Anecdote

Just came across a letter I wrote home to my parents in the summer of 1969. At the time I was a first trip deck cadet and apparently we were attempting to depart Jurong drydock in Singapore. It took three attempts to depart due to "boiler issues" which caused us to black out twice, and we were towed back alongside for further repairs. What little I can recall from some 50 odd years ago, Singapore was then a glorious place to dry dock. The dock itself was rat infested stink hole but once outside the gates it was like I had arrived in paradise. (For an 18 year first time away from home it was paradise)

The posts on the Shell Tankers (UK) Facebook page in April 2005 by John Evans and Sean Currie and comments from Garry Coull brought back memories of the awful Latia (3) being run up the beach at Alang, Gujarat, on 19 March 1995.
This was the ship where, the story has it, I lost two anchors, which is utter bullsh*t. It was one anchor TWICE (not a lot of people have done that), and it was not a difficult trick on the former Olympic Banner. The first time was at Fujairah and, as we were not totally brainless, we marked the spot so the anchor could be recovered. The second time it broke out in 4500 metres of Inidan Ocean, despite the multiple extra wire restraints we had on the stopper and the cable itself. And just for fun, the bitter end put a whopping great hole in the foredeck plating, making the focsle less that watertight.
After a shore team came on to fix the hole, we went to Rotterdam to part discharge and to get a replacement port anchor. Then to Shellhaven, where a passing ship's surge caused a poop deck aft spring winch to collapse into the steering flat. Then to Las Palmas for repairs. While tank cleaing, the C/O, my excellent friend Chris Snape, discovered a mighty big crack in the centre girder keel plate of one of the tanks. We loaded one more cargo after repairs, discharged in Durban and then cleaned for scrapping the damned thing.
The whole trip was a nightmare. The 2/E had an accident when dropping a boiled kettle into his rigger boot, a 5/E broke his arm (deliberately, we thought, so he could get off), a sea valve in the E/R broke so that sea water was coming in at full bore to fill the E/R, just to name a few incidents.
Running the vessel up the beach at Alang should have been an incident that brought a little sadness. It did when we saw the conditions for the shore workers, but scrapping that vessel was actually a happy day for more than just me.

Hi
I am looking for anyone that may have sailed with my farther on the SS Vitrina around 1972. I am his daughter who he named Vitrina also in 1972 sadly my dad has passed and i would love to here of any friends that may still remember him

My great-grand-uncle Jakób Markiewicz served as Second Officer on Caprella between 19.11.52 and 13.8.53. He was a World War II-veteran awarded with several Polish and British decorations, including: Italy Star Ribbon, War Medal, Atlantic Star Ribbon and Cross of Valour.

Started with Shell as Senior Engine Cadet way back in 1997. I remember we brought FUSUS out of shipyard in Split Croatia. I was a 3rd Engr at that time. Stayed only for a short time since I will be transferring to MT OPALIA for I got my promotion to 2nd Engr. I have the best mentor on board MT Opalia and it was none other than CE Roger Smith and with the best Master Dave Freeman. Wow those were the days.
- - - - CE Ronnie Zoleta - - - -

Ik was in de jaren 1972 - 1973 aan boord van de Dione met o.a. joop bovenkerk het was een mooie tijd
Ik denk er nog vaak aan terug
Groetjes joep de bruijn uit Echt

I have a database with ships that went to Murmansk in WW2, Also the San Cipriano.
John Dodds was on board of the San Cipriano as a Chief Steward from the 1st December 1942 ( joined in Ellesmere)
He was on board till 22 March 1943 and left the ship in South Shields.
In this period the San Cipriano went to Murmansk in convoy JW51a and returned with convoy RA53.
As next of kin is mentioned his wife Bertha, living 43 Eglington st Sunderland
The ship he sailed before the San Cipriano is mentioned the Seminole.

Ali o Sailed as R/O March to September 1965

March 65 until September 1965 as Radio officer

My paternal grandfather, Willem van Beek (1903-1968) served as 5th “werktuigbouwkundige” in the machine room of Silvanus, when it collided on April 8th, 1926, near Point la Hache, south of New Orleans, LA, causing an explosion and fire. Twenty-four of the 43 crew members perished in the fire or drowned. My grandfather was among the survivors and was found on a beach near Bohemia, where the ship ran aground. The disaster was extensively covered in the Times-Picayune, e.g. In a front page story on 9 April, as well as in Dutch papers, such as the Nieuws van de Dag en Rotterdamsche Courant.

The LNGSHIPS MANHATTAN sounds like a fascinating vessel. It's impressive how technology and engineering continue to advance in the maritime industry. Would love to know more about its specifications and capabilities!best outlets in new York

Impressive achievement! The "MALAGA KNUTSEN" sounds like a key asset in the LNG fleet with its substantial capacity.