Anecdote

In February 2013 Mesaimeer suffered sever flooding whilst on passage in the Mediterranean following complete failure of one of the main sea water pump discharge valves. Total flooding was only averted by prompt closing of the main shipside sea valves, even so approx 750 tons of sea water had to pumped from the engine room before we could proceed to a port of refuge running on only one Main Engine'

I worked on the construction of this ship as an electrician at H&W.

I worked on the construction of this ship as an electrician at H&W.

Hi this was my first trip to sea,november 1966 to January 1967 as a fireman greaser what an amazing experience changed my life forever.crew were great from all over the uk but great shipmates every one of them, I see my ld mate alan wild we had some laughs.i went on to sail in shell tankers for about ten years wish I could do it all over again.thanks for a brilliant website.

Joined in Gothenburg August 1970 with fellow Cadet Bob Hemmings. C/E Holderness, 2/E Mick Collis. Left in Gothenburg in January 1971. Spent the whole time running round Scandinavia. Very busy ship, spent all the time on 4/8 and we called at 66 ports in those 5.5 months. Learnt an awful lot and thought the ship would never manage without me, but of course they never phoned!

in 1981 lagen we aan het steiger in Porto Prince toen er brand uitbrak op het manifold van de Gastanker die voor ons aan het steiger lag, stalen trossen laten gaan en polytrossen gekapt en naar het midden van het meer gevlucht, later bleek de portdienst boos dat we zonder loods vertrokken waren, in Guatemala hebben duikers een tros uit de schroef verwijderd die na het kappen hierin was meegetrokken.

aI joined her in Rotterdam March 65 to sail to Mina al Ahmadi in Kuwait in the Persian gulf via the Suez canal. At that time the Middle East conflick was going on between the Israeli and the Egyptians We got stuck in the middle at the Bitter Lakes while jets shooting and bombing were going on around us! The Egyptians complain that they were only using old Lee Enfield rifles to stop the invaders and the Israeli's were cheating by using high tech weapons! We got out of there all right but after that we had to go around the long way via Capetown, pulling in there to bunker. Eight months I was on there to go to Europe to the Middle East to the far East carrying mostly crude oil. An experience for a sixteen year old.

Paternal Gr'father James Campbell MN served on her Dec. 1939 - Jun. 1940 to Abadan in the Gulf & back. They were bombed somewehre but I can't find out where. He described being in port & the captain's shoe-heels disappearing between the guardrails as he dove into the harbour & Jim thought "if it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me."

Seems odd to me, as shockwave from bombs bursting would be worse underwater, & aboard a tanker you can fight a fire, in the water with leaking oil burning on it, you're helpless. Such are the memories of the old.

In 1978, our fishing boat captained by my father was rescued in the South China Sea by Le Miralda. I was 6 yrs old at the time, fleeing from the fall of Saigon. I have a picture of the crew of the tanker and would like assistance in identifying these generous men who rescued us.

I joined a scruffy looking Volvatella in Rotterdam in early December 1961, Captain Withers who had taken command a few days previously had a reputation for running a very tight ship but very much liked good quality food. Volvatella was Chinese crewed but with British officers and engineers, as 3rd trip Deck apprentice I was appointed ships carpenter which meant permanent day work, no watches but on stand by duties from end of passage through to full away on passage. I was responsible for the daily monitoring of drinking water for quality,quantity as well as ordering and monitoring the loading of fresh supplies. Captain Withers wanted Deck side cleared of rust and repainted, I was give the job of derusting all screws and threads on tank hatches including securing clips and the long hatch lifting threads, it was hard work, most lifting threads were badly corroded taking several hours each using a die and spanner all work was inspected each day, once all work was completed Volvatella looked very smart. Captain Withers then instructed me to refurbish the bridge decking seams with pitch and oakum, so I spent the next few weeks on my hands and knees! Over the months we sailed to Geelong,Miri,Kharg Island,Yokohama,Singapore,Bombay. On 5th February 1962 on passage from Geelong to Miri we caught a hurricane off Western Australia - boy was it rough! We left Bombay on 2nd July for Mena, en route a day or two out we were asked to stand by Venassa on passage from Germany - who had broken down in the Gulf, we one of a number of Shell tankers within a few hours steaming that evening, first light the following day we sighted Venassa and stood by waiting orders from Shell, within an hour of our arrival Achatina appeared and carried on passage after a few messages. From the moment we increased speed the previous evening it had been all hands on deck to prepare to undertake a tow, the insurance wire was hauled aft using a wire spring , as ships carpenter I protected all vulnerable rubbing areas deck side with timber as well as lining the stern panama fairlead with timber and lead sheet , 2 poop deck fairleads were braced with timber, finally anchors and windlass were made ready if needed. The insurance wire was flaked out down an aft companionway with a running pulley in the bight shackled to a messenger line and midship winch to control paying out. Finally the go ahead to tow came through and started the following morning - 7th July I think. We approached Venassa from port quarter firing a rocket line onto her forecastle from about 100 metres, as she had limited windlass power we hauled aboard one of her manila mooring lines which shackled to our insurance wire and then hauled to Venassa by her windlass and finally shackled to one of her anchor cables, our end of the wire had been lead through the midship sett of bits and secured round both poop deck winchs, the poop deck then out of bounds for the duration of the tow , a continuous watch being kept from the aft boat and bridge decks. The following day within a few miles of Mena harbour limits a decision was made to take Venassa's emergency power away from steering in readiness for harbour towing by tugs, I was on watch on the aft boat deck at the time as Venassa began to yaw and the towing cadence came higher and higher the more she moved, eventually the connecting shackle cleared the water and parted with a large spring like coil of insurance wire hurtling towards our stern for a few seconds before sinking.We were a few miles short for a full salvage payment but still received a bonus. Volvatella was probably the most rewarding hands on experience in my 6 years at sea - being in control of windlass and anchors when required , long hours with little rest 30 plus when towing , lots of shipboard DIY , and last but least good food and a very competent crew and captain

Joined Curacao March 73, left San Francisco July 73. We were carrying white oils, mainly jet fuels from Curacao to the east and west coasts of the US. Spacious, modern (compared to Plagiola that I had been on before) and a pretty reliable girl too. On the last trip to SF, we got new films at Panama City including Dirty Harry so it was pretty fitting as we were heading up to Oakland to discharge and for me to pay off.

After the Platidia, this trip was an absolute breeze. Solen was the newest and smartest Joe Boat I was ever on at 9 years old. Lovely ship, spacious and well fitted with a cavernous engine room. I did my second trip as an apprentice engineer on her, joining in Europe and carrying crude to Malaya and Singapore in 1969 before coming back to the UK in August. It was my first exposure to a Chinese crew, loved their food and still do but can't eat the anglicised versions. I remember the crew catching a huge manta ray while we were on an SPBM off Malaya. Big news rounding the Cape coming back was of the moon landing!