SS Gopher State (T-ACS 4)

- formerly EXPORT LEADER -
- Ready Reserve Force -

Sorry,
no coat of arms
available.

Built and delivered as cargo ship EXPORT LEADER for the Maritime Administration, the ship was converted to a crane ship in the mid-1980s by Norshipco in Norfolk, Va., and placed in service as GOPHER STATE on October 12, 1987. Today, the ship is berthed at Newport News, Va., capable of being fully activated within 10 days.

General Characteristics:	Awarded: October 20, 1970
	Keel laid: July 26, 1971
	Launched: July 8, 1972
	Delivered: January 22, 1973
	Builder: Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
	Propulsion system: two boilers, two turbines
	Propellers: one
	Length: 610 feet (186 meters)
	Beam: 78.2 feet (23.83 meters)
	Draft: 31.6 feet (9.63 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 25,000 tons fully loaded
	Speed: 20 knots
	Aircraft: none
	Armament: none
	Capacity: 710 TEU
	Cranes: four 30-ton capacity cranes
	Crew: 9 (in reduced operation status), 32 (when activated)
	Homeport: Newport News, Va.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard SS GOPHER STATE. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

Click here to view the list.

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SS GOPHER STATE Image Gallery:

The photos below were taken by me and show the GOPHER STATE berthed alongside her two sisterships at Newport News, Va., on October 30, 2010.

The photos below were taken by me and show the GOPHER STATE berthed at Newport News, Va., on May 6, 2012.

The photos below were taken by Daniel Siewert and show the GOPHER STATE at Nordenham, Germany, on May 17, 2017. The ship arrived at Nordenham on May 16 and departed on May 18.

The photos below were taken by me and show the GOPHER STATE passing Bremerhaven, Germany, on her way to Nordenham on June 14, 2017. After a short stay at Nordenham in May (pictured above), the GOPHER STATE proceeded to Ashdod, Israel, and has now returned to Nordenham for a second visit.