SOLEN (2)

About

Completed 1961 as "SOLEN" for STUK. 1970-1975 operated by Shell Co. of Australia. 7-1975 laid-up at Kames Bay until 9-1975. Refitted as a production tanker off Zaire. 27-12-1982 arrived Kaohsiung for scrap.

IMO number
5333402
Call sign
GHPG
Construction number
1867
Tonnage
71.250 ton
Beam
34m
Length overall
249m
Year of construction
1961
Year of renaming/broken up
1982
Service for Shell
1961 to 1982
Cargo
Class
Flag state
Home port
Manager
Shipyard
Status
Photo(s)

Comments

Sailors

Name Job Period Details
Frank Todd deck apprentice 1961 to 1962
Anonymous 1st officer 1961 to 1963
Keith Bruce 3rd engineer 1961 to 1962
John Frewer deck apprentice 1962 to 1963
Ronald Van Burken deck apprentice 1963
David Else 2nd engineer 1964 to 1965
Michael Chaplin junior radio officer 1964 to 1965
Jack Beaumont 2nd mate 1964 to 1965
Barry Moss 5th engineer 1965
Alan Norman radio officer 1965 to 1966
John H Lightfoot 5th engineer 1965 to 1966
Jan Wientjes supernumerary 1966
Alan Tunnicliffe 5th engineer 1966 to 1967
Bernard Teale apprentice engineer 1966
Derek Officer 4th engineer 1967 to 1968
Paul Williams radio officer 1967
Roy Philpott junior radio officer 1968
Kieran Campbell junior radio officer 1968
Bill Grant 2nd mate 1968
Ian Thompson junior radio officer 1969
David Davies radio officer 1969
Ian Black 3rd mate, 2nd mate 1970 to 1973
Philip George S... shipwright 1970 to 1976
Arthur R. Geake chief officer 1971 to 1975
David J Baird 2nd mate 1973 to 1974
John Malivoire 5th engineer 1973
Roger Chapman radio officer 1975
Mike Browne 3rd mate 1975 to 1976
Geoff Donnelly 2nd mate 1975
Dave Atkinson radio officer 1975 Transferred from the Serenia.
Mike Philpott A... radio officer 1975
David Atkinson radio officer 1975
John Jack Raine 4th engineer 1975
Anonymous 4th engineer 1976 to 1981
David Whyte 5th engineer 1976 Promoted on board
Robin Ritchie chief engineer 1976
David Whyte engineer cadet 1976
Rick Vince 1 gppo pumpman 1977 While vessel was a station tanker in Zaire
Alan Campion 2nd engineer 1977 on station off zaire
Philip Longton ... 2nd engineer 1977
Bert Pearson chief engineer 1977
Roy Rodwell 4th engineer 1977 Station tanker zaire
David Rayfield chief officer 1978
Herbert Rintoul p.o 1978 to 1980
Steve Hardy 3rd officer 1978
Lawrence Lawson... 2nd engineer 1978
Eric Halcrow 3rd engineer 1978
Robin Campbell-... 2nd engineer officer 1978
Thomas Malcolm ... 3rd engineer 1979
Colin Mckay 3rd officer 1979 @ ZaA?re
Herbie Battye chief officer 1979
Nick Hall-stride 5th engineer 1979
Paul Crouch 5th engineer 1980
Simon Holt 1 3rd officer 1980
Stuart Jobson 3rd engineer 1980
Bernard Reynolds captain (commanding officer) 1981 captain. v/l was station tanker off banana, zaire
Thomas Malcolm ... 3rd engineer 1981
Ian Thornhill 2nd mate 1981
John Peter Hunter 3rd engineer 1982
Peter Graham chief officer 1982
Eamon Mullin 3rd mate 1982 3rd mate/heliguard! (took to scrap taiwan)
Derek Wallace D... chief officer 1982 took to scrap from ZaA?re
Terry Crook 3rd engineer 1982

Anecdotes

Date Visitor Anecdote
06/05/2017 - 22:44 Tony Dodd

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!

11/28/2009 - 00:18 Bernard Reynolds

When the Solen was a station tanker off Banana, Zaire she acted as a hotel for the oil field workers. We had two helicopters which ferried them to and from the oil rig and ashore. There was a platform over the focsle head on which they could land. I often went for a ride up the Congo river. You would see trees covered in red, it was the tails of African Grey Parrots.