Historic Cargo Ships

Vintage photographs showcasing cargo and transport ships in various ports, highlighting maritime activity from the early to mid-20th century.

The victorious United States fleet off Tompkinsville, S.I. | Library of Congress
The victorious United States fleet off Tompkinsville, S.I. | Library of Congress
256 assets in this story
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The ocean liner 'Leviathan' at a New York City pier, c. 1920s. She was originally the German flag passenger liner 'Vaterland', but was seized as a troop transport from April 1917-1919. She remained in political limbo from 1919 until 1922, when she was modernized into the largest and fastest ship of the U.S. merchant marine (BSLOC_2016_10_182)
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U.S. Dredge "Phoenix". Henry P. Bosse (American, 1844 - 1903)
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Two boats on the Seine. Photograph by J. Legrand. Gelatino-silver-bromide draw. Paris, Carnavalet museum. 123090-5
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H.M.S. Hood, 1920s to 1930s, New Zealand, by Roland Searle.
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Towing Birch, Project Tugbird. This image depicts a helicopter towing a 75 ton buoy.
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Northwest Passage - Bramble. The U.S. Coast Guard tender Bramble (WAGL-392) is shown picking her way through the ice pack of Amundsen Gulf during the early part of the Northwest Passage Run (July 1957). Ahead of the Bramble (not visible) are the two other Coast Guard ships SPAR and STORIS who made the first successful deep-draft transit of Bellot Strait from west to east. The 180-ft. Bramble's homeport is Miami, Florida. Her commanding officer during the Northwest Passage run was Lieut. Commander Harry L. Carter, USCG.
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The State Railways, SJ Bus 1877 drives aboard the Kvalöfärjan.
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New Jersey - Miah Maul Shoal. Miah Maul Shoal Light Station, New Jersey. Taken June 8, 1912 from a point 500 ft. NE'ly from light.
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Seapage resorts Simpnäs-Åland.
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Waving passengers on a ship and those who stayed behind on a quay, Anonymous, 1920 - 1930 photograph Part of the Dutch East Indies family album. photographic support gelatin silver print waving farewell ~ departure on a journey (+ exterior ~ vehicle, ship, etc.). passenger liner (+ view ~ vehicle, ship, etc.) Netherlands
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Coast Guard "Reflector" Is Mounted Above Lantern Of Lighted Buoy. Seen close-up, the Coast Guard's latest experimental radar reflector for lighted buoys is a series of metal pockets which "pick-up" the radar beams from a nearby ship and reflect them back to the sending apparatus. A buoy which might otherwise be overlooked because of its small size, can become a valuable aid to navigation over a wide area.
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Harbor Scene, c. 1890, Charles Job, British, 1853 - 1930, 10 1/16 x 13 3/4 in. (25.56 x 34.93 cm) (image)10 5/16 x 13 15/16 in. (26.19 x 35.4 cm) (sheet), Carbon print (), England, 19th century
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Vintage Photograph. Overview shot of Oil Tanker in the Erie Canal.
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Toy boats in a pond in Central Park, New York City. .
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Logging: Transportation: Rafting - Alaska. Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
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Wharves, Wellington, 18 July 1932, Wellington, by Leslie Adkin. Gift of G. L. Adkin family estate, 1964.
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Transparency - Chaudière district, Ottawa, Ontario, about 1922
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U.S.S. Illinois and launch, Armory for Naval reserves, West 135th Street Pier, Manhattan.. 1937. Photographs. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection. New York (N.Y.), Hudson River (N.Y. and N.J.), Bridges, Ships, Boats, Naval yards & naval stations
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Transparency - Harbour, St. John, NB, about 1925
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Ferry at Curacao, Fishing and Vegetable Boats in Canal at Curacao. Original caption: 34809- Ferry at Curacao 34810- Fishing and vegetable boats in canal at Curacao. State: Dutch West Indies.
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harbor with steamers, Isle of Man, Historical, digitally restored reproduction from an original from the 19th century, 1880.
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United States steamship at London wharf, 1930s, London, by Eric Lee-Johnson.
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Misc - Other. Coast Guard Cutter TAHOE on International Ice Patrol.
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286. 286
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Floods - Indiana, Aerial Photograph.
