LANISTES

About

Completed 1975 as "LANISTES" for STUK. 1982-1985 laid-up in Loch Striven. 1988-1999 for Shell France. 1999 returned to STASCo. 2000 rebuilt as Floating Storage Vessel "FSU SOORENA" for Shell Iran Offshore. Not in service since 2016. 4-2024 scrapped Chittagong.

Also known as
FSU Soorena
IMO number
7379802
Call sign
GUON /FNCU
Construction number
953
Tonnage
311.883 ton
Beam
56m
Length overall
344m
Year of construction
1975
Year of renaming/broken up
2024
Service for Shell
1975 to 2000
Cargo
Class
Flag state
Home port
Manager
Shipyard
Status
Photo(s)

Comments

Sailors

Name Job Period Details
Pascal Blanchard 3rd engineer 1973 to 1991
Allen Higgins 2nd engineer 1973 to 1974
Mike Hardiker gp 1 1975 to 1976
Carl Gippert saloon steward 1975
Michael Rand 5th engineer 1975
Keith D Ellison... gp 1 seaman 1975 to 1976 Awesome time sailed Back to Back trips
Michael Spike Sharp grade 1 seaman 1975
Robert T. Dunbar 2nd officer 1975 to 1976
Eoin Mccourt 3rd engineer 1975 to 1972
Steve Czerwionka 3rd engineer 1976
Guy Pracy deck cadet 1976 to 1977 1st trip
Peter Graham chief officer 1976 to 1977
David Wilson chef kok 1976 to 1977
John Andy Turner chief petty officer 1976
Ian Thornhill 2nd mate 1976 to 1977
Christopher Ryan deck cadet 1976 to 1977
Mike Hapgood 2 deck cadet 1976 to 1977
Steven Matthews deck cadet 1976
Richard Paul Helliar deck cadet 1976 to 1977
Robin Ritchie chief engineer 1977 to 1978
Roger David Collins 4th engineer 1977
Pete Clementson radio officer 1977
Colin Williamson 3rd engineer 1977 to 1978
Paul Hagan deck boy 1977 to 1978
Roger Roue 2nd engineer 1977 to 1978
Ian Wands 5th engineer 1977 to 1997
Bryan Stockdale deck cadet 1978
Steve Crawford unknown 1978
Graeme Lawrence deck cadet 1978
Andy Bowling deck cadet 1978 to 1979
Thomas Malcolm ... 3rd engineer 1978
Kevin Mason assistant steward 1978 to 1979
Mark Hornsby deck cadet 1978 to 1979
Chris Walker engineer cadet 1978 to 1979
David Hitchmough deck cadet 1978
David John Foy able seaman 1978
David E. Byrne deck cadet 1978 to 1979
David John Foy able seaman (grade 1) 1978 to 1984 Lanistes
Joe Greenland assistant steward 1978
Anthony Fozzy H... able seaman (grade 1) 1978
Alasdair Maclean 3rd engineer 1978
Dirk Parker deck cadet 1978 1st trip
Anonymous captain (commanding officer) 1978 to 1980
Joe Greenland 2nd cook 1979 to 1980
Steve Dunderdale cadet 1979 to 1980
Robin Ritchie chief engineer 1979
Kevin Stephenson Third Mate 1979 1st trip third mate
Martin Mullen junior ordinary seaman 1979 to 1980
Pete Clementson radio officer 1979
Westley Hughes motorman 1979 to 1980
Brian Saunders gp 2 1979 to 1982
Brian Mcglinchey 2nd cook 1979
Robert Cribben able seaman 1979 to 1989
Martin Burley deck cadet 1979 to 1980
Fred Craig chef kok 1979 to 1980
Ken Edwards 5th engineer 1980 to 1981
Mark Adams 3rd officer 1980
Craig Douglas 5th engineer 1980 to 1981
David Holden deck apprentice 1980
Ash Bowron deck apprentice 1980
Brian Mcglinchey chef kok 1980
Verner Haidak radio officer 1980
Barry Pettit deck cadet 1980
David R. Byrne 3 petty officer motorman 1980
Paul Hagan efficient deckhand 1980 to 1981
Iain Mccoll chief steward 1980
John J Brown deckhand 1980 to 1981
Simon Goldup efficient deckhand 1981 to 1982
Charles Rose 3rd officer 1981
Steve Taff Barnes mg 2 1981
Vincent Fitzpatrick deck boy 1981 to 1982
Alan Brock deck cadet 1981
Pilat Alexandru chief engineer 1981 to 1982
David Beeston 2nd engineer 1982
Steve Furness engineer cadet 1982 to 1983
Terry Crook 3rd engineer 1982 to 1983
Iain Wysner able seaman 1982 to 1983
Geoffrey Forster 2 chef kok 1982 to 1983
Phil Gilkes engineer cadet 1982 to 1983
Robin Ritchie chief engineer 1982
Herbert Rintoul p.o 1982
Douglas Calder engineer cadet 1983
Roy Halsall pumpman 1983
Roy Halsall pumpman 1983
Paul Hagan able seaman 1984 to 1985
Tommy Montgomery able seaman 1985 to 1986
Eric Cordiner mg 1 1986 to 1987
Michael O'keeffe steward 1986
Colin Gunn 5th engineer 1986
Shaun Strachan able seaman 1986
Kevin Stephenson Third Mate 1986
Thomas P. Hughes master 1987
Roy Robertson chief officer 1987 to 1988
Jonathan Mills 3rd mate 1987 to 1988
Raymond Laws cook steward 1987
Jacques Vanicatte 2nd engineer 1988 to 1989
Anonymous radio officer 1988
Franois Morin radio officer 1989 to 1992
Samzun electrician 1990 to 1993
Jacques Vanicatte 2nd engineer 1991
Henri Van Heffen radio officer 1992
Alain Hazard deck cadet 1992
Alain Beduneau ce 1993 to 1997
Treilhaud Denis 3rd engineer 1995
Andre Nicolas chief engineer 1997 to 1999
Jacques Vanicatte chief engineer 1997 to 1999
Haider Ali 2nd engineer 1997 to 2016
Thierry De Casa... deck officer 1998
Dave Freeman master 1999 to 2000
Gordon Ogle 3rd engineer 1999 to 2000
Arnold S. Valles cleaner 1999 to 2000
Douglas Craig Smith 3rd officer 2000
Dean Reljac c/o 2000
Klaudio Krpan 2nd engineer 2000
Willem Klein sgpo 2000
Peter Reemeyer shift controler 2001 to 2003
Peter Reemeyer supervisor 2002 to 2003 data managment/inventory supervisor

