USS Maartensdijk

USS Maartensdijk was a cargo steamship that was laid down in England in 1902 as Egyptiana, but launched as Rapallo.

She served in the United States Navy as USS Maartensdijk from 1918 until 1919, with the Naval Registry Identification Number ID-2497.

In 1901 its shipyard on the River Tees in Middleton, Hartlepool, England laid down a pair of ships for a Furness, Withy subsidiary called the British Maritime Trust.

[3] Rapallo had a single screw, driven by a three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine built by Richardsons Westgarth & Company of Hartlepool.

[5] In August 1904 a different Furness, Withy subsidiary called Gulf Line Ltd acquired Rapallo from Rob.

[8] On 21 March 1908 Gulf Line bought Rapallo back from HAPAG, and registered her at West Hartlepool.

[8][9] In April 1909 NASM acquired Rapallo from Gulf Line, renamed her Maartensdijk, and registered her in Rotterdam.

[12] Maartensdijk made four transatlantic round trips between the US and France to supply the American Expeditionary Forces: three before the Armistice of 11 November 1918, and one after.

For her first trip she loaded Army cargo, and on 10 April 1918 departed in convoy to France via Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In February 1927 the Compagnie Internationale de Commerce et d'Armement acquired Benvrackie, renamed her Ani, and registered her at Antwerp.