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Seebeckwerft file photo [32655]

Seebeckwerft AG

Type   222 Shipyard
Historical Name of Location   Bremerhaven, Weser-Ems, Germany
Coordinates   53.538164000, 8.581008000

Contributor:

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 NameYard NoSlip/Drydock NoOrderedLaid DownLaunchedCommissioned
A (Planned)1 Jul 1938
U-16525 Sep 1939
U-16915 Aug 1940
U-17015 Aug 1940
U-16170025 Sep 193926 Mar 19401 Mar 19418 Jul 1941
U-16270125 Sep 193919 Apr 19401 Mar 19419 Sep 1941
U-16470325 Sep 193920 Jun 19401 May 194128 Nov 1941
U-16370225 Sep 193924 Sep 19401 May 194121 Oct 1941
U-16670525 Sep 19396 Dec 19401 Nov 194123 Mar 1942
U-16770615 Aug 194012 Mar 19415 Mar 19424 Jul 1942
U-16870715 Aug 194015 Mar 19415 Mar 194210 Sep 1942

* Projected dates; not actual



Seebeckwerft AG Interactive Map

Photographs

Norddeutscher LloydConstruction of the dry docks at the Seebeckwerft shipyard, Bremerhaven, Germany, 1908
See all 8 photographs of Seebeckwerft AG

Maps

Drawing of the planned layout of the Seebeckwerft shipyard at the Geestemünde Handelshafen basin, Bremerhaven, Germany, 1906; seen in a business proposalGeorg Dietrich Seebeck
See all 5 maps of Seebeckwerft AG

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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Modern Day Location
WW2-Era Place Name Bremerhaven, Weser-Ems, Germany
Lat/Long 53.5382, 8.5810
Seebeckwerft AG Photo Gallery
Norddeutscher LloydConstruction of the dry docks at the Seebeckwerft shipyard, Bremerhaven, Germany, 1908
See all 8 photographs of Seebeckwerft AG


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