Description

Liberty Cargo Ships
A special class of steam-powered cargo ships constructed during WWII, under the directive to supply the Allied Forces, eventually came to be known as ‘Liberty Ships’. Only three ‘Liberty Ships’ survive today in whole: SS John W. Brown, in Norfolk and SS Jeremiah O’Brien, in San Francisco, which are fully operational and used as museum ships and SS Arthur M. Huddell, in Piraeus, which is not operational as a ship, but has also been converted to a museum, dedicated to the history of the Greek merchant marine.

SS Hellas Liberty
The 135m long SS Arthur M. Huddell was built in Jacksonville, Florida, on October 25, 1943 and was launched in early December of the same year. Originally, the ship carried explosives to Europe and in 1944 she was converted to a pipe carrier. In 2008, SS Arthur M. Huddell was towed from Norfolk, Virginia to the main harbor of Piraeus, in order to be converted into a museum ship. For the two following years, the ship underwent general repairs and conversions in Greece, since she was in severe state of decay. Eventually, in June 2010, she was presented to the public in her restored form and renamed to SS Hellas Liberty.
Today, SS Hellas Liberty is docked in Piraeus’ main port, right next to the old SILO buildings, on Vasiliadis coast. A visit to this ship-museum offers the visitor the opportunity to familiarize with the evolution of the Greek and global alike, merchant maritime industry and to travel through history at a time when navigation depended mostly on seafaring skills.

Visiting hours: 10.00 – 16.00

Free Admission

SOURCE:  http://piraeusland.com/ss-hellas-liberty-a-museum-ship-in-piraeus/