S.S. Texas Sun
Sun Ship Hull #: 611 Contract Date:  4/21/1959
Keel Laid: 4/21/1959 Time on Ways (M/D): l6/3
Date Delivered: 12/13/60 Time in Wet Basin (M/D): 2/19
Total Time Bldg.: 19/22 Promised Delivery Date:  
D.W.T.: 53,453 Propulsion: Steam Turbine
H.P.: 18,500 Speed:  17 knots
Sponsor:  MRS. JOSEPH N. PEW, III Delivery Price:  
Bbls. Capacity: 373,794 Launch date: 8/24/1960
Previous Owner: N/A Previous Name: N/A
Date Purchased:   Date Sold:
 
Subsequent Owner:   Subsequent Name:  
 Length:  710'  Beam: 102'
 Depth: 51'  Class: ABS
     GWT:  26281
IMO Number: 5357599    
Broken up: Alang 06/03/1995
History and Notes:
As Printed in August 1994 Fleet Sheet:
Tanker TEXAS SUN, the largest vessel in the Sun Transport fleet, is a product of the famous Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Chester, Pa. Laid down in 1959 and launched on August 24, 1960, the ship completed sea trials in the late fall and was delivered to Sun Oil Company at noon on December 13,1960. On her first trip, she sailed from Marcus Hook on December 17. TEXAS SUN is a sister ship of a former Sun Transport vessel, tanker PENNSYLVANIA SUN.
These two ships were originally designed and built as crude carriers for the Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela-to-Marcus Hook trade. To meet the requirements of this service, unique design features such as the stern anchor, were incorporated.
TEXAS SUN was built with her distinctive teardrop-shaped pilot house, which affords the bridge watchstander outstanding visibility. The bridge watch can observe the entire main deck as well as the port and starboard quarters of the ship. The current bulbous bow was retrofitted in 1964 - at a cost of $164,000!
Propulsion is provided by an 18,500 horsepower Westinghouse steam turbine engine, with steam developed by two Babcock and Wilcox 600 psi boilers. The electrical plant consists of two Westinghouse turbine generators with a capacity of 600 kw each.
Crude oil or "dirty" products, such as black oil or vacuum gas oil, are carried in 11 centerline and 18 wing tanks, with a total cargo capacity of 373,794 barrels. With two pumps in operation, TEXAS SUN can discharge her entire cargo in just under 17 hours, at a rate of 22,000 barrels per hour.
While modest in size compared to the crude carriers of today, TEXAS SUN was considered a supertanker when built. She measures 751' 9-7/8" in length, 102' on the beam, and has a summer draft of 40' 7" when fully laden. TEXAS SUN weighs in at 53,453 deadweight tons and is equipped with crude oil washing systems, inert gas and cargo heating coils.
Employment for TEXAS SUN throughout her career has been varied. In addition to Lake Maracaibo service, the ship transited the Panama Canal to load crude prior to the completion of the transPanama pipeline and was engaged in the carriage of "Grade A" crudes from Texas to Marcus Hook.
Most recently our ship has been on long-term charter to BP America, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio. In this service, TEXAS SUN has returned to her old haunts at the Chiriqui Grande terminal in Panama, and
has lifted crude into various Gulf ports, including Houston, Galveston, Texas City, New Orleans, St. Rose, St. James, Baton Rouge and Mobile. As the BP charter will not resume until the fall, TEXAS SUN has been employed on the spot market, lifting crude and products into Yabucoa, Fort Lauderdale and our own terminal in Fort Mifflin - her first return to the Delaware River since 1992.
The current TEXAS SUN, the second Sun vessel of this name, carries a crew of 28. Her Masters are Captain Mike Caron and Captain Steve Groneman, who has recently assumed the position in the wake of Captain Francis "Kim" Barry's reassignment as Northeast Tug/Barge Manager.
With 34 years of service to the Company and thousands of miles under her keel and millions of barrels carried in her tanks, TEXAS SUN continues to serve today-profitably, safely, efficiently and is a testimony to the Sun employees who built her, and those who sail her today.


Launching S.S. Texas Sun - August 24, 1960
S.S. Texas Sun on 7/15/72: From the Collection of Dave Boone

 

 

On the beach about to be scrapped.


Copyright ©2015 by Minor W. Kates, Jr. - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED