In 1855, at the age of sixteen years, the American John D. Rockefeller moved into an office of commission brokers in Cleveland, Ohio, and soon after became a partner in his own firm, Clark & Rockefeller.  In 1859, oil was discovered in Pennsylvania and the visionary Rockefeller took an early interest in these developments, travelling to Pennsylvania to see for himself what this new industry might have to offer.  Although the industry was highly unstable in these early days, Rockefeller saw the great potential of oil.  In 1863, in partnership with a British engineer named Samuel Andrews, Rockefeller invested $4,000 in the construction of a refinery in Cleveland, Ohio, and took the first steps to becoming one of the richest men in the world.  Within two years, Rockefeller bought out his partner (Clark) and the firm became known as Rockefeller & Andrews.  By 1870 the business had expanded rapidly and in June of that year all their interests were incorporated as the Standard Oil Company (Ohio).  The business continued to grow rapidly and on 27 April 1888 acquired their first foreign affiliate which was named the Anglo-American Oil Company, destined to become one of the largest companies in Great Britain involved in the bulk transportation of oil products.  The Company opened offices at 16 Great St. Helens, London, later moving to Dock House, Billiter Street, and later 22 Billiter Street.

The first ships of the Anglo-American Oil Company were both Clyde-built.  The first was the 1889-built BAYONNE, from the yard of A. & J. Inglis Ltd., and the second was the 1889-built MANHATTAN, from the yard of D. J. Dunlop & Coy., each with a carrying capacity of 4,000 tons, equivalent to about 28,000 barrels of oil per vessel, arranged in nine pairs of tanks that could be pumped out in ten hours using the two ship’s own cargo pumps.  These were followed over the next few years by the steamers WEEHAUKEN (1891- Armstrong Mitchell & Coy), DELAWARE (1893 – D. J. Dunlop), POTOMAC (1893 – A. & J. Inglis Ltd) LACKAWANNA (1894 – D. J. Dunlop & Coy) CHESAPEAKE (1895 – D. J. Dunlop & Coy)

To accommodate the growing fleet, Anglo-American Oil constructed the large storage wharf at Purfleet on the Thames from where smaller vessels transhipped the commodity to various ports around the British Isles and Dublin, Ireland.  By the turn of the century, the ships were increasing in size, up to 8,400 DWT.  In 1903 the Company took delivery of its largest ship until then, the 9,196 GRT NARRAGANSETT, at that time the largest oil tanker in the world and the largest vessel to be built in the lower reaches of the Clyde, from the Yard of Scott & Coy of Greenock. And you can also give your business a new address if you’d like using a service like this Virtual office in Bristol so that way you get a top Bristol address and added privacy for your business.

 

OIL CARRIERS OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY OF LONDON  :  1889-1914

VESSEL  NAMES	GRT	BUILDER  IDENTITY	L   x   B	PROPULSION  TYPE	ULTIMATE  FATE
Bayonne	3,294	A & J Inglis Ltd	330 x  42	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1924
Manhattan	3,284	D J Dunlop & Coy	330 x  42	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Posted missing in 1929
Weehauken	2,784	Armstrong, Mitchell & Coy	310 x  40	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1937
Delaware	3,855	D J Dunlop & Coy	345 x  44	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1929
Potomac	3,868	A & J Inglis Ltd	345 x  44	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Wrecked in 1929
Lackawanna	3,855	D J Dunlop & Coy	345 x  44	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Submarine Loss in 1941
Chesapeake	4,521	D J Dunlop & Coy	370 x  47	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Lost by fire in 1911
Tuscarora	6,117	Sir James Laing	420 x  53	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Submarine Loss in 1917
Genesee	2,767	Armstrong, Mitchell & Coy	310 x  40	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1924
Suwanee	2,736	Armstrong, Mitchell & Coy	310 x  40	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1925
Hudson	3,679	Sunderland Shipbuilding Coy	356 x  45	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Submarine Loss in 1944
Seneca	4,848	Russell & Coy	390 x  52	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1934
Appalachee	3.767	Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Coy	340 x  44	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Scuttled in 1944
Tonawanda	3.416	Armstrong, Mitchell & Coy	330 x  43	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1923
Ottawa	2,742	Armstrong, Mitchell & Coy	309 x  40	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Posted missing in 1921
Housatonic	3.893	Armstrong, Mitchell & Coy	347 x  46	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Wrecked in 1908
Tioga	2,292	Burmeister & Wain	281 x  37	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Stranding loss in 1913
Kennebec	5,077	Russell & Coy	405 x  52	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Wrecked in 1916
Narragansett	9,196	Scott & Coy	531 x  63	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Submarine Loss in 1917
Schuylkill	5,176	Russell & Coy	412 x  52	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Lost due to mine in 1944
Dakotah	4,006	Armstrong, Whitworth & Coy	350 x  47	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Lost by fire in 1915
Seminole	5,864	Furness Withy & Coy	414 x  52	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1932
Winnebago	4,534	Armstrong, Whitworth & Coy	359 x  50	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Scuttled in 1944
Ashtabula	7,025	Palmers S.B. & Iron Coy	442 x  54	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1947
Cuyahoga	4,507	Armstrong, Whitworth & Coy	369 x  49	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1933
Iroquois	9,202	Harland & Wolff	467 x  60	Quad/Exp Stm Recip	B/U in 1946
Navahoe	7,718	Harland & Wolff	450 x  58	A 4-Masted Barge	Scuttled in 1936
Tamarac	5,169	Napier & Miller Ltd	395 x  52	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1949
Saranac	5,316	William Gray & Coy	386 x  52	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1932
Cheyenne	4,987	Swan Hunter Wigham Richd	389 x  51	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Stranded & B/U in 1924
Cadillac	5,251	Napier & Miller Ltd	385 x  51	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Submarine Loss in 1918
Impoco	1,683	Greenock & Grangemouth	242 x  40	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Submarine Loss in 1918
Lackawanna	4,125	J.C. Tecklenborg AG	353 x  45	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1931
Comanchee	5,601	Armstrong Whitworth & Coy	395 x  52	Quad/Exp Stm Recip	B/U in 1949
Tacoma	6,838	Flensburgher Schiffsbau Ges.	440 x  58	Quad/Exp Stm Recip	B/U in 1933
Tuscarora	6,828	Flensburgher Schiffsbau Ges	440 x  58	Quad/Exp Stm Recip	Wrecked in 1932
Wapello	5,576	Armstrong Whitworth & Coy	396 x  52	Quad/Exp Stm Recip	Submarine Loss in 1917
Uncas	4,722	Greenock & Grangemouth	375 x  51	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1962
Winamac	5,767	Craig, Taylor & Coy Ltd	412 x  53	Quad/Exp Stm Recip	B/U in 1934
Shabonee	5,167	Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd	380 x  51	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1932
Tascalusa	6,499	Sir R. Dixon & Co Ltd	420 x  54	Quad/Exp Stm Recip	Bombed & B/U in 1940
Tamaha	6,496	Sir R. Dixon & Co Ltd	420 x  54	Quad/Exp Stm Recip	B/U in 1953
Tachee	6,508	Sir R. Dixon & Co Ltd	420 x  54	Quad/Exp Stm Recip	B/U in 1950
Tatarrax	6,216	Scotts S.B. & Eng. Coy Ltd	420 x  55	Quad/Exp Stm Recip	Submarine Loss in 1918

Purfleet oil terminal expanded over the years to become the largest unloading and storage depot in Great Britain, and remained in operation day and night throughout the First World War, by the end of which there were fifty-eight large storage tanks at the Site.  Previously the facility had been in the ownership of the Purfleet Tank Storage Company but it was absorbed into the Anglo-American Oil Company who also went on to acquire the adjacent oil plant that had been owned by the Anglo-Russian Oil Company.

