The Lykes Brothers Steamship Company has a rich history that dates back to 1906 when it was founded by William Lykes and his three brothers.
The company was initially based in New Orleans and operated a fleet of steamships that carried cargo and passengers between the Gulf Coast and Latin America.
In the early years, Lykes Brothers Steamship Company focused on providing reliable and efficient transportation services to the growing trade between the United States and Latin America.
The company's commitment to quality and customer service helped it establish a strong reputation in the industry, which has endured for over a century.
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History
The Lykes Brothers Steamship Company has a rich history that spans decades. In 1986, the ship "DOCTOR LYKES" changed its name to "CAPE MENDOCINO" on October 6th of that year.
A notable milestone in the company's history was the name change of the ship "DOCTOR LYKES" to "CAPE MENDOCINO" on October 6, 1986.
The company has a long history of operating ships, and it's impressive to see how they've kept track of their vessels over the years.
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Operations and Vessels
Lykes Brothers Steamship Company had a diverse fleet of vessels. The company operated a range of ships, including the Adabelle Lykes, built in 1942, and the SS Stella Lykes.
The fleet included cargo ships like the SS Cape Mohican and the SS West Cobalt. These ships were part of the Elbe-Express-Klasse, a class of container ships that were bought from Hapag Lloyd in 1984 and refitted to US flag standards.
Some of the cargo ships were scrapped in 1995/1996 at Alang. The company also operated smaller ships, including the USS Hamul and the USS Lenoir.
Lykes Brothers Steamship Company also operated three unique barge carrying ships. These ships featured a submersible elevator capable of lifting 2 x 1,000-ton barges at a time.
The three barge carrying ships were the SS Doctor Lykes, now SS Cape Mendocino, the SS Almeria Lykes, now SS Cape May, and the SS Tillie Lykes, now SS Cape Mohican.
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Reorganization
In 1995, Lykes Bros. Steamship Company filed for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.
This was a bold move, as no shipping company had ever successfully continued worldwide operations under a bankruptcy court's protection before.
Lykes requested and obtained a worldwide injunction from Bankruptcy Judge Alexander L. Paskay to prohibit any interference with its vessels.
This injunction was crucial in allowing Lykes to maintain its operations.
Judge Paskay also ruled that four large, modern container ships could continue to be used for North Atlantic trade, despite being technically owned by a third party.
These vessels were essential to Lykes' continued operation.
Seventeen months after the chapter 11 filing, Lykes had reorganized and sold the business to CP Ships.
CP Ships maintained offices in Tampa and continued to employ hundreds of people there and around the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Lykes Lines?
Lykes Lines was replaced by CP Ships in 2005 as part of a one-brand strategy. It was later merged into Hapag-Lloyd in 2006 after being acquired by TUI AG.
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