Chant 53

Vessel name on Arrival: Averity

Original Builder: Furness Shipbuilding Company, Haverton Hill-on-Tees

Original Yard No: 366

Official Number: 169128

Vessel Type: tanker

GRT: 401

Year Built: 1943

Arrival Date: 18/06/1972

Breakup Started: 22/06/1972

Date First Beached: 11/07/1972

Date Breakup Completed: 06/09/1972

Draught For’d: 3' 6"

Draught Aft: 8' 6"

Name Changes:

 

1944  :  Launched as CHANT 53 for the Admiralty of the British Government

1946  :  Acquired by the Netherlands Government and renamed THEODORA

1951  :  Acquired by NV Rederij 'Theodora' without change of name

1954  :  Acquired by F. T. Everard & Sons LImited of London and renamed AVERITY

 

 

Other Information:

 

The CHANT series of small coastal vessel were a wartime expedient production.  Essentially of prefabricated section construction, some 28 sections per ship, the thinking was that these sections could be produced quickly by a variety on engineering companies then assembled together for final construction to the host hull, by welding. 

 

There was nothing glamorous about the CHANT vessels, indeed they could be described as ugly, no lines to speak of, square flat plate sections, a total lack of curves and flat bottoms, for taking beaches, which did not make them very good sea boats – indeed many of these vessels were lost due to capsizing.  Altogether, Furness S.B. Coy of Haverton built sixteen of these small ships. Their design included double-hull construction as a deterrent to risk of oil spillages or leakage.

 

01-11-1943  :  Laid down

10-01-1944  :  Launched

Febry 1944  :  Completed

 

Tonnage :  401 GRT  /  450 DWT

 

Dimensions :  45.2 metres  x  8.2 metres x  2.57 metres

 

Propulsion :  Diesel Oil Engine, rated at 250 HP, delivering a vessel speed of 7.5 to 8.0 knots

 

 

In 1972, The AVERITY was despatched to the shipbreaking facility of the West of Scotlland Shipbreaking Company Limited, of Troon, Ayrshire.