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Tom and ES,
The core business of BF was always general cargo. The main services were Europe/Far East, Europe/Australia and the old East Asiatic service with Wilhelmsen (Blue Sea) circumnavigating, always east and never returning to UK (the service I was on).
In the early seventies, the then Ocean group expanded, acquiring 2(?) tankers (Tantalus) and small bulkers (Ajax, Anchises etc.). This came about from the complete integration of Wm. Cory operations. Incidentally, this was the origin of the RFA Plumleaf which was never under BF management and the TEU repair service in Liverpool and the "Montag"(?, memory) tyre retreading business. The bulker/tanker venture was not a success and the vessels were quickly sold on. 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!
Not learning from this exercise, some bright spark decided to get into liquified natural gas carriage. Nestor and Gastor were built in France for a proposed service from Indonesia to Los Angeles. The terminal in USA was never built. Both ships went from the yard to Isle of Grain for test cargoes (load/unload) and then straight to lay up in Loch Striven. The original project price for the ships was 13M, they ended up costing 81M!! They never carried a paying cargo and were eventually sold to Nigeria. I was on Nestor in 1981 for reactivation to go to the shipyard in St. Nazaire for required work (some plate work plus guarantee). In service, they were designed to use 10% FO and 90% cargo boil off. However, with no cargo and being steam turbine vessels, the cost of operation was phenomenal.
The BF fleet at its high point numbered 122 vessels. In my time, in the 80's, there were 23 vessels. In fact, I only did two months on my first ship, a Super P, Phrontis, as, after delivering a cracking tower to Labuan, we were sent to Singapore Roads for sale. From here on in, your employment card was marked. Ships were sold or chartered out, ports of registry changed to Panama, Liberia and IoM. As one second remarked to me, one ship sold is equivalent to two crews out of work.
Incidentally, the Bay class re-engining was not very successful and the vessels were very soon outdated by capacity. The M class, while fully TEU capable, were fitted with derricks which were not suitable to efficient cargo operations. The only ships, in my opinion, which could have continued and remained profitable if all other ventures were "amputated" were the RoRo's, but it was too little, too late, and at high management level there was no stomach for shipping. The bean counters ruled!
My own lay off was rather cold and impersonal - "Come into the office" - Here is a letter, we are granting you X pounds severance. When I asked if the company could give me tips or recommendations to find at such short notice continued employment, it was just a shrug of the shoulders and clear that you were out on your ear and had to fend for yourself.
In 86, the company sold off all of the remaining vessels (BF and EDs) and became Excel Logisitics, dedicated solely to road transport solutions. The shipping company and sea staff was no more.
On a positive note, my short time with BF gave me a first class engineering education and solid sea going experience with truly fine, capable and upstanding company: There was always "the wrong way, the right way and the Blue Funnel way"!!! Something all BFers are rightfully proud of (not to be confused with the ongoing myth that we were "aloof" or thought of ourselves as being above others! We were just competent and well trained).
Rgds.
Dave
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