The Company’s fleet of oil carriers flew the Anglo-American houseflag portraying a black eagle astride a white ball, with navy blue and deep red diagonal sections as its background colours. During the Great War of 1914-1918, many of the Company’s vessels were taken over by the Government for war duties and during this war the Purfleet facility received the unwelcome attention of German Gotha bombers and Zeppelins, but no serious damage was sustained.  The facility was enlarged again in 1938, to provide further storage capacity in preparation for the war that was foreseen as inevitable.

During the Second World War, the Purfleet terminal did not escape as lightly from enemy attention as was the case in the previous War.  Twenty direct hits were recorded in 1940 and further hits during 1941 caused much devastation and destruction.  Ships alongside were hit and caught fire, ashore there were many fires and resulting explosions, some of these fires burning for over a week.  Inevitably some lives were lost during this difficult time.

 

 COASTERS/RIVER CRAFT OF ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY OF LONDON  :   1856-1912

VESSEL  NAMES	G.R.T.	BUILDER  IDENTITY	L   X    B	PROPULSION  TYPE	ULTIMATE  FATE
Osceola	393	D. J. Dunlop & Coy	141 x  26	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1934
Imperial	796	Tyne Iron & S.B. Co Ltd	200 x  32	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1939
Oneida	698	Greenock & Grangemouth	165 x  32	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	B/U in 1947
Tioga	742	Greenock & Grangemouth	180 x  31	T/E 3-Cyl Stm Recip	Collision loss -1943
Queen of the Avon	162	J. Vernon	101 x  20	Snow-rigged S.V.	Not known
Morning Star	65	R. M. Shrubsall	85  x  18	Ketch-Barge	Disposed of in 1921
White Rose	49	D. J. Dunlop & Coy	63  x  15	Tug	B/U in 1954
Royal Daylight	83	J. Stewart & Sons	75  x  17	Tug	B/U in 1955
Royal Daylight	53	Gordon Alison & Coy	72  x  15	Tank Barge	Not Known
White Rose	44	Gordon Alison & Coy	69  x  14	S.V.	Not Known

 

ACQUISITIONS OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY OF LONDON  :   1897-1917

VESSEL  NAMES	GRT	BUILDER  IDENTITY	L   X    B	PROPULSION  TYPE	ULTIMATE  FATE
Alcides	2,704	Greenock & Grangemouth	312 x  43	4-Masted Barque	Submarine Loss – 1917
Calcutta	1,694	Naval Constns. & Armts.	240 x  40	3-Masted Barque	B/U in 1923
Colonial Empire	2,436	John Reid & Coy	302 x  43	4-Masted Barque	Foundered in 1917
Drumeltan	1,908	Russell & Coy	267 x  40	4-Masted Barque	Became a barge 1931
Falls of Ettrick	2,264	Russell & Coy	278 x  42	4-Masted Barque	Sold at auction – 1903
Glendoon	1,981	A. Rodger & Coy	266 x  40	Full Rigged S.V.	Submarine Loss – 1917
Hainaut	1,783	Barrow Shipbuilding Coy	249 x  40	Full Rigged S.V.	Was still afloat in 1950
Johanna	1,756	J. Smit	240 x  37	Full Rigged S.V.	Foundered in 1909
Juteopolis	2,842	W.B. Thompson & Coy	310 x  45	4-Masted Barque	Wrecked in 1929
Kentmere	2,520	W.H. Potter & Sons	300 x  42	Full Rigged S.V.	Disposed of in 1924
King George	2,242	Russell & Coy	278 x  42	Full Rigged S.V.	Stranding loss in 1909
Lawhill	2,942	W.B. Thompson & Coy	333 x  45	4-Masted Barque	B/U Matola in 1955
Lyndhurst	2,311	A. McMillan & Son	295 x  42	4-Masted Barque	Lost by fire in 1911
Sindia	3,068	Harland & Wolff Ltd	329 x  45	4-Masted Barque	Stranding loss in 1901

 

BRITISH-BUILT SHIPS OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY OF LONDON  :  1901-1903

VESSEL  NAMES	G.R.T.	BUILDER  IDENTITY	L   X    B	PROPULSION  TYPE	ULTIMATE  FATE
Nonpareil	3,414	A. Hamilton & Coy	323 x  46	4-Masted Barque	Capsized in 1900
Comet	3,414	A. Hamilton & Coy	323 x  46	4-Masted Barque	Became barge in 1928
Brilliant	3,765	Russell & Coy	352 x  49	4-Masted Barque	Submarine loss in 1916
Daylight	3,756	Russell & Coy	353 x 49	4-Masted Barque	B/U in 1953
Eclipse	3,090	A. Rodger & Coy.	327 x  46	4-Masted Barque	Hulked China in 1928
Arrow	3,090	A. Rodger & Coy.	327 x  46	4-Masted Barque	B/U London in 1938
Radiant	1,974	A. Rodger & Coy.	265 x  40	4-Masted Barque	B/U Italy in 1923
Alacrita	1,974	A. Rodger & Coy.	265 x  40	4-Masted Barque	Foundered in 1907

 

AMERICAN-BUILT SHIPS OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY OF LONDON  :  1900-1902

VESSEL  NAMES	G.R.T.	BUILDER  IDENTITY	L   X    B	PROPULSION  TYPE	ULTIMATE  FATE
Acme	3,288	A. Sewall & Coy	Unknown	4-Masted Barque	Stranded in 1919
Astral	3,292	A. Sewall & Coy	Unknown	4-Masted Barque	B/U Yawata in 1936
Atlas	3,381	A. Sewall & Coy	Unknown	4-Masted Barque	B/U Osaka in 1936
Thomas W. Lawson	5,218	Fore River Ship & Eng	395 x  50	7-Masted Schooner	Foundered in 1907

 

THE FLEET OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY OF LONDON IN 1910

