Nickeliner
American Steam tanker
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| Name | Nickeliner | ||
| Type: | Steam tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 2,249 tons | ||
| Completed | 1938 - Dolomite Marine Co, Pittsford NY | ||
| Owner | Chemical Marine Co, Lake Charles LA | ||
| Homeport | Lake Charles | ||
| Date of attack | 13 May 1943 | Nationality:  American | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-176 (Reiner Dierksen) | ||
| Position | 21° 25'N, 76° 40'W - Grid DM 69 | ||
| Complement | 31 (0 dead and 31 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | NC-18 | ||
| Route | Nuevitas, Cuba (13 May) - Nicaro, Cuba | ||
| Cargo | 3400 tons of ammonia water | ||
| History | Built as Dolomite 4 for Dolomite Marine Co, Rochester NY. 1940 sold to All Waterways Navigation Co, Lake Charles LA and renamed Nickeliner. 1942 sold to Chemical Marine Co, Lake Charles LA and converted for 284.000$ to carry bulk ammonia water in 1943, no other American vessel had the capacity to carry this important strategic cargo. | ||
| Notes on event | About 09.30 hours on 13 May 1943, U-176 attacked convoy NC-18 six miles north of Manati, Cuba and sank the Nickeliner and Mambi. The Nickeliner (Master Julius Fridlef Swensson) was hit by a first torpedo in the port bow and a second on the port side aft. The first explosion lifted the bow out of the water and threw water and flames about 100 feet into the air and the second released ammonia from the tanks. As the bow began to settle, the engines were secured and the eight officers, 15 crewmen, seven armed guards (the ship was armed with one 3in and two .30cal guns) and one passenger abandoned ship in two lifeboats 30 minutes after the hits. The tanker sank at 10.15 hours, while the survivors were picked up by a Cuban submarine chaser and landed at Nuevitas. | ||
| On board | We have details of 1 people who were on board. | ||
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