SS Karaganda

Karaganda (Russian: "Караганда") was a merchant steam ship of the Black Sea Shipping Company (Soviet Union) from 9 March 1950 to 1967. This ship was built in the US in 1919, named "Circinus" and used in some shipping companies of USA and from 1942 in Soviet shipping companies.
She was a West-class ship as per American shipyards position and Belorussia-class cargo ships as per Russian classification due to one of the West-class cargo ships being named "Belorussia" when she was purchased by the Soviet Union.
Ship's particulars..
Design 1013 ship.
Low free board.
Cargo gear: derricks equipped with steam motors.
Cargo holds: 4 cargo holds and tweendecks.
US history of this ship.
This ship was built in 1919 in United States.
SS "Circinus" (1919–1930)..
During and just after World War I, the Shipping Board's sales campaigns urged Americans to buy ships for wealth and patriotism. Other ethnic groups set up shipping lines by appealing to group solidarity. So, Irish businessmen created the "Green Star Line".
GREEN STAR WILL PLY ATLANTIC
 Four Steamers Purchased Here to Sail From Baltimore.
 ORIENTAL RUN PROMISED
 Cruft Now Being Built at Standifer Plant Expected to Be Operated on Pacific.
Speculation as to the future field of operations of the Green Star Steamship company, which purchased four steel steamers in Portland and placed orders for the construction of five more, was ended last week by a formal announcement from the headquarters of the company in Baltimore, where the Green Star line has purchased a large building to serve as a home for its shipping enterprises. The last of the steamers purchased by, the line here, the Circlnus, sailed from Astoria Wednesday with a full cargo of lumber for Melbourne and Adelaide, Australia. This cargo amounted to 4.086,103 feet, it is reported by Brown & McCabe, stevedores, who had charge of loading the vessel.
"The new steel steamer "Circinus" of the "Green Star Line" dropped down to St. Helens yesterday and will start loading there Monday. The "Circinus" has been chartered by J.J. Moore of San Francisco to carry a full cargo of lumber to Australia. She will load at several Columbia river ports. She experienced no trouble beyond a slight checking of her speed in moving through the loose Ice."
"Freighter on rocks in So. Pacific.
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 21 – (AP) – Believed to have lost its course in a heavy fog that prevailed last night, the freighter "Circinus", en route to San Diego, San Pedro and San Francisco from New York, struck the rocks at Descanso Point, Lower California, 16 miles south of here, according to information received here this morning. The "Circinus" is a 10,000-ton ship of the Isthmian Line and carries a crew of 60 men. According to the information received here, the ship is resting easily and is in no immediate danger.
Captain Oakley J. Hall of the "Star and Crescent Boat Company" sent a company's tug, "Palomar", to the aid of the "Circinus" and at the same time requested the navy department to dispatch the naval tug "Koka" to the scene".
"ROCK PREVENTS SHIP'S SINKING.
SAN DIEGO, 30 Sep – A huge bolder which stuck to the hull of the freighter "Circinus", when grounded 17 miles south of the border, kept tho ship from sinking, a diver discovered. The freighter was floated Wednesday and brought here.
The rock punctured both bottoms of the vessel. It was embedded firmly".
"Calmar Steamship Co." (1927–1976). A subsidiary of "Bethlehem Steel Corp.", serving the intercoastal trade. The company was established by Bethlehem in 1927 to complete with United States Steel's Isthmian Line. Bethlehem had previously operated the "Ore Steamship Corp." as a proprietary operation, but "Calmar" was only "half proprietary", carrying exclusively Bethlehem's steel westbound, but functioning as a common carrier on the return voyage to the East Coast by carrying lumber from a variety of shippers. In addition, "Calmar" collaborated with Moore-McCormack Lines, Inc., in these voyages.
"CALMAR BUYS SHIPS.
The "Calmar Line" has purchased five freighters from the "Planet Steamship company", according to announcement from New York. This purchase increases the Calmar intercoastal fleet to 11 ships. The new craft are 880 tons register.
The vessels involved are all well known on this coast, consisting of the "Circinius", "Corvus", "Clauseus", "Centaurus" and "Eurana". They have run into local ports for several years under the Isthmian Line houseflag".
