Theo. This is very interesting. Towards the end of WW1 the British War Office ordered a series of 180ft 1000dwt barges, constructed of ferro-concrete with "PD" numbers - their tonnage was 712nrt (and ferro-concrete tugs to work with them) . Ferro-concrete was chosen in consequence of the shortage of shipbuilding steel and indeed on building capacity in the conventional yards. At the end of that war, many of the orders were cancelled, but about 45 barges were completed to the account of the Shipping Controller and given CRETE--- names. Several of them were sold to Norway in the 1920s.

However, I have not until now come across DPC 59. I do have Dalen Portland Cementfabrik, Brevik acquiring two others:

PD 101 > CRETELAKE > (1924) DPC 57 > ??
PD 140 > CRETERAVINE > (1924) DPC 58 > ??

So it looks like there was a third one, but the question is: which one? Perhaps Norwegian shipsregisters from late 1920s/1930s might help.

These hulls have proved virtually indestructible! There is another example - CRETEJOIST ex-PD 121 - remaining to this day in the position where she stranded in 1942 at Fevåg, near Trondhjem. See [www.vrakdykking.com]

For extensive information on any conrete-hulled vessels see Rolf Skiold's website at [www.mareud.mine.nu]