Quote:
Originally Posted by Makko
Tom and ES,
One vessel (I cannot remember the name) was converted into a car carrier under Kawasaki colours. This vessel was known as the company "prison ship" for ne'er do goods!
Rgds.
Dave
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The following extracted from my Digital book on CD - The Blue Funnel Odyssey. 2007
An opportunity arose to acquire two Panamax size bulk carriers when an unspecified Danish owner cancelled two contracts at the Burmeister & Wain yard in Denmark. The shipbuilder had offered them for resale as they had already commenced building. Both contracts were acquired and completed for two Ocean Group subsidiaries as HECTOR and HELENUS. The engine rooms were unusual inasmuch the signs etc were in Danish and supplemented by English equivalent translations. One engineer who served aboard HELENUS has spoken of the “Pigeon” language introduced by the engine room staff using a mix of both languages but which became fully understood within the engine room but was alien to the remainder of the crew.
Purpose-built car carriers are usually provided with an array of propulsion units to assist with their manoeuvring in port due to their high slab-sides. When bulk-carriers are converted they usually retain whatever propulsion they had without any expensive additions such as bow thrusters etc.
This fact was to become all too apparent on the night of 29th March 1980, when HELENUS was in the River Medway. Having discharged, she was making ready for sea but her master decided to delay his departure due to excessively high winds, gusting to force 9-10. Such was the ferocity of the wind that the vessel was ripped from her berth at Sheerness before additional shore lines could be put in place. With only one rope holding on to her stern a local tug attempted to hold her against the berth and put a rope ashore but before that was achieved the remaining stern rope parted leaving the vessel adrift without her Pilot aboard. She drifted onto Elder and Fyffes reefer MONTAGUA (6,082g./70) snapping her moorings and setting her adrift. She in turn under pressure from the drifting HELENUS hit the Moroccan reefer IMILCHIL (7,563g. /76) on the next berth and all three vessels were then adrift giving the port authorities, crews, and tug crews a monumental headache. The Master of HELENUS let both anchors go in an attempt to check his drift whilst all available tugs set about getting the vessels alongside and re-secured. Having been set adrift the Master of HELENUS decided that as soon as a pilot was put aboard he would be able to be turned about by the tugs that had secured to him to hold her whilst her anchors were recovered, and depart for Rotterdam which he did at 03:30hrs., leaving behind two damaged ships, not to mention the dockside cranes.
HELENUS (3rd of name in fleet) (1973 - 1983) Panamax type bulk carrier.
O.N. 360123. 30,038g. 22,384n. 718' 0" x 100' 2" x 39' 7"
Post 1988: 25,728g. 19,907n.
7-cyl. 2 S.C.S. A. (740 x 1600mm) B&W 7K74EF type by A/S B&W Motor-og-Machinefabrik af 1971, Copenhagen. 13,100 BHP. 15 kts.
17.12.1972: Launched by A/S Burmeister & Wain’s Skibsbyggeri, Copenhagen (Yard No. 847), for the Ocean Steamship Company Ltd.
15.1.1973: Owners restyled as Ocean Transport & Trading Ltd.
15.3.1973: Registered at Liverpool.
1973: Completed for Rea Ltd., (Ocean Titan Ltd., managers).
31.12.1976: Owner restyled as Ocean Helenus Ltd., (same managers).
1978: Converted into a car carrier.
1983: Sold to Eurocolor Shipping Ltd., Cyprus, and renamed SEAFARER.
1988: Reverted to a bulk carrier.
1997: Sold to Sommersby Shipping Ltd., Malta, and renamed SEAFARER I. (O.N. 5784).
21.5.1998: Whilst outward bound from Algerciras Anchorage, with a cargo of Bauxite, sustained hull damage in the area of No.6 hold and a list when she collided with FEDRA (22,094g./77) which sustained bow damage.
3.8.2000: Arrived at Alang for demolition.