The steamer "Circinius" was renamed "Vermar" in 1930.
SS "Vermar" (1930–1942).
"H. W. Warley, vice president of the "Calmar Steamship Corporation", has announced that the concern has purchased three freighters of 10,000 tons deadweight capacity, bringing its intercoastal fleet to 14 ships. The three vessels, the "Ehnsport", "Colorado Springs", and "Edgehill", will enter service as the "Kenmar", "Marymar", and "Oremar", following the nomenclature system now in effect and honoring the states of Kentucky, Maryland, and Oregon.
The expansion program will make possible a new schedule of weekly sailings between ports on the two coasts, Mr. Warley explained. In future, vessels will sail westbound from Baltimore each Saturday and from Philadelphia on Wednesdays, for Los Angeles, San Francisco, Alameda, Oakland, Richmond, Calif, Portland, Seattle, and Tacoma. It is also planned to reduce the transit time to the northernmost ports.
The first sailing for the West Coast will be that of the "Vermar", leaving Baltimore 7 January and returning from Puget Sound 16 February."
"Portland Hearings Will be Continued this Wednesday.
 PORTLAND, Ore., May 1. (AP) – Labor hitched up its "justiciable controversies" today and prepared to make a fresh assault on Oregon's new union-control law.
At a preliminary hearing on a constitutional test by a group of unions, three circuit court judges decided no "justiciable controversy" had been shown – the union hadn't proved they were hurt.
 When the case reaches court again Wednesday, a new suit will be included. A motion picture operator's union ask the right to picked the Circle theater because of contract differences although it constitutes less than a majority of employers and under the law could not picket.
 Waterfront Mentioned
If that doesn't provide enough force to test the law which was passed last November in the wake of a year-long campaign against labor terrorism, there is the matter of waterfront picketing.
CIO woodworkers from a Carlton lumber mill, on strike because three members of their union were realized, continued to prevent loading of lumber from the mill on the freighter "Vermar". Ship agents threatened to invoke the control law on the ground less than half the mill's employees were involved, a stand that ended picketing at the mill last week.
It was indicated the theater suit".
"Restraining Order Blocks Picketing.
PORTLAND, Ore., May 5. (AP) – A temporary restraining order to stop picketing was issued Wednesday in one of Portsland's two labor controversies that have tied up ships and the order was settled when the union accepted a company offer.
 The International Woodworkers of America Wednesday accepted an offer from the Engle & Worth Lumber company at Cariton, ending the dispute that prevented the freighter "Vermar" loading lumber for five days. The firm reinstated two dismissed workers.
 Circuit Judge John P. Winter issued the order restraining pickets of the maritime office employees' local, 1–25, from picketing the steamer "William Luckenbach".
 The union picketed the boat in protest to the company's asserted failure to company with a national labor relations board order to reinstate three workers".
"Moody's Report On Good Cases Barred by Court.
Portland, May 6 (AP) – Oregon's union-control law faced a new challenge today in a series of waterfront disputes.
While three circuit judges heard defendant officials answer a labor coalition test of the law's constitutionally, another was added when charges against 21 men indicated for alleged unlawful picketing of the steamer "Vermar" were shifted to the same court.
 Accused of having prevented loading of the freighter "Vermar" with lumber from a Carlton sawmill, the men, mostly members of the Carlton CIO woodworkers' union, were realised from custody after a demurrer to the indictments was filed.
Gus Solomon, CIO attorney who filed the demurrer on the ground that the law was unconstitutional, asked transfer of the case to the judges hearing the test.
 The law forbids demonstrations on premises of employers not involved in controversies and in cases where less than majority of workers are concerned. The woodworkers' strike at the Carlton mill was settled but only after loading of the "Vermar" was delayed three days.
George Cron, who declared the state courts had no jurisdiction and picketed in defiance of the circuit court order, was charged with contempt but released on bond. However longshoremen and CIO sailors pleaded "danger" and refused to board the vessel.
 Cron's arrest followed a demonstration be the maritime office workers' union in protesting alleged refusal of the Luckenbach line to heed a national labor relations board order and reinstate three members with back pay.
