Concrete ships – history of appearance and short life

In times of crisis, necessity frequently inspires innovation. This was true of the intriguing period in maritime history known as the concrete ship era. These ships were a creative response to material shortages and the pressing need for long-lasting, reasonably priced ships. They were built mainly during the two World Wars. Even though it may seem absurd now, there was a time when building ships out of concrete was a workable solution to an urgent issue.

Although the idea of concrete ships has existed since the 19th century, it wasn’t until World War I that they were given significant consideration. When steel became scarce, engineers looked to concrete as a substitute. Early in the 1910s saw the launch of the first concrete ships, sometimes referred to as ferrocement ships. These ships proved seaworthy and capable of transporting large loads in spite of early doubts.

Concrete ships saw a resurgence in popularity after World War II. The United States built a fleet of these ships in response to comparable steel shortages. Concrete ships performed their function of moving supplies and soldiers across hazardous waters, despite being slower and less effective than their steel counterparts. They had two major advantages during the war: they were quick to build and durable.

On the other hand, concrete ships had a limited lifespan. Following the wars, as steel became more widely available, the demand for these kinds of vessels decreased. A large number of these ships were decommissioned, converted, or allowed to decay. They serve as artifacts from a creative era that serve as a constant reminder of the extraordinary lengths people will go to when they are in need.

History of appearance

With the invention of steam engines, ships’ dimensions and carrying capacities increased. Due to the high cost of ship timber harvesting, wood was no longer able to meet the demands of the shipbuilding industry against the backdrop of increased cargo flow on water routes. The 19th century is known for being a time of active search for substitute materials.

Steel was one of them, but making a ship with that kind of hull was expensive and labor-intensive in and of itself. Shipbuilders looked to concrete in search of an affordable, high-tech material.

The name of the French gardener Joseph Monnier, who grew flowers in long concrete boxes that rested on legs and were frequently broken in half, is linked to the history of reinforced concrete’s introduction.

When building the next box, Monier once inserted several iron rods into the concrete mass and obtained a sturdy structure. Subsequently, Joseph Monier was granted a patent in 1867 to manufacture reinforced cement tubs.

Interesting fact. To be fair, though, it should be noted that during the construction of the Tsarskoye Selo Palace in 1802, Russian architects employed metal rods to reinforce the ceiling, which was based on lime concrete. An English engineer named Fox followed a similar route in 1829 when he installed a concrete ceiling reinforced with metal. Fox’s fellow countryman Wilkinson was also granted a patent in 1854 for his creation of a fire-resistant reinforced concrete ceiling, and he constructed a reinforced concrete home in 1865. The Frenchman Coignet had constructed a church using reinforced concrete the year before.

The Frenchman Lambo created the first floating object in the shape of a rowing boat in 1849.

The engineer used cement and a metal mesh to create it. It is sufficient to uniformly distribute steel components in a comparatively large quantity across the product’s cross-section in order to create a robust and crack-resistant material. This design caused a stir at the international exhibition in the French capital in 1855.

Engineers from Europe and America adopted the concept, and the first attempts to build sailing boats and yachts emerged.

The self-propelled reinforced concrete sea vessel known as the Namsenfijord, created in 1917 by Norwegian engineer Nikolai Fegner, caused quite a stir. Following that, Americans built a ship akin to that (the dry cargo ship Faith), and in the Second World War, they produced eighty barges and twenty ships made of reinforced concrete.

This article’s video will tell you which ships made of reinforced concrete were constructed during the war, as well as what became of them afterwards.

Features of concrete ships

The average density of reinforced concrete is three times lower than that of steel.

Thus, there are several advantages to building ships with reinforced concrete:

1. The hull of such a ship can more easily withstand the load when rubbed by ice masses, than metal or wood, the compressive strength of which is lower. A hull made of reinforced concrete is monolithic, while a metal hull consists of sheets and has welded seams that diverge under particularly strong ice pressure;
2. Concrete is a repairable material. When a hole is formed, it is enough to fill the damaged fragment with fresh mortar using the formwork method. The instructions are so simple that ordinary workers can handle such work with their own hands;

1. Cost the construction of such a ship is much lower than a metal ship;
2. Concrete is not subject to corrosion, and does not rust under the influence of salty sea water;
3. Concrete is extremely easy to work with, therefore, the speed of construction of such a vessel is significantly higher;
4. Concrete is a fire-resistant non-combustible material;
5. Condensation is excluded in the holds of concrete ships, which is especially important when transporting cargo sensitive to moisture.

The reason reinforced concrete vessels were removed from production at one point was due to serious flaws:

1. Heavy hull becomes the cause of large draft;
2. A large hull thickness is necessary so that it has the same strength as a steel one, however, such a vessel burns more fuel, which negates the profitability of transportation;
3. Concrete is not afraid of static loads, but it is easily damaged by a strong impact;
4. It was previously noted that building a concrete ship takes less time, but the natural factor should be taken into account – it is impossible to work with concrete in low temperatures;
5. It will not be possible to modernize such a vessel – if an additional fragment can be welded to a metal ship, then this cannot be done with concrete.

Concrete ships are a fascinating but brief chapter in maritime history, an innovation born out of necessity during World Wars I and II. Engineers used concrete instead of steel to build robust ships that could carry soldiers and supplies during a shortage of steel. Concrete ships were ultimately not very long-lasting, despite their remarkable buoyancy and durability. These unusual ships became obsolete due to changes in wartime requirements and advancements in steel production, but they left behind a legacy of inventiveness and a few surviving relics that serve as reminders of a unique engineering solution to challenges faced during the war.

An interesting development in maritime history, concrete ships arose mainly out of necessity and scarcity. During World Wars I and II, there was a pressing need for strong, easily accessible materials, which led to their creation. In order to construct seaworthy vessels during a steel shortage, engineers turned to concrete, a substance more commonly used in infrastructure and buildings.

Despite their clever design, these ships had many difficulties in building. Concrete is less buoyant and heavier than steel, despite its strength and versatility. This innate quality presented challenges with regard to speed and agility. Notwithstanding these drawbacks, concrete ships fulfilled their intended function of carrying supplies and offering vital assistance during hostilities.

Concrete ships, however, only had a brief lifespan. Following the wars, steel became more widely available, and concrete vessels became less necessary. Their slow demise was caused by their clumsiness and the development of more effective shipbuilding technologies. Many of these ships are now abandoned and used as artificial reefs, breakwaters, or just interesting historical artifacts from a bygone era.

Looking back, the concrete ship era is a tribute to human resourcefulness and flexibility during difficult times. They draw attention to a time in maritime history when ad hoc solutions were adopted due to dire circumstances. Concrete ships taught important lessons and emphasized the significance of innovation in engineering and materials science, even though they did not completely transform shipping.

Video on the topic

Why ships were built from concrete and why they did not sink?

Why non-self-propelled ships were built on a concrete pad? History of Landing Stages

Why concrete ships were built and why they did not sink

Ships made of concrete – why they were built and where did they disappear to?

The initial history of shipbuilding.

Concrete ships. How they appeared, why they were built and what happened to them.