VESSELS	YEAR  OF  BUILD
S.S. APPALACHEE	1894
S.S. ASHTABULA	1903
S.S. CADILLAC	1909
S.S. CHESAPEAKE	1895
S.S  CHEYENNE	1908
S.S. CUYABOGA	1902
S.S. DAKOTAH	1902
S.S. DELAWARE	1893
S.S. GENESEE	1899
S.S. HUDSON	1900
S.S. IMPOCO	1910
S.S. IROQUOIS	1907
S.S. KENNEBEC	1902
S.S. LACKAWANNA	1894
S.S. NARRAGANSETT	1903
S.S. OTTAWA	1888
S.S. POTOMAC	1893
S.S. SARANAC	1908
S.S. SCHUYLKILL	1903
S.S. SEMINOLE	1903
S.S. SENECA	1901
S.S. SUWANEE	1888
S.S. TAMARAC	1908
S.S. TIOGA	1890
S.S. TONAWANDA	1893
S.S. TUSCARORA	1898
S.S. WEEHAUKEN	1891
S.S. WINNEBAGO	1901
S.V. ALCIDES	1892
S.V. ARROW	1902
S.V.BRILLIANT	1901
S.V. CALCUTTA	1892
S.V. COMET	1901
S.V. DAYLIGHT	1902
S.V. DRUMELTAN	1883
S.V. ECLIPSE	1902
S.V. GLANDOON	1894
S.V. JUTEOPOLIS	1891
S.V. LAWHILL	1892
S.V. LYNDHURST	1886
S.V. RADIANT	1903
S.V. NAVAHOE	1908

OIL TANKERS ACQUIRED BY ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL DURING THE 1914-1918 WAR

VESSEL NAME	YEAR	GRT	BUILDER IDENTITY	ULTIMATE FATE
Cuyaboga	1914	4,586	Greenock & Grangemouth	Sunk by enemy torpedo on 05-07-1917
Earl of Elgin	1909	4,448	Russell & Coy	Sunk by enemy torpedo on 07-12-1917
Mimosa	1905	3,466	Short Brothers	Sunk by enemy torpedo on 04-09-1915
Winnebago	1915	4,666	Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd	Broken up at Spezia in 1949
Spiraea	1900	3,620	William Pickersgill & Sons	Broken up at Morecambe in1916
Tamarac	1916	5,042	A. McMillan & Sons	Broken up in 1935 by UK shipbreakers
Silvertown	1873	5,046	C. Mitchell & Coy	Broken up in 1935 by Italian shipbreakers
Strathfillan	1906	4,353	William Hamilton & Coy	Broken up in 1947 by Indian shipbreakers
Tuscarora	1917	7,106	Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd	Broken up in 1935 at Queenstown
Cadillac	1917	12,074	Palmers S. B. & Iron Coy	Sunk by enemy torpedo on 01-03-1941
Saranac	1918	12,070	Palmers S. B. & Iron Coy	Sunk by enemy gunfire on 25-06-1940

Following the First World War, a new British company was formed by the New York based Atlantic, Gulf and West Indies S.S. Lines, a company involved in shipping since 1844, but also owning properties and oilfields in Mexico.  The new British company was called A.G.W.I. Petroleum Corporation Limited and was incorporated in 1920.  On its formation, the Company acquired 406 acres in Hampshire that was to become the new Fawley refinery and oil storage depot.  The first of the Company’s vessels, the newly built S.S. Agwilake, landed the first oil at Fawley on 18 June 1921, discharging 1,398 tons of Mexican crude oil, 5,843 tons of fuel oil and 2,677 tons of gas oil.  In 1921 the facility had storage capacity of 99,000 tons.  In 1923, A.G.W.I. Petroleum Corporation was taken over by the British Mexican Petroleum Company.  In 1925 the Anglo-American Oil Company acquired the British Mexican Petroleum Company and its fleet of eight oil tankers of 10,000 DWT.

OCEAN TANKERS OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY  IN THE 1920’s

VESSEL NAME	BUILT	ACQUIRED	GRT	PROPULSION	ULTIMATE  FATE
Strathearn	1906	1920	4,419	T/E Steam Recip.	Bombed and sunk in September 1941
Housatonic	1919	1920	5,519	T/E Steam Recip	Bombed and sunk in February 1941
Kennebec	1919	1920	5,548	T/E Steam Recip	Submarine loss in September 1939
Narragansett	1920	1920	6,889	Twin Oil Engines	Sold off for breaking up in 1933
Seminole	1921	1921	6,923	Twin Oil Engines	Sold off for breaking up in 1936
Chesapeake	1928	1928	8,955	Oil Engine	Broken up at Faslane in 1953
Schuylkill	1928	1928	8,964	Oil Engine	Sold off for breaking up in 1947

 

OCEAN TANKERS OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY IN THE 1930’s

VESSEL NAME	BUILT	BUILDERS	GRT	PROPULSION	ULTIMATE  FATE
Cheyenne	1930	Palmers Coy Ltd	8,825	Oil Engine	Submarine loss in September1939
Appalachee	1930	Palmers Coy Ltd	8,826	Oil Engine	Submarine loss in December 1940
Comanchee	1936	John Brown & Coy	6,837	Oil Engine	B/U Grimstad 1962 as Esso Plymouth

 

DISTRIBUTING SHIPS OF ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY FROM 1915 TO 1939

VESSEL	YEAR	BUILDERS	GRT	PROPULSION	ULTIMATE  FATE
Juniata	1918	Short Brothers Ltd	1,137	Twin Oil Engines	Sunk as blockship in 1940
Osage	1914	Devonport Dockyard	1,010	Oil Engine	Bombed & Sunk in Dec 1940
Luffworth	1911	J.T. Eltringham & Coy	279	Gas Engine	Scuttled at Brest in June 1940
Luffwell	1912	Van Damme Freres	274	Compound 2-Cyl	Broken up in 1935
Southwick	1917	Swan Hunter Wigham	443	T/Exp 3-Cyl Stm.	Foundered in December 1948
Nuorla	1918	Gebr. van der Windt	364	T/Exp 3-Cyl Stm.	Broken up at Llanelly in 1953
Eastwick	1920	Swan Hunter Wigham	518	T/Exp 3-Cyl Stm.	Broken up at Essex in 1948
Allegheny	1921	J. Crichton & Coy Ltd	822	T/Exp 3-Cyl Stm.	Broken up in Belgium in 1962
Bargate	1916	Chester	66	Oil Engine	Broken up in 1972
Perfection	1916	P. McGregor	73	Oil Engine	Sold to Admiralty in 1956
Tetney	1909	Cook Welton Gemmel	47	Oil Engine	Broken up Gateshead in 1956
Silver Queen	1912	H. & C. Grayson Ltd	165	Oil Engine	Converted to barge in 1927
Crown Diamond	1912	C. H. Walker & Coy	103	T/Exp 3-Cyl Stm.	Broken up at Essex in 1950
Tensas	1911	Union Normande	643	None – Barge	Not Known
Atoka	1914	Rouen in France	581	None – Barge	Broken up in 1950
Angloco	1921	Rennie,Ritchie Newprt.	73	Oil Engine	Broken up Gateshead in 1956
Clydegate	1923	Greenock/Grangemth.	66	Oil Engine	Alden Shipping Coy. in 1956
Stourgate	1924	J. Pollock & Sons	115	Oil Engine	W.G.S. Crouch Ltd. in 1963
Southgate	1925	Amble S. B. Coy Ltd	143	Oil Engine	Foundered in May 1960
Fossgate	1925	Henry Scarr Ltd	49	Oil Engine	Broken up Gateshead in 1956
Parkgate	1925	W. J. Yarwood & Son	52	Paraffin Motor	Broken up in 1985
Lowgate	1925	Henry Scarr Ltd	75	Oil Engine	Not Known
Caldergate	1926	Amble S. B. Coy Ltd	138	Oil Engine	Hulked in 1959
Castlegate	1928	W. J. Yarwood & Son	87	Paraffin Motor	Broken up in 1956
Queensgate	1928	W. J. Yarwood & Son	87	Paraffin Motor	Sold to H.G. Pounds in 1958
Westgate	1928	Goole S. B. & Repair	48	Oil Engine	Sold to Bowker King in 1966