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Description: The Eastern Car Company Limited. Loading Russian car parts at Pictou landing. Location: Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada Date: 1916 canada, americas, newbrunswickandnovascotia
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U.S. Frigate Constitution, Boston Navy Yard , Sailing ships, Constitution Frigate. Leon Abdalian Collection
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Italy. Port of Naples. Drawing by Jose Maria Garcia (1862-1936). La Ilustracion Artistica, 1884.
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Elbe chapter. Bug of the trailer N.N.V.e.403, Hamburg
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Pacific Mail S.S. Manchuria in Manila Bay.: "In the Philippines".. 1905. Postcards. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection. Manila Bay (Philippines), Harbors, Ocean liners, Visits of state
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Boat yard, Lake Champlain , Lakes & ponds, Boat & ship industry, Ships. Edmund L. Mitchell Collection
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View of a speed with floating wood in the foreground, a ship, a drawbridge (left), hanging wax and the houses and/or farms of a village, Noord -Holland (), 1907 - 1930 photograph. color slide Noord-Holland (possibly) glass slide North Holland
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09/07/1919. Saint Sebastian. Traineras Regattas. The Pasajes de San Pedro trawler, which was classified in second place.
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U.S. Frigate Constitution, Boston Navy Yard , Sailing ships, Tourists, Constitution Frigate. Leon Abdalian Collection
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Libourne, France , 1920-1921 - Charente, Gironde, Basse -Pyrénées, Hautes Pyrénées - Fernand Cuville (French - Libourne , France). Civil engineering, river, hydrography, barrel, sailboat, river transport , lake, bridge, Habitat , architecture, nature , environment, transport, France, Libourne, the edges of the Dordogne and the bridge
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From Northern Boulevard at old bridge including reflection in Fort Point Channel , Piers & wharves, Waterfronts, Channels, Fishing boats, Fish traps. Photographs by Ernst Halberstadt
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Borlange, Balstå, Sweden Passage du Bac , 1910 - Voyage of Albert Kahn and Auguste Léon in Scandinavia - (August 9 - September 14) (French - Borlange , Balstå , Suède Passage du bac). Landscape, car transport, car, river, child, boat, home, hydrography, maritime transport, pier, hairstyle , headgear, Nature , Environment, Transport, Human Starries, Habitat , Architecture, Falun road to Loeter
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Carrier for a sales cable car at Doroschoututz. .
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Steam "Saxony
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A Boston fire boat fighting the fire , Fires, Fireboats, Fire fighting. Chelsea Public Library Archive Collection
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Coast Guard Plane Assistance. This image depicts a Coast Guard plane assisting the fishing vessel AMBERJACK as it tows the raft LEHI IV back to harbor with a Coast Guard patrol boat nearby.
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Rome, Italy may 1965: Two port workers in uniform are posing on a pier, with a cargo ship named american visible in the background, in a vintage photograph from the mid-20th century
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NY - Cross Over Island. Cross Over Island, New York. Looking West, 1/8 mile.
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Rome, Italy may 1965: Vintage black and white photo of a customs officer rowing a small wooden boat, possibly approaching a larger vessel in the background
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The launch of the R.M.S. 'Queen Mary', viewed from the slipway she had just left, 26th September 1934. The Cunard White Star Liner then spent the next year-and-a-half in Clydebank, being fitted out by the John Brown shipyard. September 1934
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Visit of Soviet Whaling Fleet - Factory Ships, Slava 1958, 1958, by William Hall Raine.
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Ship with the port of Plymouth in the background seen from the water, Anonymous, 1928 photograph photographic support gelatin silver print ships (in general). harbour New York (city)
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The Brake Lightship moored to ward ships away from Brake Sand, near Goodwin Sands, off the south east Kent coast between Ramsgate and Sandwich. Date: late 1930s
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Passengers on the deck of the boat between Ryde and Portsmouth, 1889 photograph This photo is part of an album. Great Britain baryta paper. cardboard passengers ~ ship. parts of ship's exterior (DECK) Great Britain
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The American cargo ship Severn comes out of the Gatun lock in the Panama Channel, photograph by E Hallen from the magazine L'Illustration, year 72, no 3716, May 16, 1914.
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England, London, Greenwich, Cutty Sark, Interior Exhibit of Cotton Bales
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Cruiser Hr.Ms ship bar. De Ruyter (1953-1972)