For first all-welded hull, see . The M/S Carolinian was the first entirely-welded commercial vessel in the world. She was completed in March of 1930 in Charleston, South Carolina. Built by Charleston Dry Dock & Machine Company, she was a 226-ton tanker designed for coastal shipping. Miles L. Clark is a known owner, with Texaco as the operator (notice the insignia on her stack prior to launch). The ship took about nine months to complete from the time her keel was laid. As denoted by the prefix M/S, the vessel also had an internal combustion main engine. Welded construction and internal combustion engines are staples in modern shipbuilding, allowing the Carolinian to be the first truly modern merchant ship.