Methane Pioneer

History

Name:	Marline Hitch (1945–46) Don Aurelio (1946–51) Nomarti (1951–57) Methane Pioneer (1957–67) Aristotle (1967–72)
Builder:	Walter Butler Shipbuilders
Yard number:	344
Completed:	1945
In service:	1945-1958 (cargo ship) 1959-1972 (LNG tanker)
Identification:	Call sign GBHU (1957–72) IMO number: 5233573
General characteristics (as converted)
Type:	LNG tanker
Tonnage:	4,693 GRT 4,907 DWT
Capacity:	32,000 barrels (1957–72)

Methane Pioneer was the first oceangoing liquified natural gas tanker in the world. Built in 1945 as a cargo ship named Marline Hitch, the vessel was renamed Don Aurelio and Nomarti before being rebuilt in 1958 for the purpose of transporting LNG and operated between 1959 and 1972. The ship was later renamed Aristotle.

Service history

Early history

Methane Pioneer was built as yard number 344 by Walter Butler Shipbuilders Inc. in Duluth, Minnesota as a Type C1-M-AV1 cargo ship for the United States Maritime Commission. She was delivered as Marline Hitch in July 1945.^[1]^[2] As World War II came to an end shortly after it was delivered, Marline Hitch was sold privately under the name Don Aurelio in 1946. In 1951 the ship was renamed Normarti.^[2]

As Methane Pioneer

In 1958 Normarti, then owned by the Norgulf Shipping Line, was converted into a tanker at the Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company in Mobile, Alabama and was delivered in October 1958, renamed Methane Pioneer.^[3] The project was funded by the British Gas Council and was operated by a joint venture company called Constock International Methane (CIM). CIM was formed as a partnership between Conoco and Union Stock Yards.^[3] She had a capacity of 32,000 barrels of LNG.^[4] Methane Pioneer was allocated the call sign GBHU.^[2]

Methane Pioneer's maiden voyage was from Constock's LNG production facility on the Calcasieu River in Louisiana.^[5] Carrying the world's first ocean cargo of LNG,^[5] it left port on 25 January 1959 and reached its destination at Canvey Island in England on 20 February, taking 27 days to cross the Atlantic Ocean.^[3]

Methane Pioneer was later renamed Aristotle and operated by Stephenson Clarke Shipping, making 30 voyages between 1959 and 1972,^[5] when it was withdrawn from service and converted into a storage barge for LNG.^[1] She was scrapped in 1972.^[2]

References

1 2 "C1 Cargo Ships". 28 August 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
1 2 3 4 "Methane Pioneer". Helderline. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
1 2 3 Tusiani, Michael D.; Shearer, Gordon (2007). LNG: A Nontechnical Guide. PennWell Books. p. 138. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
↑ "Ship Carrying Liquid Gas on 1st Voyage to England". Chicago Daily Tribune. 2 February 1959. p. 4.
1 2 3 Noble, Peter G. (10 February 2009). "A Short History of LNG Shipping: 1959–2009" (PDF). Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers. Retrieved 18 December 2015.

Type C1-M ships

Type C1-M-AV1	Alamosa Alcona Acorn Knot / Sgt. George D Keathley Amador Anchor Bend Anchor Hitch Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Becket Hitch Bell Ringer / Captain Arlo L. Olson Beltrami Bight Knot Blackwall Hitch Blount Boatswain's Hitch Bowline Knot Brevard Bullock Buntline Hitch Cabell Cable Splice Caledonia Cape Somerset Cape Stanhope Capstan Knot Carrick Bend Cat's Paw Chain and Crown Charlevoix Chatham Check Knot / Sgt. Joseph E. Muller Chicot Cinch Knot Claiborne Clarion Clove Hitch Coastal Captain Coastal Charger Coastal Courser Coastal Crusader Coastal Guide / Sgt. George Peterson Coastal Mariner Coastal Monarch Coastal Monitor Coastal Rambler Coastal Ranger Coastal Telegrapher Codington Colquitt Craighead Crossing Hitch Crown and Diamond Crown Knot Diamond Hitch Diamond Knot Doddridge Double Loop Dragon Fly Duval Elmer J. Burr Emerald Knot Fairfield Faribault Fentress Fiador Knot Fisherman's Bend Flagler Flemish Knot Gadsden Glacier Grainger Grass Knot Gunner's Knot Gwinnett Habersham Half Hitch Half Knot Harold W. Roberts Hawser Bend Hawser Eye Hawser Splice Hennepin Herkimer Hickory Bay Hickory Beck Hickory Bourne Hickory Brae Hickory Brook Hickory Burn Hickory Cairn Hickory Cape Hickory Coll Hickory Crest Hickory Dale Hickory Dell Hickory Dyke Hickory Ghyll Hickory Glen Hickory Isle Hickory Knoll Hickory Lake Hickory Mount Hickory Stream Hickory Tarn Hickory Tor Hidalgo Honda Knot Hook Hitch Horseshoe Splice Jacob's Ladder Jumper Hitch Kenneth E. Gruennert / Grommet Reefer Kenosha Knob Knot Lancaster Lanyard Knot Leader Loop Lebanon Lehigh Lever's Bend Lewis Hall Link Splice / Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley Lock Knot Long Eye Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca Loop Knot Magnus Hitch Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Mainsheet Eye Manrope Knot Marengo Mariner's Splice Marline Hitch Marlingspike Hitch Masthead Knot Midland Minidoka Mooring Hitch Mooring Knot Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Ocean Plat Pembina Pemiscot Phoebe Knot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Reef Knot Reeving Eye Richland Rigger's Eye Ring Hitch Ring Knot Ring Splice Roband Hitch Rockdale Rolling Hitch Rose Knot Round Splice / Private Jose F. Valdez Running Knot Sailmaker's Splice Sailor's Splice Salmon Knot Sampan Hitch Schuyler Screven Sebastian Shamrock Knot Sheepshank Sheet Bend Shell Bar Short Splice Sinnet Snakehead Snug Hitch Somerset / Coastal Sentry Span Splice Spanish Bowline Spar Hitch Spindle Eye / Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup Spool Sinnet Square Knot Square Sinnet Star Knot Studding Sail Sussex Sword Knot Tag Knot Tapir Splice Tarrant Terminal Knot Thimble Eye Timber Hitch Tipton Traverse True Knot Tucked Bend Tulare Turk's Head Wall Knot Water Knot Westchester William G. Fournier William N. Nelson Yard Hitch

Type C1-M-AV7	Coastal Liberator

Type C1-M-AV8	Crossing Knot Flat Knot Marline Bend Persian Knot Single Hitch Solid Sinnet

Type C1-MT-BU1	Arizona Pine California Redwood Oregon Fir Washington Cedar

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