# Mertola, a Liverpool registered coaster in late 1960s



## clydesiderman (Nov 28, 2004)

Can anyone give any information or background on a Liverpool registered coaster "Mertola", which was working around the British coast in the late 1960s.
Thank you, Douglas.


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## robandbarbara (Jul 29, 2005)

I have a record of the 'Mertola' being at Flathouse Quay in Portsmouth sometime in 1961.
She was of 497 tons, built in 1950. Owned by E.W. Turner of Liverpool. Funnel was red witha narrow black top and a large letter 'T'.
I would guess that she was an ex Dutchman. She became 'Maria-Elena' later. I have no idea of nationallity or later history.
Rob.


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## robandbarbara (Jul 29, 2005)

PS.
I have dug deeper in my records and have found out that she was the ex
'Poortvliet' (Du) and was bought by Turners in 1960
The 'Maria- Elena' was Greek registered.
Rob.


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## clydesiderman (Nov 28, 2004)

*Mertola*

Thanks very much Robandbarbara, I had no information whatsoever on her, and you have shone the light on her.
Again thank you for your very kind and prompt reply. It is much appreciated. Douglas Boyd, Irvine.


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## shipmate17 (Jun 1, 2005)

Hi,
Acoording to Miramar. POORTVLIET. ID 5233200. Flag. NLD. Grt. 497. SP9k. Built 1950 by Van Der Werf.Deest. for Soetermeer Fekkes Cargadoorskantoor.N.V.Rotterdam. renamed.1960.MERTOLA.1972.ARION.1974.MAGDA. 1976.MARIA ELENA. 1977. ADELAIS. 1978.PANAGIO****A. 1979.A.G.NIKOLAOS.scrapped Baia. 1980.
Cheers.


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## clydesiderman (Nov 28, 2004)

*Mertola*

This is great stuff, thanks to all. It is very much appreciated Douglas


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## KenLin39 (Apr 30, 2005)

Photo at the Link below. Ken.

http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum/Old Ship Picture Gallery K-P/Old Ships M/slides/Mertola-01.html


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## gil mayes (Nov 20, 2006)

POORTVLIET was bought by Edward W. Turner & Sons Ltd, Garston 13 Jan 1960 and renamed MERTOLA after Edward Turner's first command. Shipowners and managers since the 1870s, she was bought for the timber trade that Turner's had established in the 1950s and was probably discharging timber at Flathouse. She was sold on 19 May 1968 to Capt. John Matthews, Liverpool with Turners remaining as managers. As stated above she was sold on to Greeks in 1972 and renamed ARION. John Matthews is perhaps better remembered for the four vessels built by Angyalfold Shipyard, Budapest, LADY MOSTYN, MARIAM, GARORM and GYRAM which he bought in March 1973 from the Admiralty Marshall while under arrest. This shipowning venture was short lived.

Gil.


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## PeeVee69 (Jun 25, 2011)

clydesiderman said:


> Can anyone give any information or background on a Liverpool registered coaster "Mertola", which was working around the British coast in the late 1960s. Thank you, Douglas.


Hi Doug,

Here are pictures of the original wooden 1:50 scale model from the Poortvliet which was renamed Mertola later in the 60's. I got it from my dad who used to work at "Van der Werf" shipyard in Deest (NL) which is still in business but is called "Van Ravenstein".

For a long time I though my dad actually designed this ship but that's not possible (built in 1950). Now that I thought of it, I can recall my dad saying that one time, they were clearing out the archives and put all these wooden scale models in the garbage container. My dad managed to save some of them. We played with them when we were kids and (only!) this model was saved. My dad had it in his office for a long time and I have it in my "ham radio shack" since he died back in 2000. Hope you like it. Below all the info about the Poortvliet that I have.


