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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

SS Cape Bover (AK-5057)

Cape B Class Breakbulk Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 26 July 1965, as SS Frederick Lykes, a Maritime Administration type (C4-S-66a) hull under Maritime Administration contract (MA 170) at Avondale Industries, New Orleans, LA.

Launched, 12 February 1966

Delivered to the Maritime Administration, 3 February 1967, for operation by Lykes Bros SS Co.

Reacquired by the Maritime Administration and assigned to to Ready Reserve Force anchorage in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun, Benecia, CA.

Shifted to a layberth at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, CA. in 1990

When activated SS Cape Bover (AK-5057) was assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as one of the Military Sealift Command's Modular Cargo Delivery System Ready Reserve Force (RRF) Ships

SS Cape Bover was activated for Desert Storm in August 1990 and placed under the operational control of the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command

Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA. after being downgraded from RRF to the National Defense Reserve Fleet retention program where it is currently in logistic support status as a source of major equipment spares for the training ship USTS Kennedy (ex-SS Cape Bon (AK-5059)

Specifications:
Displacement 7,178 t.(lt), 21,840 t.(fl)
Length 540'
Beam 76'
Draft 33' (max.)
Speed 18 kts.
Full Operating Status Complement (unknown) Civilian Mariners, Reduced Operational Status 5 maintainers
Propulsion High speed twin casing cross compound double reduction gear turbine, single propeller

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
Merchant Service Lykes Bros. Stea,mship Co.
	825k	Lykes Line Cargoliner SS Frederick Lykes launching, 12 February 1966, at Avondale Industries, New Orleans, LA. Photo from Lykes company magazine "Fleet Flashes"	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	323k	Lykes Line Cargoliner SS Frederick Lykes at anchor, date and location unknown. ©Alex Duncan (deceased)	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	779k	Lykes Line Cargoliner SS Frederick Lykes at Beaumont, TX. in 1970. Photo from Lykes company magazine "Fleet Flashes"	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
US Maritime Administration Reserve Fleet
	53k	*SS Cape Bover* (AK-5057)** moored pierside, date and location unknown.	US Maritime Administration
	69k	*SS Cape Bover* (AK-5057)** moored pierside, overhead view, date and location unknown.	US Maritime Administration
	33k	*SS Cape Bover* (AK-5057)** moored pierside, date and location unknown.	US Maritime Administration
	29k	*SS Cape Bover* (AK-5057)** underway, not under her own power, being moved by two tugs, date and location unknown.	US Maritime Administration
	40k	*SS Cape Bover* (AK-5057) moored pierside in her lay berth, Pier 3 ex-NAS Alameda, circa 1998. Note USS Hornet (CV-12) moored astern of Cape Bover**.	Photo US Maritime Administration, Caption Michael McDermott
0913505709	157k	*SS Cape Bover* (AK-5057)** and other ships of the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, 24 July 2011. Photo courtesy of Earthpig licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.	Robert Hurst
097710333	521k	Moon rise view of Ex-*USNS Millinocket* (T-EPF-3) laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay Group, Benicia, CA. nested with SS Cape Bover (AK-5057) outboard of Millinocket then SS Cape Jacoob (AK-5029)*, 8 August 2025. Photo by Lee Ann Baker*	Darryl Baker