In the original labor-coalition test of the law, the court acting upon answers filed by defendant city, county and state officials admitted all the evidence with the exception of a report on labor terrorism by special prosecutor Ralph Moody, which is termed a "special pleading by a skilled partisan"."
In the immediate post-World War II period, Calmar purchased eight Liberty ships and modified them for the company's purposes. Seems the ship "Vermar" was counted as one of these eight Liberty ships, but she was not really Liberty class ships.
Soviet history of this ship.
Ship "Караганда" in Far East Shipping Company (1945 – March 1950)..
The ship, ex-"Circinus", ex-"Vermar" , ex-"Kamenets-Podolsk", was back after major overhaul to the Far East Shipping Company from USA on 6 February 1945 and was named "Karaganda" due to another ship "Robert S. Abbot" (built in 1944), which was Liberty ship and also received from USA, already was named "Kamenets-Podolsk". So, the ship was named in honor Karaganda city in Kazakhstan SSR, USSR.
Ship "Караганда" in Black Sea Shipping Company from March 1950 to 1967..
This ship was transferred to balans of the Black Sea Shipping Company on 9 March 1950.
Seems this steamer was used for the Line between Soviet Black Sea ports and Indian ports from the 1950s. So, Soviet Union magazine "Ogoniok" () number 38, 14 September 1952, wrote:
"To the shores of India.
 ... Joint Committee was established For the purpose of immediate assistance to the hungry people in the Andhra State. The Committee members belong to different political organizations. The Committee requested the Trade Unions with a request to help the starving in Andhra State.
As reported by our press, Soviet trade unions warmly responded to this request and decided to send food to the starving population of the southern regions of India.
Again "the ships of peace and friendship" go to the shores of India. The ship "Karaganda" is already in the Red Sea, on the way to India. The wheat was grown Ukrainian farmers and after loaded in the holds. On the eve of the departure from the Soviet Union the crew of "Karaganda" under command of Captain P. I. Boyko worked tirelessly to prepare the ship for exemplary long voyage through many Seas and the Indian Ocean. The completion of ship's loading was eight hours earlier of schedule. The crew of the ship "Karaganda" declared own voyage as Stakhanovite movement and dedicated it to the XIX Congress of the party. ... "
Collision in May 1957..
The ship "Karaganda", GRT more than 6000, under command of captain P. I. Boyko, discovered the lights of an oncoming vessel at a distance of 100 meters approximately at 01 hrs 14 min on 1 May 1957, when she was following "slow ahead" in the Black Sea during the fog with visibility up to 50–70 meters. That was the ship "Zaporozhye", GRT 2000 approximately, under the command of captain L. M. Preobrazhensky which was coming with speed slow ahead also, 5–6 knots, and on this ship the lights of the ship "Karaganda" were seen on a distance of approximately 100 m. The command "full speed astern" were given on both ships for 2–3 minutes before collision, but was not possible to snub the ships and "Karaganda", having considerable inertia of moving forward, hit the port side board of the ship "Zaporozhye" by own left foreword quarter and by the left anchor at 01 hours 16 minutes. The "Zaporozhye" sank rapidly after 28 minutes due to list was increased rapidly to the port side. The "Karaganda" suffered a lot of damage to the bow part of the hull. Due to correct actions of the captain of the "Zaporozhye" after the collision, who took all demanded measures setting for the salvation of all 54 crew members as well as the ship's papers and money, the abandonment of the sinking ship was organized without panic and in compliance with good maritime traditions. The watch sailor was risking own life when he hacked the jammed door of the chief mate's cabin and released the chief officer before the sinking vessel. There were no victims after the collision of two ships and the loss of one of them.
Due 1 May was one of the main the Soviet Union celebrations the date of collision was changed to 3 May 1957.
After the collision of two Black Sea Shipping Company ships, all big ships of this company were equipped with radar during some years. The short separate mast was added on accommodation for radar installation (to see ship's photo).
Newcomer in March 1961..
Motorman Nikolay, his previous ship was steamer "Nezhin", joined the ship "Karaganda" on 18 March 1961 and the ship already was equipped with one radar and re-equipped as a motor-ship.
To read article: SS "Nezhin"
The word "Gde" in Odessa language.
