The SS Bulker is a container ship in Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.
Description
The SS Bulker is a small container freighter with a forward draft of 9.7 meters and an aft draft marked of 10.6 meters.
It has five stacking racks for 40 ft. shipping containers on the main deck in four longitudinal stacks of ten wide by five high and one latitudinal stack of seven by (at least) two at the bow. There are a pair of yellow deck-mounted loading cranes.
It has a large superstructure with five levels above the deck with the bridge topmost. There is a radio and radar mast at the top of the superstructure and another radio mast at the bow. The exhaust stack is marked with a blue and white striped livery similar to the Octopus and Platypus with the addition of the letters "DP" in blue within the white band. There are two six-man lifeboats mounted, one on each side on the second deck and two life raft containers mounted at the stern. A series of external stairways and ladders provide access between decks of the superstructure.
The hull is painted black with red below the Plimsoll Line. The superstructure is painted white with blue decks and the words "SAFETY FIRST" on the front. The main deck is painted red. The bow is marked with the name of the ship painted in white on either side and it is also on the hull amidships and on the stern. There is no home port of registration marked on the stern.
The ship has pipes on the deck that, when shot, will leak gas and do damage to anyone nearby as if it was Tear Gas.
The interior is completely inaccessible to the player. Other than during the missions where it is featured, there are no guards at all on the ship, and the player is free to explore it without taking risk.
It uses the same model as the Daisy Lee, with minor cosmetic differences. A sunken container ship just east of the NOOSE Headquarters uses the same model and this broken up model reveals there is also under-deck container storage used.
- Misnamed
A bulker is a specific type of cargo ship specially designed to transport unpackaged dry bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds. While bulkers have appeared in the Grand Theft Auto series, the SS Bulker is not one, but rather a container ship. SS is also an archaic ship prefix designation for a steamship, which would be unlikely for a modern-era cargo ship.
Events of Grand Theft Auto V
The vessel is used by Merryweather Security Consulting to transport precious cargo, including dangerous weapons.
The SS Bulker is first discovered when Trevor Philips and Floyd Hebert visit the port. They attempt to access the ship, but are deterred by port workers. After undertaking some stevedore tasks to establish his cover tasks, Trevor takes pictures of the freighter from the container crane and sends them to Ron Jakowski via picture message. These pictures are later used for planning The Merryweather Heist.
If the Freighter option for the heist is chosen, then the crew will decide to assault the freighter. Michael De Santa uses a Dinghy to move up to the side of the freighter and infiltrates the ship. Franklin Clinton is responsible for providing sniper support, killing several Merryweather personnel in the process. Michael plants five bombs throughout the ship including one inside that is done off screen while the player is forced to control Franklin. Franklin then detonates them, thus capsizing the ship allowing Trevor to arrive in a Submersible to extract the superweapon from the submerged wreck. The wreck will remain for the remainder of the game.
If the Offshore approach is chosen, the ship will be present upright through the rest of the story, however a news report online will state that the boat sank regardless of which option the player selected.
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay
Grand Theft Auto V
- Scouting the Port
- The Merryweather Heist (if the Freighter approach was chosen)
Grand Theft Auto Online
The Criminal Enterprises
The Chop Shop
Gallery
Trivia
- The SS Bulker's destruction is similar to how the Platypus was destroyed in Bomb Da Base II in multiplayer in Grand Theft Auto IV. Both ships were infiltrated and its guards killed, and bombs are planted onto the ships.