 

NON-PROPELLED DISTRIBUTING BARGES FOR USE ON THE RIVER THAMES IN SAME PERIOD

VESSEL	YEAR	BUILDERS	GRT	Length x  Breadth	ULTIMATE  FATE
Northampton	1920	R. Colby of Lowestoft	46	78 ft.   x   14 ft.	Not Known
Radnor	1920	R. Colby of Lowestoft	46	78 ft.  x   14 ft	Not Known
Montgomery	1921	R. Colby of Lowestoft	46	78 ft.  x   14 ft	Not Known
Anglesea	1921	R. Colby of Lowestoft	46	78 ft.  x   14 ft	Not Known
Glamorgan	1921	R. Colby of Lowestoft	46	78 ft.  x   14 ft	Not Known
Merioneth	1921	R. Colby of Lowestoft	46	78 ft.  x   14 ft	Not Known
Berks	1927	Goole S. B. & Repair Coy	57	75 ft.  x   14 ft.	Not Known
Shropshire	1926	Goole S. B. & Repair Coy	96	80 ft.  x   22 ft	Not Known
Kent	1934	Goole S. B. & Repair Coy	96	80 ft.  x   22 ft	Not Known
Cumberland	1921	F. Braby of Deptford, London	102	83 ft.  x   21 ft	Not Known
Northumberland	1921	F. Braby of Deptford, London	102	83 ft.  x   21 ft	Not Known
Westmorland	1922	F. Braby of Deptford, London	102	83 ft.  x   21 ft	Not Known
Sutherland	1922	F. Braby of Deptford, London	102	83 ft.  x   21 ft	Not Known
Leicester	1922	F. Braby of Deptford, London	69	69 ft.  x   20 ft	Not Known
Worcester	1922	F. Braby of Deptford, London	69	69 ft.  x   20 ft	Not Known
Hereford	1922	F. Braby of Deptford, London	69	69 ft.  x   20 ft	Not Known
Monmouth	1923	F. Braby of Deptford, London	69	69 ft.  x   20 ft	Not Known

 

The Anglo-American Oil Company lost nine of its vessels through enemy action during the 1939-1945 War, leaving ten of its pre-war vessels in the fleet in 1946.  From 1947, with the formation of the Esso Transportation Company Limited, formed by renaming the Lago Shipping Company Limited, a new funnel emblem was introduced in place of the red black-topped Anglo-American funnel.  It took the form of the ESSO oval on a white band on a black funnel.  The ‘oval’, edged in blue, had the word ‘Esso’ in red.  Gradually the vessels from this time were renamed with the Esso prefix.

 

VESSEL NAME	YEAR	GRT	BUILDER  NAME	SUBSEQUENT NAMES	ULTIMATE  FATE
Robert E. Hand	1933	12,197	Fr. Krupp AG	Esso Newcastle : Oligisto	Broken up at Vado in 1966
F. J. Wolfe	1932	11,244	Bremer Vulkan	Locarno :  Morchella	Broken up in 1960
D. L. Harper	1933	11,210	Deutsche Werft	Hanseat :  Aristid	Broken up at Spezia in 1960
Geo. W. McKnight	1933	12,502	Fr. Krupp AG	Esso Edinburgh	Broken up at Blyth in 1954
Beaconstreet	1927	7,467	Palmers S. B. & Iron	Esso Dublin	Broken up at Blyth in 1953
Seminole	1936	10,389	Blohm und Voss	Esso Hull	Broken up at Trieste in 1958
W. C. Teagle	1917	9,552	Bethlehem S.B. C’pn.	None	Submarine loss in Oct 1941
Geo. H. Jones	1919	6,914	Sun  S. B. Company	None	Submarine loss in June 1942
T. J. Williams	1921	8,212	Oscar Daniels Coy	None	Submarine loss in Sept 1941
Beaconoil	1919	6,983	Bethlehem S.B. C’pn.	None	Broken up at Baltimore – 1950
Elisha Walker	1920	7,007	Sun  S. B. Company	None	Broken up at Baltimore – 1949

 

SHIPS MANAGED BY ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY FOR M.O.W.T.  :   1939  –  1946

VESSEL NAME	YEAR	GRT	BUILDER	PROPULSION	ULTIMATE FATE
Leon Martin	1936	1,951	Ch & At de St. Nazaire	Oil Engine	Mined/Sunk near Falmouth – 1940
Petrophalt	1930	2,627	Harland & Wolff	T/E Steam Recip	B/U at Spain in 1953
Christian Holm	1927	9,119	Burmeister & Wain	Oil Engines (2)	B/U at Istanbul in 1960
Empire Mica	1941	8,032	Furness S. B. Coy.	T/E Steam Recip	Sunk Atlantic by U-67 –  June 1942
Empire Oil	1941	8,029	Furness S. B. Coy.	T/E Steam Recip	Sunk Atlantic by U-659 – Sept 1942
Empire Sapphire	1941	8,031	Furness S. B. Coy	T/E Steam Recip	Renamed Esso Saranac in 1946
Scandia	1918	8,571	Newport News S.B.	T/E Steam Recip	B/U at Savona in 1959
Bulkoil	1942	8,071	Welding Shipyards Inc	2 x Steam Turbs	B/U at Burght, Belgium in 1961
Empire Coleridge	1942	9,813	Sir James Laing & Son	T/E Steam Recip	Esso Cheyenne in 1945
Kentucky	1942	9,308	Sun S. B. & D. D. Coy.	2 x  Steam Turbs	Bombed/Sunk Mediterranean – 1940
Empire Bronze	1940	8,142	Hawthorn, Leslie & Co	Oil Engine	Renamed Esso Cadillac in 1946
Empire Dickens	1942	9,819	Furness S. B. Coy	T/E Steam Recip	Renamed Esso Appalachee in 1946
Empire Pike	1905	1,854	Govmt. Yard, Canada	2 x T/E Stm. Rec.	B/U at Dunston in 1949
Empire Tagalam	1936	10,401	F. Schichau, Danzig	Oil Engine	B/U at Split in 1960
Empire Maldon	1946	3,734	Sir James Laing & Son	Oil Engine	B/U in 1977

 

The following twelve small Type T1-M-A1 oil tankers, all built by the Barnes-Duluth Shipbuilding Company of Minnesota, USA between May 1943 and October 1943, were operated for a period during WWII by the Anglo-Amercian Oil Company under the Red Ensign as part of the Lease/Lend Agreement.  All these vessels were built to the same design, measuring 210 feet in length x 37 feet in breadth, 1,600 DWT, with oil engines giving a speed of 10 knots.

VESSEL NAMES	OTHER NAMES	SUBSEQUENT MANAGERS	ULTIMATE FATE
Tarentum	Yung Huai	USA then Chinese Owners	Scuttled in the Whangpoo River –  May 1949
Mannington	Yung Siang	USA then Chinese Owners	Not Known
Titusville	Yung Han	USA then Chinese Owners	Scuttled in the Whangpoo River –  May 1949
Glen Pool	Yung Fei	USA then Chinese Owners	B/U at Formosa in November 1959
Jennings	Yung Loo	USA then Chinese Owners	Scuttled in the Whangpoo River –  May 1949
Salt Creek	Punta Rasa	USA then Argentinian Navy	Deleted from the Argentinian Navy List in 1971
Tonkawa	Yung Luan	USA then Chinese Owners	B/U at Formosa in 1965
Benton Field	Yung Lu	USA then Chinese Owners	B/U at Formosa in 1959
Cromwell	Yung Chang	USA then Chinese Owners	B/U at Formosa in 1963
Rio Bravo	None	None	Torpedoed/Sunk by E-Boat  –  November 1944
Walnut Bend	Yung Wei	USA then Chinese Owners	Not Known
Loma Novia	Yung Fu	USA then Chinese Owners	B/U at Formosa in 1962

 

In addition to the above small oil tanker wartime fleet, Anglo-American Oil Company also operated a 1920-built 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engined vessel built by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of Alameda, California, for Standard Transportation Company Incorporated of New York (Socony Vacuum Oil Company).

NAME OF VESSEL	OTHER NAMES	SUBSEQUENT MANAGERS	ULTIMATE FATE
Algonquin	None	Returned to Owners in 1946	B/U in Japan in 1953

 

POST-WAR FLEET ACQUISITION / REBUILDING PROGRAMME

VESSEL  NAME	YEAR	GRT	BUILDER  NAME	PREVIOUS  NAME	ULTIMATE  FATE
Esso Cadillac	1940	8,149	Hawthorn Leslie & Coy	Empire Bronze	B/U Osaka in 1959
Esso Saranac	1941	8,031	Furness S. B. Coy Ltd	Empire Sapphire	B/U Antwerp in 1959
Esso Cheyenne	1942	9,798	Sir James Laing & Sons	Empire Coleridge	B/U Belgium in 1961
Esso Appalachee	1942	9,819	Furness S. B. Coy Ltd	Empire Dickens	B/U Faslane in 1960
Esso Dakotah	1942	797	Grangemouth Dockyard	Empire Gawain	B/U Belgium in 1962
Esso Genesee	1943	797	Grangemouth Dockyard	Empire Harbour	B/U Belgium in 1961
Esso Juniata	1941	797	Grangemouth Dockyard	Empire Lass	B/U Belgium in 1969
Esso Tioga	1943	797	Grangemouth Dockyard	Empire Wrestler	B/U Forth in 1963
Esso Suwanee	1941	300	Rowhedge Ironworks Ltd	Empire Lad	Sold off in 1963
Esso Ottawa	1943	300	I. Pimblott & Sons Ltd	Empire Coast	B/U Belgium in 1967
Esso Manchester	1944	10,448	Sun  S. B. & D. D. Coy	Santiago	B/U/ Faslane in 1963
Esso Purfleet	1944	10,448	Sun  S. B. & D. D. Coy	Ridgefield	B/U Belgium in 1963
Esso Fawley	1944	10,448	Sun  S. B. & D. D. Coy	Turkey Island	B/U Aioi in 1963
Esso Cardiff	1945	10,448	Kaiser Company	Halls of Montezuma	B/U Castellon in 1965
Esso Bristol	1944	10,448	Sun  S. B. & D. D. Coy	Sandy Creek	B/U Vado in 1963
Esso Birmingham	1944	10,448	Sun  S. B. & D. D. Coy	Mauvilla	B/U Split in 1963
Esso Glasgow	1944	10,448	Sun  S. B. & D. D. Coy	Wauhatchie	B/U Bilbao in 1971
Esso London	1944	10,448	Sun  S. B. & D. D. Coy	Champion’s Hill	B/U Split in 1958
Cleveland	1944	10,448	Kaiser Company	Forbes Road	Sold off in 1953
Esso Avonmouth	1945	10,729	Sun  S. B. & D. D. Coy	Fort Massiac	B/U Bilbao in 1975
Esso Liverpool	1921	12,590	Newport News S.B. Coy	John D. Archbold	B/U Genoa in 1962
Esso Belfast	1930	11,752	Federal S.B. & D.D. Coy	G. Harrison Smith	B/U La Seyne in 1958
Esso Southampton	1930	11,787	Federal S.B. & D.D. Coy	W. S. Farish	B/U Split in 1958
Esso Bedford	1930	10,844	Furness S. B. Coy Ltd	F. H. Bedford Jr.	B/U Bremerhaven 1954

 

In 1951 the Anglo-American Oil Company was primarily a marketing organisation dealing with distribution and sales, whereas responsibility for the provision of tonnage and management of the tanker fleet had been covered by the Esso Transportation Company Limited from 1947.  In 1951, with the new refinery at Fawley about to begin production, the Anglo-American Oil Company became a major producer of petroleum products and its whole scope of activities changed.  The transportation aspect also greatly increased at this time with increased distribution and requirements to feed the new refinery.  Consequently it was decided to re-assume control of the tanker fleet and set up a Marine Department to take responsibility for the management and operation of the fleet, maintenance and repairs of the ships, new construction, and the chartering of vessels.  With these changes came a change of Company name, from the Anglo-American Oil Company to the Esso Petroleum Company Limited.  In a similar manner, the parent Company in the USA, the Standard Oil Company (New Jersey), had been transferred to a new subsidiary Company in 1950, the Esso Shipping Company.