The mix of two official language of part of population named "Soorzhyck" () language in Russia and Ukraine. A person speaking on "Soorzhyk" also named a "soorzhyk". The population of Odessa had good mix of two languages, Ukrainian and Russian, in the 1960s still. Due to Odessa citizens use mix of more than two languages it was impossible to name "Soorzhyk" language. And Odessa citizens did not glad when somebody call them "soorzhyks". They say that Odessa has own language.
Also Odessa citizens use Russian worlds so that other population of the U.S.S.R. smile and sometimes smile wildly. It is depends and questions including the word "Gde" ().
English question-word "Where" has following translations on Russian:
For example:
Odessa citizen can replace the word "Куда" by the word "Где":
It is means that the word "Где" can means and position, and direction in Odessa. And other population of the USSR smile when Odessa somebody say like this. Theremore, Odessa citizens can replace other question-words by the "Где" or directly or changing the phraze:
can be changed as
Gde-Gde? Na Karagande..
"Gde-gde ..." ( and on ) – it is an adverb of Russian language. Mostly "gde-gde" means any area or any place where is very bad conditions or conditions more worst then in other mentioned place as per text in the sentence. For example:
Karaganda is a city in Kazakhstan that was built during Soviet Union period and is known for coal mining and concentration camps. It is good rhyme: "Gde, gde? V Karagande!" where last character "a" changed to "e" as per Russian grammatical rules.
In case somebody asked any crew member of ship "Karaganda":
– "Where are You now?" -
he reply
– "Gde, gde? Na Karagande?" () – it is means on board of ship "Karaganda".
The same reply was from Nikolay to anybody. It is means that conditions on this ship was not very good due to the "Karaganda" was old and one of the worst ships of Black Sea Shipping company. The "Karaganda" was re-equipped as motor-ship before outomn 1961. The ship was built on the riveted joints, but the metal sheets of the hull were thick. Cargo derricks were equipped by hydraulic motors. During the engines run the motorman had to check heating of cylinders by hand and was necessary often to add oil.
MS "Karaganda" between May 1961 and autumn 1962.
Nikolay joined "Karagnda" as motorman in March 1961. Motorman Ivan Gorbunkov already was a crew member of this ship in the same rank. Due to Odessa population mostly stocked up on coal for winter season beforehand, Ivan asked Nikolay to assist one family. Every seaman of Black Sea Shipping Company could receive a certain amount of coal without payment as the furnaces was used for heating in the houses in 1960-s still. Due to Nikolay was not married and had not own house he was agree to give own portion of coal to that family. For this reason was necessary to take signature, name and passport details for formalities and he visited that family. That was Zhukovsky family.
Zhukovsky family lived on the Kartamyshevskaya street, 26, Moldavanka district in Odessa. That was old courtyard that include 7 houses about. Moldavanka district was recognized as Intelligence center of Odessa historically due to the large network of catacombs beneath this district was used in the XIX century and the first half of the XX century for smuggling, revolutionary activities, underground and partisan movement.
Grigoriy Fyodorovitch Zhukovsky was the head of family. His wife was Antonina Zhukovskaya (maiden name was Chernyavskaya). They already had three daughters. The eldest and the yangest daughters was not merried yet. The medium daughter was married Ivan Gorbunkov in 1961, before May. Nikolay commenced meetings with the youngest daughter after the first visit to this family. Soon they were married, in September 1961.
The ship "Karaganda" carried cargoes to the Eastern Mediterranean ports and through Suez Canal to India, Yemen's ports. During period between May 1961 and October 1963, "Karaganda" did not visit Spain, France and did not pass Gibraltar strait. The main direction of this ship were Middle East, Yemen, India and Ceylon ports.
The fate..
There is no any information about this ship during period from 1964 to 1967. Seems the ship was not active after 1963 due to ship's age 44–48.
The ship "Karaganda", IMO number 5181861, was decommissioned, removed from the vessels' lists of Minmorflot and handed over to Glavvtorchrmet for dismantling and cutting into metal in 1967.
The new motor vessel "Karaganda", IMO number 6912889, was built in GDR in June 1969 for the Baltic Sea Shipping Company, USSR.
Crew members..
Captains: