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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

SS Cape Borda (AK-5058)

Cape B Class Breakbulk Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 18 October 1965, as SS Howell Lykes, a Maritime Administration type (C4-S-66a) hull under Maritime Administration contract (MA 180) at Avondale Industries, New Orleans, LA.

Launched, 16 April 1966

Delivered to her owners, Lykes Bros. SS Co., 2 May 1967

Acquired by the Maritime Administration in 1985 and laid up in a layberth at Alameda, CA. as part of the Maritime Administrations Ready Reserve Force

Cape Borda could be activated in 5 days

When activated SS Cape Borda (AK-5058) 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 Borda was activated for Desert Storm/ Desert Shield from 26 August 1990 to September 1991 and placed under the operational control of the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command

Cape Borda was maintained in a reduced operating status (partially crewed) in Alameda, CA. from September 1991 to April 2003

Downgraded from RRF and laid up in the Maritime Administrations (MARAD) National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA., 28 April 2003

Downgraded from retention status to non-retention status, 31 July 2006

Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet for scrapping, 3 August 2017, departed San Francisco Bay, 7 August 2017, under tow to All Star Metals, Brownsville TX by tug MV C.F. Campbell

Specifications:
Displacement 13,669 t.(lt), 21,014 t.(fl)
Length 514'
Beam 76'
Draft 42'6" (max.)
Speed 20 kts.
Cargo Capacity, 727,950 cu. ft.
Full Operating Status Complement (unknown) Civilian Mariners, Reduced Operational Status 5 maintainers

Propulsion

Boilers, two Foster-Wheeler water tube boilers

Main Engine, one high speed twin casing cross compound double reduction DeLaval geared turbine

Ship Service Generators, two 750KW

single propeller, 15,500SHP

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
Merchant Service USA Lykes Bros. SS Co.
	153k	Aerial view of SS Howell Lykes under way in 1975. Photo from the Chris Howell collection (negative received from Keith Wood).	Chris Howell
	424k	SS Howell Lykes under way in harbor assisted by a tug, date and location unknown. Photo © A. Duncan	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
MV Cape Borda (AK-5058) - MARAD RRF
	44k	*SS Cape Borda* (AK-5058)** moored pierside probably at her layberth at Alameda, CA., date unknown.	US Maritime Administration
0913505804	107k	*SS Cape Borda* (AK-5058) and SS Cape Breton (AK-5056 and SS Green Mountain State (ACS-9)** and others laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, Benecia, CA., 24 July 2011. Photo courtesy of Earthpig. licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license	Robert Hurst

There is no DANFS history available for SS Cape Borda (AK-5058) at NavSource

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Data Base
National Register Eligibility Assessment
"The Last Two" - Cape Borda tow 7 August 2017

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 21 November 2025