Seebeckwerft AG
Type | 222 Shipyard | |
Historical Name of Location | Bremerhaven, Weser-Ems, Germany | |
Coordinates | 53.538164000, 8.581008000 |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseIn 1876, coppersmith Georg Dietrich Seebeck opened a small metal-processing workshop in Geestemünde, Bremerhaven, Germany with 5 associates, and this workshop grew quickly to become a shipbuilder. Three years later, Seebeckwerft completed its first all-metal launch. In 1886, it purchased additional land nearby to expand his shipbuilding operations. In May 1891, Seebeckwerft purchased the Schau and Oltmanns shipyard; soon a slip would be added and the dry dock would be modernized. In the same year, it launched its first steam trawler; trawlers would soon form an import part of the company's business. In 1894, the freighter Stettin entered Seebeckwerft drydocks; she was cut in half and then extended by 50 meters. In May 1895, it acquired the nearby Lange and Ullrich shipyard, which had two dry docks. In the same year, Seebeckwerft went public in order to raise additional capital. In 1900, it purchased another Bremerhaven shipyard, one owned by R. M. Wencke, as that yard was in danger of bankruptcy; this yard added a horizontal slip and the fifth dry dock for Seebeckwerft. In 1903, it began to extend the dry dock acquired from Wencke to 163 meters; this would complete in the spring of 1904. In Mar 1905, extraordinarily high tide caused serious damage to shipyard and dock facilities. Between the fall of 1906 and 1910, Seebeckwerft consolidated its holdings across Bremerhaven to a single location by building a new shipyard in the Geestemünde Handelshafen basin that had two dry docks, each measuring 180 meters by 25 meters and each had two small slips of 80 meters. They were capable of building 16,000-ton ships, and they, uniquely, had awnings that allowed a total of four cranes to move materials in and out of the dry docks. In 1914, it had employed more than 1,000 workers. During WW1, Seebeckwerft built minesweepers, torpedo boats, and submarines for the German war effort. Georg Seebeck passed away in Feb 1928. In Oct 1928, Seebeckwerft joined Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau (Deschimag) during a difficult period for shipbuilders. Business began to turn for the better in 1932, and by 1934 Seebeckwerft was receiving orders to build trawlers and freighters from foreign customers. In 1939, it received orders from the German Navy for the construction of Type VII, Type IXC, and Type XXI submarine sections. After the war, Seebeckwerft became a subsidiary of of AG Weser (which had played a leading role in the Deschimag group and took on the new name AG Weser Seebeckwerft. In 1987, it became a member of the Bremen shipyard association with the holding company Bremer Vulkan Verbund AG. In 1988, it merged with Schichau Unterweser, which was also associated with Bremer Vulkan, to become Schichau Seebeckwerft AG. Financial troubles with Bremer Vulkan trickled down to its subsidiaries, and in 1996 Schichau Seebeckwerft AG filed for bankruptcy. In 1998, the company SSW Fähr- und Spezialschiffbau GmbH was found, operating on the former Schichau Seebeckwerft AG site. In 2003, it was reorganized as SSW Schichau Seebeck Shipyard GmbH, bringing back the Seebeck name. In Jan 2009, the new company filed for bankruptcy, and was formally dissolved in Jul 2009. Shipbuilding slips and other equipment were removed, leaving little trace of the site's former shipyard heritage.
Last Major Update: Nov 2023
Ships Constructed at Seebeckwerft AG
Ship Name | Yard No | Slip/Drydock No | Ordered | Laid Down | Launched | Commissioned |
A (Planned) | 1 Jul 1938 | |||||
U-165 | 25 Sep 1939 | |||||
U-169 | 15 Aug 1940 | |||||
U-170 | 15 Aug 1940 | |||||
U-161 | 700 | 25 Sep 1939 | 26 Mar 1940 | 1 Mar 1941 | 8 Jul 1941 | |
U-162 | 701 | 25 Sep 1939 | 19 Apr 1940 | 1 Mar 1941 | 9 Sep 1941 | |
U-164 | 703 | 25 Sep 1939 | 20 Jun 1940 | 1 May 1941 | 28 Nov 1941 | |
U-163 | 702 | 25 Sep 1939 | 24 Sep 1940 | 1 May 1941 | 21 Oct 1941 | |
U-166 | 705 | 25 Sep 1939 | 6 Dec 1940 | 1 Nov 1941 | 23 Mar 1942 | |
U-167 | 706 | 15 Aug 1940 | 12 Mar 1941 | 5 Mar 1942 | 4 Jul 1942 | |
U-168 | 707 | 15 Aug 1940 | 15 Mar 1941 | 5 Mar 1942 | 10 Sep 1942 |
* Projected dates; not actual
Seebeckwerft AG Interactive Map
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Seebeckwerft AG Timeline
1 Oct 1876 | Coppersmith Georg Dietrich Seebeck opened a small metal-processing workshop in Geestemünde, Bremerhaven, Germany with 5 associates. |
8 May 1895 | Seebeckwerft purchased the Lange and Ullrich shipyard, also in Bremerhaven in Germany, from the firm H. F. Ullrich. |
12 Mar 1905 | Unexpected high tide at Bremerhaven, Germany caused damage to the Seebeckwerft facilities. |
28 Feb 1928 | Georg Dietrich Seebeck, founder of Seebeckwerft, passed away. |
5 Oct 1928 | Seebeckwerft of Bremerhaven, Germany became a part of the Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau (Deschimag) group. |
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WW2-Era Place Name | Bremerhaven, Weser-Ems, Germany |
Lat/Long | 53.5382, 8.5810 |
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Lt. Gen. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, at Guadalcanal