 

COASTAL, CANAL AND RIVER VESSELS IN THE 1950’s  –  1960’s

VESSEL NAME	YEAR	GRT	BUILDER	PROPULSION	ULTIMATE FATE
Esso Abingdon	1952	446	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	B/U Kent in 1975
Esso Poole	1955	754	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	B/U Haulbowline in 1984
Esso Preston	1956	1,965	Hall, Russell & Coy	T/E 3-Cyl Steam Recip	B/U Aviles in 1975
Esso Brixham	1957	758	Philip & Son Ltd	Oil Engine	B/U Middlesbrough in 1980
Esso Tilbury	1957	15	Thames Launch	Oil Engine	Not Known  (Tugboat)
Esso Woolston	1958	856	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	B/U Santander in 1985
Esso Lyndhurst	1958	856	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Sold in 1981 to Saudi Arabia
Esso Hythe	1959	856	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Sold in 1981 to Lebanon
Esso Leeds	1956	170	R. Dunston Ltd	Oil Engine	Sold in 1964 to Whitaker Ltd
Esso Nottingham	1956	170	R. Dunston Ltd	Oil Engine	Sold in 1964 to Whitaker Ltd
Esso Saltend	1956	170	R. Dunston Ltd	Oil Engine	Sold in 1964 to Whitaker Ltd
Esso Hertford	1951	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Swim-Headed Barge	Not Known
Esso Oxford	1951	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Swim-Headed Barge	(Esso Hampshire from 1953)
Esso Middlesex	1951	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Swim-Headed Barge	Not Known
Esso Cambridge	1951	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Swim-Headed Barge	(Esso Dorset from 1953)
Esso Essex	1951	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Swim-Headed Barge	Not Known
Esso Sussex	1951	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Swim-Headed Barge	Not Known
Esso Kent	1951	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Swim-Headed Barge	Not Known
Esso Surrey	1951	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Swim-Headed Barge	Not Known
Esso Buckingham	1951	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Swim-Headed Barge	Not Known
Esso Norfolk	1951	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Swim-Headed Barge	Not Known
Esso Greenwich	1953	77	W. J. Yarwood	Oil Engine   (Tugboat)	Not Known
Esso Reading	1954	77	W. J. Yarwood	Oil Engine   (Tugboat)	Not Known
Esso Humber	1961	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Not Known
Esso Avon	1961	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Not Known
Esso Tees	1961	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Not Known
Esso Trent	1961	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Not Known
Esso Tyne	1961	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Not Known
Esso Severn	1961	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Not Known
Esso Forth	1961	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Not Known
Esso Thames	1961	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Not Known
Esso Mersey	1961	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Not Known
Esso Clyde	1961	131	Henry Scarr Ltd	Oil Engine	Not Known
Esso Recovery II	1960	8	Mechans Limited	Oil Reclamation Boat	Not Known

 

EX-MARCAIBO SHALLOW-DRAUGHT TANKERS FROM THE CREOLE PETROLEUM CORPORATION

During the Second World War, ten special shallow-draught oil tankers were built for the newly-formed Creole Petroleum Corporation of Panama, a subsidiary of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey.  Four of these vessels were transferred from the Panamanian flag to the British flag and Esso Petroleum Company in 1956.  These were trunk-decked twin-screw triple expansion engine vessels of 5,500 DWT and on arrival in UK waters from Venezuela they were fitted out for UK coastal service by Brigham & Cowan Limited and Palmers of Hebburn.  Their primary purpose was the carriage of oil between Fawley Refinery and the various power stations of the CEGB.  The four vessels were:

VESSEL NAME	YEAR	GRT	PREVIOUSLY	BUILDER            PROPULSION	ULTIMATE FATE
Esso Lambeth	1943	3,401	Caripito	Barnes-Duluth      Tw. Sc. T/E	B/U at Hamburg in 1965
Esso Wandsworth	1943	3,401	Guarico	Barnes-Duluth      Tw. Sc. T/E	B/U at Essex in 1966
Esso Chelsea	1945	3,401	Amacuro	Bethlehem            Tw. Sc. T/E	B/U at Bruges in 1969
Esso Fulham	1945	3,401	Trujillo	Bethlehem            Tw. Sc. T/E	B/U at Bilbao in 1970

 

The Esso Wandsworth was in collision with a large Dutch vessel (Moerdyk) in fog on the night of 23 September 1965, in the vicinity of the Ovens Buoy, Lower Hope Reach, and was beached on nearby mudflats.  Subsequently refloated, she discharged her cargo at Purfleet then proceeded to Gravesend to undergo repairs.  On 12 October 1965, whilst this work was in progress, there was a massive explosion on board and subsequent drydocking at Tilbury indicated that the vessel could not be economically repaired.  In December of that year, she was delivered to Grays of Essex for scrapping.

The histories of the other six Maracaibo tankers are varied – as shown in the Table below :

VESSEL NAMES	YEAR	RE-NAMED	BUILDER	ULTIMATE  FATE
San Joaquin	1943	Esso Joaquin	Barnes-Duluth	Sank in the Gulf of Campeche in January 1960
San Cristobal	1943	Esso San Cristobal	Barnes-Duluth	Broke in two, off Colon, in December 1968
Temblador	1943	No name change	Barnes-Duluth	To Canadian owners in 1960  :   Barge in 1978
Guiria	1943	Esso Guiria	Barnes-Duluth	Arrived Hamburg for scrapping – October 1961
Valera	1943	No name change	Barnes-Duluth	Sunk in Caribbean, by U-518, in March 1944
Mara	1945	Esso Mara	Bethlehem	Arrived Valencia for scrapping – February 1965

 

THE ‘OXFORD’ CLASS OF 1953  –  1955

A class of handy-sized tankers brought out in the early 1950’s.  Constructed to a specially adapted American design of all-welded construction and thirty cargo tanks.  With a crude oil capacity of 26,700 tons, a feature of that time was the unusually high rate of discharge at around 3,000 tons per hour.  Two steam turbines geared to a single shaft provided a speed on about 17 knots.  The vessels were 630 feet in length and breadth was 83 feet.  GRT was about 17,500 tons.

VESSEL NAME	YEAR	GRT	BUILDER	DISPOSAL	ULTIMATE FATE
Esso Oxford	1953	17,539	Cammell Laird & Co	Sold in 1972	B/U at Castellton in 1974
Esso Cambridge	1954	17,551	Cammell Laird & Co	Sold in 1968	B/U at Piraeus in 1976
Esso Westminster	1954	17,554	Vickers-Armstrongs	Sold in 1972	B/U at Santander in 1975
Esso Canterbury	1954	17,543	Vickers-Armstrongs	Sold in 1968	Sank following an explosion in 1972
Esso York	1955	17,570	Vickers-Armstrongs	Lighter 1969	B/U at Bombay in 1981
Esso Exeter	1955	17,554	Vickers-Armstrongs	Sold in 1968	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1982

 

The 1954-built Esso Cambridge of the Esso Petroleum Company was one of the first oil tankers affected by the Suez crisis of 1956.  At 21:30 hours on 31^st October 1956 the Esso Cambridge was in a position 110 miles East of Gibraltar bound for Mena Al Ahmadi in the Persian Gulf via the Suez Canal, to load crude oil for the refinery at Fawley.  A radio message came through to the Master from Esso instructing the vessel to proceed to the Gulf via the Cape of Good Hope calling in Cape Town for bunkers due to the expiry of the Anglo-French ultimatum to Egypt earlier that day without result.  The impact of the non-navigable Suez Canal for over five months, until early April 1957, had a profound effect on the marine operations of Esso and all other oil majors.