Identification Data

Year built: 1950 
Classification Register: Lloyd's Register of Shipping (LR)
IMO number: 5233200 
Nat. Official Number: 7598 Z ROTT 1950 
Category: Cargo vessel
Propulsion: Motor Vessel
Type: General Cargo
Type Deck: Raised quarter deck
Masts: Two masts
Rig: 2 winches, 2 derricks 
Lift Capacity: 3 ton each 
Material Hull: Steel
Decks: 1 


Construction Data
Shipbuilder: N.V. Scheepswerf Gebr. van der Werf, Deest, Netherlands 
Yardnumber: 239 (my model says 238!!)
Launch Date:	1950-09-23 
Delivery Date:	1950-12-02 

Technical Data
Engine Manufacturer: Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz A.G., Cologne (Köln), Germany 
Engine Type: Motor, Oil, 2-stroke single-acting 
Number of Cylinders: 6 
Power: 395 
Power Unit: BHP (APK, RPK) 
Eng. additional info: Deutz Type (320x450) 
Speed in knots: 10.00 
Number of screws: 1 

Gross Tonnage: 492.00 tons gross 
Net Tonnage: 243.00 tons net 
Deadweight: 685.00 tonnes deadweight (1000 kgs.) 
Grain: 33994 Cubic Feet 
Bale: 31778 Cubic Feet 
Length 1: 52.43 Meters Lenght overall (Loa) 
Length 2: 48.90 Meters Registered 
Beam: 8.54 Meters Registered 
Depth: 2.86 Meters Depth, moulded 
Draught: 3.40 Meters Registered 
No Passengersaccommodation 

Ship History Data
Date/Name Ship	1950-12-02 POORTVLIET
Manager: Soetermeer, Fekkes' Cargadoorskantoor N.V., Rotterdam, Netherlands 
Owner: Soetermeer, Fekkes' Cargadoorskantoor N.V., Rotterdam, Netherlands 
Homeport / Flag:	Rotterdam / Netherlands 
Callsign:	PGUW 

Date/Name Ship	1960-01-14 MERTOLA
Manager: Edward W. Turner & Son, Liverpool, Great Britain 
Owner: Edward W. Turner & Son, Liverpool, Great Britain 
Homeport / Flag: Liverpool / Great Britain 
Callsign:	GGHV 

Date/Name Ship	1968-06-00 MERTOLA
Manager: Edward W. Turner & Son, Liverpool, Great Britain 
Owner:	J. Matthews, Liverpool, Great Britain 
Homeport / Flag: Liverpool / Great Britain 
Callsign:	GGHV 

Date/Name Ship	1972-00-00 ARION
Manager: A. & L. Mamas, Petros Kritikos & M. Dokas, Piraeus, Greece 
Owner: A. & L. Mamas, Petros Kritikos & M. Dokas, Piraeus, Greece 
Homeport / Flag: Piraeus / Greece 

Date/Name Ship	1974-00-00 MAGDA
Manager: Petros Kritikos, Piraeus, Greece 
Owner: Petros Kritikos, Piraeus, Greece 
Homeport / Flag: Piraeus / Greece 

Date/Name Ship	1976-00-00 MARIA-ELENA
Manager: Maria Leontos Hajigianni, Piraeus, Greece 
Owner: Maria Leontos Hajigianni, Piraeus, Greece 
Homeport / Flag: Piraeus / Greece 

Date/Name Ship	1977-00-00 ADELAIS
Manager: Maria Leontos Hajigianni, Piraeus, Greece 
Owner: Maria Leontos Hajigianni, Piraeus, Greece 

Date/Name Ship	1977-00-00 PANAGIO****A
Manager: Maria Leontos Hajigianni, Piraeus, Greece 
Owner: Maria Leontos Hajigianni, Piraeus, Greece 
Homeport / Flag: Piraeus / Greece 

Date/Name Ship	1979-02-00 A.G. NIKOLAOS
Manager: Maria Leontos Hajigianni, Piraeus, Greece 
Owner:	Maria Leontos Hajigianni, Piraeus, Greece 
Homeport / Flag: Puerto Cortes / Honduras 

1980-06-00: Final Fate: Gesloopt in Baia (Italië) door Pasquale Capuano. (disassembled in Baia Italy by Pasquale Capuano)

Source:
Year:	2001-02-00
Source:	Book
Description:	Soetermeer, Fekkes' Cargadoorskantoor 1916 - 2001 by G.J. Mulder - ISBN 90.805380.1.9 - Uitg. Pirola.


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## Tom(Tucker)Kirby (Nov 22, 2009)

Hi Clydsiderman I sailed on the Mertola during 1962 from liverpool, called at Rotterdam, loaded ourselves, bagged grain, then to Gateshead and then to Silloth in ***bria, apart from myself the crew were all Irish with the same name "Adair".
She was an ex. Dutch clog painted grey.


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## laphroig20 (Feb 3, 2011)

i sailed on the mertola in the 60;s on the timber run to finland the skipper was from weston super mare
laphroig 20


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