VENASSA (1)

About

Completed 1959 as "VENASSA" for STUK. 1976 midships section removed by Boeles Shipyard and converted to a floating dock. Bow and stern rejoined and arrived Blyth for scrap.

IMO number
5377886
Call sign
GDZH
Construction number
1073
Tonnage
34.947 ton
Beam
26m
Length overall
192m
Year of construction
1959
Year of renaming/broken up
1976
Service for Shell
1959 to 1976
Cargo
Class
Flag state
Home port
Manager
Shipyard
Status
Photo(s)

Comments

Sailors

Name Job Period Details
Leonard G Wordley 2nd steward 1959 to 1960
Ian Stretton Walker 4th mate 1959 to 1960
David Brown radio officer 1959 to 1960
Vic Hubbert deck apprentice 1959 to 1960 1st. trip
Arthur Tuffee 5th engineer 1959 to 1960
David Lester apprentice engineer 1960
Bryan Woods deck apprentice 1960
Alan Greig apprentice engineer 1960 to 1961
Kester Macfarlane deck apprentice 1961
Michael Thompson steward 1961 to 1962
Gerard J. Mahony junior ordinary seaman 1961
Peter Stacey able seaman 1961 to 1962
David C. Richmond 5th engineer 1962
Nicky Hunt able seaman 1962 to 1963
Brian Charles P... 2nd steward 1963
Anthony Terry W... chief and ships cook 1964
Bill Mullen 4th engineer 1964 to 1965
Alan Whyte junior ordinary seaman 1965
Malcolm Foulds radio officer 1965 to 1966
Ian F. Boon chief officer 1965
Gwyn Melville W... senior ordinary seaman 1965
Michael Howley radio officer 1965
John Cumming 3rd mate 1966 to 1967
Herbie A. Battye deck apprentice 1966 to 1967
Richard Graham ... deck apprentice 1966 to 1967
Colin Sandeman deck apprentice 1966 to 1967 The only ship on which I crossed the Pacific .
John A.D. Robertson 4th engineer 1967 to 1968
John Ross 2 radio officer 1967
Jim Lakeman 3rd engineer 1967
Valentine Hope deck boy 1967 to 1968 1st trip
Christopher Grindle 5th engineer 1968
John Hunt junior engineer 1968
Terry Brown steward 1968 to 1971
Stephen Smith apprentice engineer 1968
Brian Bailey 3rd mate 1968 to 1969
James W. Crosby po mechanic 1968
Stuart Clapham 2nd radio officer 1968 to 1969
Bernard Reynolds chief officer 1968
David Olpin apprentice engineer 1969 to 1970
Gerry Mapson chief steward 1969 to 1970
Anthony Tony Jo... 2nd radio officer 1969 to 1970 1st trip
Michael Hunt catering boy 1969
Peter Torley fireman/greaser 1969
John Wilkinson Owen steward 1969 to 1970
Michael Marsh apprentice engineer 1969 to 1970
Graeme Wood 4th engineer 1970 to 1971
Lawrence Lawson... 2nd engineer 1970
Thomas Malcolm ... 3rd engineer 1970
Iain Mccoll cook 1970
Peter Raymond Crean steward 1970 to 1971
Archie Smyth steward 1970 to 1971
Tony Cable 2nd radio officer 1970 1st trip
Robert Ian Fletcher 4th engineer 1970
Howard Pownall apprentice engineer 1971
Michael Battrick 2nd mate 1971
Robert Gorge Hall assistant steward 1971
Stuart Gallaway 3rd mate 1972
Richard Williams navigation cadet 1972 to 1973
Desmond Doyle master 1972 to 1973
Roger David Collins 5th engineer 1972 to 1973
Ian F. Boon captain (commanding officer) 1973
Brian Lindo extra 3rd engineer 1973
David J Wilson engineer cadet 1973 to 1974
Peter Stevens 2 deck cadet 1974
Dave Thorpe-willett engineer cadet 1974
Donald Travis chief officer 1974 to 1975
Steve Bacon 5th engineer 1974
Geoffirish engineer cadet 1975 Third and last trip with Shell, loved this ship
Allan J. Mckay 5th engineer 1975 to 1976
Mike Ewart 2nd engineer 1975
John Sage 5th engineer 1975 to 1976
Peter O'connor cadet 1975
Simon Holt 1 cadet 1975
Peter John Houghton 2nd engineer 1975 to 1976

Anecdotes

Date Visitor Anecdote
12/10/2013 - 23:38 Stephen Smith

Engineer apprentice with Ricky Aucutt in Jan 1968. A real tramp tanker and as She'll tankers were, not too bad. Trip spoiled by a sadist 2nd engineer who I hope never had an apprentice with him again

05/13/2012 - 21:28 Robert Gorge Hall

i flew out from london to maryland in america with the captain who was taking charge of the ship

05/06/2011 - 22:36 Gerard J. Mahony

I was a Junior Ordinary Seaman on to Venassa, signing on at Tranmere, Liverpool on the 2nd'January 1961. We sailed world wide, signeing off at Themshaven, London on 5th' November 1961.We did 2 months between Med-Europe. We then spent 5 months between Persian Gulf and Far East. Then sailed Persian Gulf to Montreal, Canada 3 months Carabean-Curacoa and East Coast USA. Then transit Panama Canal to San Francisco. Finally, we sailed from Cartagena, Columbia to London.I was only 16 years old at that time, but I felt like a really grown man, traveling the world. My most happiest moment on her was when we were sailing from Panama, where we had taken Bunkers, to San Francicco. Mr. Scott, the Chief Officer, had taken a lot of time when we were out in the middle of the Oceans, to instruct me in how to steer the ship as if we were coming into or out of Port. He thought me all he could. So, when we were leaving Panama at 00.30, it was my turn to be 1st' wheelman on the watch. But being an Ordinary Seaman, I was suppost to hand over my wheel duty to a more senior Seaman. I decided to present myself on the Bridge to do my turn on the wheel. Mr. Scott met me on the wing of the Bridge and enquired where I was going. "On the wheel, Sir. You said I was able to take the Ship out of Port". I was putting it up to him, which I realy should not have done, I should have shown a bit more respect. He hesetated a moment and said "OK. In you go on the wheel". I was thrilled. As I stood at the wheel, I began to feel a little nervous. "Had I done the right thing? Did I really want the responsability of steering the ship out of Panama?".These were the thoughts going through my head at that moment. But, I was committed, so I could do nothing about it. The Tug Boats turned us and the Pilot ordered "Hard to Starboard" which I readily did. Then "Midships the wheel and steady her up" All this I did with no problem. When we reached the Main channel he ordered "Hard to Port" then "Steady as she goes down the Main Channel".As we sailed down the Main Channel, a small coaster was coming down the Channel behind us. When he got half way down the Channel, the Coaster cut out through the Marker Buoys, to his Starboard. We continued on down to the Fairway Buoy and turned Hard to Starboard, As we did this manouver, we noted that a Cargo ship was heading down to the Fairway Buoy to enter the Canal. He was cutting it very fine and putting us under preassure becouse we could not turn to far to Starboard because of the Coaster which was close to our Starboard Side. We managed to squeze between the Cargo Ship on our Port Side and the Coaster on our Starboard Side, As I was following all the instructions the Pilot was giving me, I became aware that Mr. Scott was standing very close to me during this time. I think that if I was not measuring up to the task, he would have unceromonusly thrown me off the wheel and took over from me. Thankfully it all worked out very well and I felt I had achieved a lot in taking my first Ship out of Port at the age of 16.