The SS Cokesit was a steam cargo ship constructed between 1918 and 1919 by the Guy M. Standifer Construction Company of Vancouver, as part of the United States Shipping Board’s efforts to bolster maritime capacity during World War I. She was a standard Design 1015 cargo vessel, approximately 401.4 feet in length between perpendiculars, with a beam of 53.2 feet and a depth of 31.9 feet. Her steel hull featured double bottoms throughout, except in the machinery compartment, and was built on the Isherwood principle of longitudinal framing for added strength. Powered by a single 2,800 indicated horsepower triple-expansion steam engine, the Cokesit could reach speeds of up to 11 knots, driven by three Scotch marine boilers capable of burning coal or oil. Her design included five main holds, a forecastle, and a poop deck, with modern cargo handling machinery such as ten winches and derricks, facilitating efficient loading and unloading across five large hatches. She was equipped with wireless communication, submarine signaling systems, and electrical lighting along her decks. Launched on December 31, 1918, and christened with the involvement of Miss Ruth Standifer, the ship was the first vessel from her yard, attracting a large crowd of spectators. Sea trials conducted on the Columbia River in April 1919 confirmed her performance, demonstrating speeds slightly above her contract specifications. Initially assigned to the Pacific Steamship Company, Cokesit was employed on routes between the U.S. East Coast, Australia, and Europe, carrying commodities such as flour, cotton, phosphates, and coal. Her service included voyages to Australia, New Zealand, and European ports, until she was laid up in 1928 due to changing economic conditions. In 1937, she was sold to Greek operator John D. Chandris and renamed Adelfoi Chandris, serving in the Baltic and Mediterranean. She continued to operate into the early stages of World War II, during which she was seized by the French government, interned in Dakar, and subsequently transferred to Italy under the Nevers Agreement. Renamed Catania, she was requisitioned by the Italian navy, serving until she sustained heavy damage during Allied air raids in 1943. The vessel was ultimately scuttled by German troops in Naples in September 1943, and her wreck was raised in 1947, with Italy scrapping the remains in 1949. The SS Cokesit’s varied history underscores her significance as a wartime and interwar merchant vessel, reflecting the evolving geopolitical and economic landscape of the early 20th century.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.