 

THE ‘CITY’ CLASS OF 1957  –  1960

There were twelve vessels of this class built between 1957 and 1960.  These vessels were of around 36,000 TDW and propulsion was by means of two steam turbines geared to a single shaft, providing a speed of around 16.5 knots.  The vessels had an overall length of 696 feet and breadth of 90 feet.  The vessels details are shown in the Table below :

VESSEL NAME	YEAR	GRT	BUILDER	DISPOSAL	ULTIMATE  FATE
Esso Guildford	1957	23,960	AG Weser of Bremen	Sold in 1969	B/U Bilbao in 1976
Esso Winchester	1958	24,026	AG Weser of Bremen	Sold in 1969	B/U Kaohsiung in 1979
Esso Salisbury	1957	24,008	Howaldtswerke AG	Sold in 1972	B/U Kaohsiung in 1975
Esso Bristol	1958	23,972	Howaldtswerke AG	Esso Nicaragua in 1964	B/U Kaohsiung in 1977
Esso Norwich	1959	23,997	Arsenal de Brest	Esso Balboa in 1962	B/U Kaohsiung in 1975
Esso Durham	1958	23,862	Vickers-Armstrongs	Sold in 1967	B/U Kaohsiung in 1975
Esso Portsmouth	1959	24,125	Vickers-Armstrongs	Sold in 1972	Foundered August 1975
Esso Southampton	1958	23,457	Cantieri Riuniti d’Ad	Esso Jamaica in 1962	B/U Kaohsiung in 1977
Esso Coventry	1959	23,275	Cantieri Riuniti d’Ad	Esso Trieste in 1963	B/U Masan in 1975
Esso Windsor	1958	23,581	Cantieri Riuniti d’Ad	Esso Genova in 1963	B/U Kaohsiung in 1978
Esso Liverpool	1959	23,720	Cantieri Riuniti d’Ad	Esso El Salvador in 1964	B/U Kaohsiung in 1977
Esso Dublin	1960	21,627	Cantieri Riuniti d’Ad	Esso Honduras in 1964	B/U Kaohsiung in 1976

 

The Esso Portsmouth and Esso Durham both suffered major damage, in July 1960 and January 1961 respectively, due to serious explosions and fire.  Both ships were subsequently salvaged and new mid-sections pieced in, together with other major modifications including modernisation to accommodation.  The Esso Portsmouth, with an additional 4,000 tons of steel increasing her size to 40,300 DWT and length to 733 feet, was later sold to Winson Tankers Limited of Panama in 1972.  On a voyage from Galveston to India in January 1975, carrying wheat, the vessel went aground on North Danger Reef in the South China Sea, remaining there until refloated on 6^th August 1975.  However, two days later she foundered in heavy weather whilst under tow.

 

THE ‘ESSO FAWLEY’ CLASS OF 1967 / 1968

When built in Sweden, the ‘Esso Fawley’ class at just over 18,000 TDW were the largest vessels in Esso’s coastal fleet and were designed for distributing refined products from the Fawley and Milford Haven refineries.  They became frequent users of the Dingle tanker buoy berth in the River Mersey, completed in August 1967, and connected to the onshore Dingle Bank Oil Storage Facility adjacent to the Herculaneum Branch Dock, where importation of oil first began in 1892.  Two oil engines, geared to a single controllable-pitch propeller, giving the vessels a speed of 16.25 knots powered these ships.  (A third vessel of the same class, the Esso Slagen, was completed by A/B Lindholmens, in October of 1968, for Esso Norske of Oslo).

VESSEL  NAME	BUILT	GRT	BUILDERS  NAME	ULTIMATE  FATE
Esso Fawley	Sep 1967	11,064	A/B Lindholmens Varv	Renamed Petro Fawleyin 1994
Esso Milford Haven	Jan 1968	10,902	A/B Lindholmens Varv	Renamed Petro Milford Havenin 1994

 

COASTAL SHIPS OF THE 1960’s

VESSEL  NAME	BUILT	GRT	BUILDERS  NAME	PROPULSION	ULTIMATE  FATE
Esso Tynemouth	Feb   1960	525	J. Bolson & Sons Ltd	Oil Engine	Sold in 1978
Esso Ipswich	Nov  1960	1,103	J. L. Thompson & Sons	Oil Engine	Sold in 1981
Esso Dover	Mar  1961	490	J. Bolson & Sons Ltd	Oil Engine	Sold in 1980
Esso Jersey	May  1961	313	Scott & Sons of Bowling	Oil Engine	Sold in 1973
Esso Caernarvon	Jul    1962	1,103	J. L. Thompson & Sons	Oil Engine	Sold in 1985
Esso Purfleet	Jan   1967	2,838	Furness S. B. Coy Ltd	Oil Engine	Sold in 1983

 

THE ‘ESSO LINCOLN’ 52,000 TDW CLASS OF 1962 / 1963

VESSEL  NAME	BUILT	GRT	BUILDERS  NAME	PROPULSION	ULTIMATE  FATE
Esso Lincoln	Sep  1962	31,720	Nederlandsche Dok	Steam Turbines	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1976
Esso Edinburgh	Feb  1963	30,981	Vickers-Armstrongs	Steam Turbines	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1976
Esso Cardiff	May 1963	31,720	Nederlandsche Dok	Steam Turbines	B/U at Ulsan in 1983
Esso Newcastle	Dec  1963	31,200	Vickers-Armstrongs	Steam Turbines	Renamed Exxon Santa Ynez

 

In July of 1964, the S.S. Esso Cardiff was sent to the Tyneside Yard of Palmers of Hebburn to become the first of the Company’s ships to have the new bulbous bow fitted.

On 22 February 1965, the S.S. Esso Lincoln struck the Avocet Rock in the Red Sea, at speed, during a passage from Jabbal Dhanna to Milford Haven, sustaining severe damage, which was later repaired in Italy.

In 1977, the S.S. Esso Newcastle was converted by a Japanese shipyard to become a ‘floating separation/gas-treating/storage facility’ for crude oil production, and renamed W.P. No. 1.  Her deckhouse, funnel and engines were removed for this new purpose.  In 1980, she was renamed Exxon Santa Ynez and moored some 3-4 miles offshore at the Hondo Field, off Santa Barbara, California, attached to a single anchor leg mooring system about 1-2 miles from the production platform.

