restrictions of the...
in 1971 at Kristiansands mek. Verksted. Decommissioned in 1979.
Ferry disaster
The MV George Prince ferry disasterMV George Prince ferry disaster
The MV George Prince ferry disaster was a nautical disaster that occurred in the Mississippi River in Louisiana, United States, on the morning of . The ferry George Prince was struck by the Norwegian tanker SS Frosta, which was traveling upriver...
occurred on the morning of 20 October 1976. The ferry George Prince was struck by the SS Frosta, which was traveling upriver on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The collision occurred at mile post 120.8 above Head of Passes
Head of Passes
Head of Passes is where the main stem of the Mississippi River branches off into three distinct directions at its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico: Southwest Pass , Pass A Loutre and South Pass...
, less than three-quarters of a mile from the construction site of the bridge
Luling Bridge
The Luling Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge over the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. It is named for the late United States Congressman Hale Boggs. The bridge was dedicated by Governor David C...
that would replace the ferry 7 years later. The ferry was crossing from Destrehan, Louisiana
Destrehan, Louisiana
Destrehan is a census-designated place in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2000 census. It was named after Jean N...
on the East Bank to Luling, Louisiana
Luling, Louisiana
Luling is a census-designated place in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 11,512 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Luling is located at and has an elevation of ....
on the West Bank. SS Frosta was sailing from Rotterdam, Holland, on 4 October, bound for Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. Ninety-six passengers and crew were aboard the ferry when it was struck, and seventy-eight perished.
External references
- Defense Technical Information Center - Marine Casualty Report. SS FROSTA, M/V GEORGE PRINCE; Collision in the Mississippi River on 20 October 1976.
- NTSB Report Number: MAR-79-04, adopted on 3/22/1979: Luling Destrehan Ferry M/V George Prince Collision with the Tanker SS Frosta on the Mississippi River, 20 October 1976
- A/S J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, ship history