Anecdotes

Date Visitor Anecdote
07/21/2013 - 17:45 David Freeman

Took Lanistes over from French Shell in Sembawang dry dock 1999. Was last Master on her before being converted to FSU, handed her over to soroosh project in Sembawang 2000

02/25/2012 - 17:29 Roy Halsall

Lanistes... Fine ship. Cannot remember were I joined her, but she was floating storage I think? Relieved a Pumpman from Southampton called John Cox! Best darn pumpman in Shell!
Trained with John too on Achatina.
Loved the L class, Big and spacious. Used to run around the decks those days, was a bit of a fitness fanatic then. Still keep fit now, but no running! Knees have gone ( probably from all that running on steel decks!)
After Shell went foreign flag, did a few supertankers as Deck Engineer. Biggest I ever sailed on was Media Star ( Vela) 416,000 DWT! 10th Biggest ULCC in the world. All gone now, razor blades! CORRECTION... Think Lanistes id a FFU somewhere up gulf

10/07/2009 - 12:26 David John Foy

SS. Lanisites

After around one month after leaving Sea School I got my first ship. A shell oil tanker 311,883 S.D.W Tonnes. I joined her as Deck Boy in on the 6th March 1978 just outside ?Le Havre? in a small town or village called D?antifer. This in itself was quite a laugh. I left my home to catch a train to get to Shell Centre, at Waterloo. Then whole Crew boarded a coach to be driven down to Southampton Docks to catch a ferry over to France. The ferry trip was something out of the ordinary, What could go wrong did go wrong. Sailors were just being Sailors. Looking back it brings a smile to my face.