 

THE ‘COUNTY’ CLASS OF THE 1960’s

VESSEL  NAME	BUILT	GRT	BUILDERS  NAME	PROPULSION	ULTIMATE  FATE
Esso Pembrokeshire	1961	48,898	A. G. Weser, Bremen	Steam Turbines	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1975
Esso Hampshire	1962	48,141	Verolme Dok en Sch.	Steam Turbines	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1975
Esso Warwickshire	1962	48,049	A. G. Weser, Bremen	Steam Turbines	B/U at Dongsham in 1988
Esso Lancashire	1962	49,397	Kockums Mekaniska	Steam Turbines	B/U at Barcelona in 1977
Esso Yorkshire	1963	52,544	Kockums Mekaniska	Steam Turbines	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1975
Esso London	1964	52,342	A. G. Weser, Bremen	Steam Turbines	B/U at Split in 1982

 

THE ADVENT OF THE VLCC CLASS OF THE LATE 1960’s / EARLY 1970’s

VESSEL  NAME	YEAR	GRT	DWT	BUILDER	PROPULSION	ULTIMATE  FATE
Esso Mercia	1967	87,002	169,496	A. G. Weser	Steam Turbine	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1984
Esso Anglia	1968	97,082	193,361	Chantiers de l’A	Steam Turbine	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1978
Esso Bernicia	1968	96,903	193,658	Howaldtswerke	Steam Turbine	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1979
Esso Scotia	1969	127,158	253,962	A. G. Weser	Steam Turbine	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1981
Esso Cambria	1969	127,158	253,962	Verolme Dok en Sch.	Steam Turbine	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1982
Esso Northumbria	1970	126,543	254,277	Swan Hunter S. B. Ltd.	Steam Turbine	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1982
Esso Hibernia	1970	126,539	254,277	Swan Hunter S. B. Ltd	Steam Turbine	B/U at Kaohsiung in 1984
Esso Ulidia	1970	126,538	254,011	Harland & Wolff Ltd	Steam Turbine	Laid up 1983. B/U in 1983
Esso Caledonia	1971	126,535	250,011	Harland & Wolff Ltd	Steam Turbine	B/U at Masan in 1982
Esso Demetia	1973	125,293	258,979	Kockums Mekaniska	Steam Turbine	B/U in 1994 after E.R. fire
Esso Dalriada	1973	125,331	259,042	Kockums Mekaniska	Steam Turbine	Sold to Liberia in 1984

 

OTHER ESSO VLCC’s AND ULCC’s OF THE 1970’s  –  UNDER OTHER NATIONAL FLAGS

VESSEL NAMES AND COUNTRIES	YEAR	GRT	DWT	ULTIMATE FATE
Esso Soc. Anon. Francaise (France)
Esso Bretagne	1971	127,777	259,210	B/U Kaohsiung in 1982
Esso Provence	1971	127,777	259,210	B/U Inchon, Korea in 1984
Esso Flandre	1972	127,502	253,557	B/U Masan, Korea in 1982  (ex-Esso Rotterdam)
Esso Gascogne	1972	126,188	256,740	B/U Masan, Korea in 1982
Esso Languedoc	1973	126,186	256,999	Was still in service in 1986
Esso Normandie	1974	137,578	273,999	Was still in service in 1986
Esso Picardie	1976	137,578	279,467	Was still in service in 1986
Esso Tankschiff Reederei GmbH (Germany)
Esso Europa	1969	126,321	257,995	B/U Kaohsiung in 1982
Esso Bonn	1974	126,192	256,962	Was still in service in 1986   (ex-Esso Bahamas)
Esso Hamburg	1974	126,192	256,702	Was still in service in 1986   (ex-Esso Bermuda)
Esso Deutschland	1976	203,869	421,681	Laid up in 1983.    Sold off in 1985 to USA
Esso Tankvaart Nederlande Antillen (Holland)
Esso Europoort	1970	127,176	253,962	B/U Kaohsiung in 1982
Esso Nederland	1970	127,176	253,962	B/U Kaohsiung in 1982
Esso Bonaire	1973	127,502	255,027	B/U Kaohsiung in 1983
Esso Saba	1974	126,943	260,831	Laid up in Brunei Bay in 1983
Esso Oceanic Inc. (Liberia)
Al Duriyah	1975	150,622	307,233	Laid up in Brunei Bay in 1985 ex-Esso Geneva, Esso Al Duriyah, Esso Geneva
Esso Tankers Inc. (Liberia)
Esso Copenhagen	1970	112,763	253,300	B/U Busan in 1982
Esso Skandia	1970	112,763	254,011	B/U Kaohsiung in 1983
Esso Wilhelmshaven	1970	113,752	253,873	B/U Kaohsiung in 1982
Esso Rotterdam	1972	127,502	253,557	B/U Masan in 1982 (as Esso Flandre)
Esso Kagoshima	1973	114,797	261,158	B/U Kaohsiung in 1986
Esso Okinawa	1973	114,797	260,910	B/U Kaohsiung in 1986
Esso Osaka	1973	146,312	283,154	B/U Kaohsiung in 1985
Esso Singapore	1973	114,633	256,715	B/U Ulsan in 1984
Esso Honolulu	1974	146,309	283,397	Laid up in Phuket, Thailand in 1984
Esso Indonesia	1974	114,797	261,230	B/U Kaohsiung in 1986
Esso Kawasaki	1974	150,622	307,431	Was still in service in 1986
Esso Africa	1975	137,166	274,467	Was still in service in 1986
Esso Bilbao	1975	146,309	283,271	Damaged by Exocet missile 50 miles South of Kharg Island in Oct 1986.  Sold to Greece 1986
Esso Geneva	1975	150,622	307,233	Esso Al Duriyah in 1983. Laid up in 1985.
Esso Hawaii	1975	146,309	283,274	Laid up in Brunei Bay in 1984
Esso Italia	1972	117,260	253,714	B/U Kaohsiung in 1983
Esso Japan	1976	192,673	406,640	Laid up at Aalesund 1982. Sold for storage 1986.
Esso Madrid	1976	188,634	388,119	Laid up at Vestnes 1983.   Sold to USA in 1985.
Esso Tokyo	1976	192,673	406,258	Sold to Gibraltar 1985.      Sold for storage1985.
Esso Atlantic	1977	259,532	516,893	Laid up at Aalesund 1983
Esso Caribbean	1976	208,060	395,156	Laid up at Aalesund 1983
Esso Mediterranean	1976	202,798	395,367	Laid up at Vestnes   1983
Esso Pacific	1977	234,626	516,423	Laid up at Vestnes   1983
Esso Le Havre	1977	173,086	387,936	Laid up at Brunei Bay 1983.   Sold to USA 1986.

In late 1972, the Standard Oil Company (New Jersey) changed its name to the Exxon Corporation.  One of the main reasons for the name change was the long-standing confusion there had been between Standard Oil (New Jersey) and other competing companies in the USA that used the ‘Standard Oil’ name.  The decision to change came about following a court ruling that the Esso trademark could not be used nationwide.

The change in title was initially intended for use as a primary trademark in the United Staes only.  Thus, it only affected the existing names on 26,000 petrol station outlets and countless road tankers of the domestic Humble Oil and Refining Company and the names of the ships of the Humble Transportation Company of Houston, Texas, which flew the flag of the USA and were registered in Wilmington, Delaware.

The name of the Humble Transportation Company became the Exxon Transportation Company, Houston, and from around mid-1973 all the ships of the Company were renamed with the prefix ‘Exxon’ to their place names.

Although the name ‘Esso’ offered no such problems to international affiliates, the new name, ‘Exxon’, was registered in virtually every country in the world where trademark registration is available in order to protect its possible future use worldwide.  In May 1983, all ships of the Exxon Transportation Company were transferred to Exxon Shipping Company of Houston.

Angus MacKinnon (deceased)

 

For some extra anecdotes on this article, please click here