SS Atlantic
Spirit/WGJT
Operator: Puerto
Rico Marine Management Inc. (PRMMI)
San Juan, PR
Permanent position.
Joined August 3, 1985 Jacksonville, FL Laid off May 11, 1989.
Puerto
Rico
The Atlantic Spirit was originally built as the
SS Atlantic Bear for and by the Pacific Far East Line. She made a few
trips to the Persian Gulf for PFE lines before that fine old company
went belly up like most American Shipping Companies. The ship stayed
laid up and was subsequently bought by Mr. Berg of Apex Shipping company
of Lake Success NY. Mr Leon Berg was either unable or unwilling to
operate the ship in the Puerto Rico or any other trade so he put the
ship up for Charter. At that time in 1984, Puerto Rico Marine Management
Inc. was operating several of the Spirit's sister ships the Ponce,
and the Caguas also some smaller but similar vessels the Fortaleza,
Puerto Rico, and a couple of others. They needed the extra capacity to
compete with the Tug/Barge competitor Crowley marine
This was one of my most favorite job assignments.
I would not have left it if I had not been laid off along with the rest
of the crew when the owner, Apex Shipping decided to raise the charter
fees it charged to the Puerto Rico Marine Management Inc. Company which
operated the Atlantic Spirit. As history turned out the ship was sold
and reactivated as the SS Kaimoku now owned and operated by Matson
Navigation Co. of San Francisco. The Kaimoku operates the
Honolulu/Oakland Run.
12/27/2001