Finally we arrived in Le-Havre; our troubles were about to begin. First of all one our Crew members got lost on board the ferry from England. There was ship wide search trying to locate him. I had already left the Ferry and was standing on the quayside with the rest of the crew, when all of a sudden I saw a pair of feet appear at one of the ferries windows running down the length of the Ferry. Eventually someone managed to locate him and get him off the ferry. He fell asleep along some seats in one of the Lounges and no one could see him even if they went into the Lounge.

After arriving at the Hotel (the Lanisites was not due in until the early hours of the next day) and after being allocated our rooms, I set about getting some Dinner and settling down for the Night.

The next day finally arrived and with some mixed feelings and a little reluctance mixed with some anticipation what was going to happen next. I kept thinking what was happening at home and kept imagining what my Dad and my Brothers and sisters were doing now at this moment in time. I wish I could get to speak to them one more time before I left Europe, But there no way because we did not have a Telephone in those Days. I think there was around a half a dozen telephones in the whole street so it was not possible to get in touch with anybody. Never mind I?m a big boy now.

During Breakfast, That?s when I found that some of the Lads that went into Town the previous evening got themselves arrested and spent the night in a police cell. The charge was public disorder and disturbance and setting fire to the restaurant they had been dining in. What a great start to my first Trip.

Later on that day we left for the terminal of D?antifer where the Lanisites was discharging the remains of her cargo (which she brought around from the Persian Gulf). After signing on and sorting stuff out in my Cabin I set about cleaning the Cabin (there was Captains inspection the following morning) and it looked like a herd Elephants came charging through here. It was around midnight by the time I finished cleaning my Cabin and the ship was leaving port around 0630 hrs the next day. 0500hrs I got shake to get ready to turn too and prepare to leave port and the Ship to head back towards the Persian Gulf. After a cup of coffee we were on standby getting ready to let go, we were just waiting for the Ship?s agent to leave and the Pilot to board.

There?s one thing I will always remember about that morning is there Ship along side us (on the next berth) was a Japanese Oil Tanker. I never seen anything like it before in my life (and still haven?t to this Day) All the Crew on the Japanese Ship were out on deck doing some exercise routine prior to starting their Days work. I thought ?how strange?. One or two comments were made, Like ? you?ll never get me doing anything like that? or ?I?m here to work on a Ship not joining some Ballet class?

The Pilot eventually Boarded and we got under way to head out sea. The next port of call was cape town (south Africa) to take on board some stores, Mail and possibly a crew Change (mainly Deck officers and engineering Officers) this was done by Helicopter most of the time. I had a good Bosun to work under. His name was Ron Davison, a small chap from Scotland. He taught quite a lot over the coming years. The Captain?s name was Connelly. Such a nice person. Him and I always used to talk each other about anything; Captain Connelly started his sea career as a Deck Boy just like me.

On my passage from Europe to the gulf, I continued/completed my training by completing my task book with various topics from steering the ship to splicing wires and ropes to general ships tasks and ship Familiarisation. Lanisites were to be recorded in my record book. On the 9th June 1978 I crossed the Equator for the first time. It is tradition to have to stand before Neptune (the king of the Sea?s) and be tried under his law to be granted passage to continue with your journey. You have to go through an initiation ceremony to accepted and be granted permission. Part of the tradition is try and hide and not be found. There is only so many places you hide on a ship and certainly not forever.

Some of the process of the initiation is to be covered in Flour and water and various unpleasant substances and have worst haircut you could ever imagined. After all the pleasantries it?s time to celebrate the occasion with a party.

After leaving the Persian Gulf we went back to Europe discharged our cargo then back to the Gulf where I paid off on 10th July 1978. The Lanisites at a place called Ras Al kymah then onto Jeddah to fly out from Dubai the next Day.

By David J Foy.

08/30/2009 - 13:44 Westley Hughes

I can remember doing a short trip from Senegal to Rottterdam and then onto Edinbrugh with a full tank. We paid off early because we had the prospect of staying in British waters until we could find a buyer for the oil. I think that was the story...it was so long ago now!!

Any one else on that trip? I'm a Head Teacher in the UAE now. What a coincidence!