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Athel Viscount

Submitted by Kees Helder on Fri, 09/25/2015 - 13:43
About

Completed 1961 as Athel Viscount for Athel Line. 1965 in time-charter for Shell New Zealand. 1978 scrapped Hong Kong.

Information
IMO number
5028461
Call sign
GHKY
Construction number
1261
Tonnage
19.326 ton
Beam
22m
Length overall
171m
Year of construction
1961
Year of renaming/broken up
1978
Service for Shell
1965 to 1978
Cargo
Crude and white oil products
Class
Chemical / Oil Product Tanker
Flag state
Great Britain
Home port
London
Manager
Shell Co. of New Zealand
Shipyard
Smiths Dock & Co Middlesbrough UK
Status
Sailing / Sailed for Shell New Zealand
Photo(s)

Comments

Submitted by Mike Offord on Mon, 07/14/2014 - 10:11

Submitted by Len Mazza on Mon, 07/14/2014 - 10:23

Submitted by Phil Gibson on Sun, 08/24/2014 - 14:21

Submitted by Frank Humphries on Mon, 06/01/2015 - 00:58

Submitted by jamespc on Sat, 01/12/2019 - 14:59

Sailors

Name Job Period Details
John Blair 4th engineer 1961 to 1964
Frank Humphries galley boy 1964 to 1965
Mike Offord 2nd mate 1965 to 1966
Piet Kreyl ordinary seaman 1966 to 1967
Peter Boyes 4th engineer 1967 to 1969
David Pringle 4th engineer 1968
Philp Bennett 3rd engineer 1968
Terry Hogan able seaman 1968
Sam Bearda 1 3rd mate 1971
Trevor Palin 3rd mate 1972 NZ coast

Anecdotes

Date Visitor Anecdote
01/12/2019 - 14:59 jamespc

Hi my Step dad John Morgan from Newport speaks fondly of his time on her Joined at Cardiff docks was on her until the great storm when you all had to fly home.
06/01/2015 - 00:58 Frank Humphries

I joined the Athel Viscount in cardiff dry dock at the age of 16. So this was my first adventure, and what an adventure it turned out to be. We were getting our cargo mainly from Aruba and sailed the length of North America down to south America on numerous occasions. Rotterdam was another oil refinery were loaded up from. I see Mike joined her in dry dock in Durban, well that's where I left her. The ship got quite a bit of damage when we were sailing from cabana south America to Uruguay in some of the worst storms I ever witnessed, we flew home from Durham to Gatwick in an old Decoter that had seen better days. You never forget your first trip and I certainly haven't. And as they say God bless all who sailer on her. So Mike now you know why it was in Durban dry dock.
08/24/2014 - 14:21 Phil Gibson

Motor Ship engineer requesting steam eperience whoopy the A V foy you. 1966 Auk to Bluff then to Doutfall Sound to top up x Wanganela at tail race Manapouri Project

Sureal experience of a large vessel in a seaway compared with USSCo slow greens with bullbed hull frames moving hove too and slidding with just enough power for steerage

Bluff fuel discharge late in day had time to go ashore evening ,very still night sat on ajacent wharf area consuming crayfish, noticed petrol fumes issuing down sides of tanker, and hullow this was 5th Nov, well there were rockets and whatever in the air all around Bluff harbour I was on the 12 to 4 so I wasnt in a hurry

Into Doutfull sound such a large vessel was more of a highlite with waterfalls onto deck from great heights and turning basin a skillfull act befor discharge
Moved back to Motor Ships (only thing I found automatic on steam ships is yourself)
07/14/2014 - 10:23 Len Mazza

Isaw the 'Viscount being launched at South Bank, was on the San Edmundo dry
docking.Years later I worked on her as Ships Watchman in New Plymouth,NZ.
07/14/2014 - 10:11 Mike Offord

Hi, folks!
Athelviscount was in Durban dry-dock when the Union Company (NZ) chartered her for their NZ coastal delivery runs.
The entire crew was flown over to pick her up, and we enjoyed a good fortnight in Durban before sailing up the Persian Gulf for loading, then the voyage back to NZ.
NZ coastal runs were hectic to say the least - lots of six-on, six-off but for all that she was a happy ship, I think.

Mike Offord
2nd Mate