# tankers speed



## peter lewis

i sailed on a few tankers in the 70s and 80s they varied in speed from slow steaming to the gulf from europe on avarage about 11 knots vlccs i also s ailed on a couple of tankers that could go 20 knots plus so the question i ask is what is the furthest a tanker as traveled in one day and what is the fastest speed that a tanker as achieved (Hippy)


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## jim barnes

was on a shell tanker tied up to a American genorator ship in Danang, Vietnam that was mined by VC, quickest i have ever seen a tanker move.LOL (Hippy)


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## billyboy

sounds like a bit 'sparklies" work Jim! ... LOL


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## James_C

Even VLCCs these days can fairly shift. My last trip to sea (paid off in January) was a VLCC, and she could do 18 knots in ballast, and 16 in fully loaded condition (22m draught!).
Quickest tanker I've ever been on though was an LNG tanker. She was a steam turbine job and normal service speed was 21 knots, though we could push her to 23 if required.
At 21 knots she burned something like 240 tonnes of bunkers per day! However, being a gas ship, we would burn some of the cargo.
Not as daft as it sounds. LNG is carried ar -163 Celsius, with the tanks thickly insulated. As the voyage goes on, the liquid cargo warms up slightly (to at most, -160), thus some gas is given off. Rather than waste this gas by venting it to atmosphere, large compressors pump down to the boilers.
Effectively, you can go for weeks without burning a drop of bunkers!


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## KIWI

Can remember on Stratheden taking all of 12 hours to overtake & pass in the Red Sea a Niarchos World----- tanker.So even in the 50's some of them had a great turn of speed. KIWI


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## Guest

Houlder Bros. Joya McCance ex Beuval did 20 plus(not sure of exact speed). She was on charter to Shell and because of her speed she was a big earner.
Regards
Leo (*))


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## pilot

Some of the new clean oilers abt.47,000 DWT are not fast. Loaded 11.5m they take some getting moving I can tell you. 
From dead in the water seems to take for ever to get them moving. On a falling tide sometimes wonder if you're going to get out before running out of water.
Don't have to bother slowing down for the pilot launch, 8 knots is fine.
Rgds.


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## Rusty

What about T2s? I joined one called the "Esso Avonmouth" in Fawley for a 3-month spell, delivering fuel to ports round the UK and N.Ireland. I was told she could do 18 kts - she was certainly faster than most of the cargo ships I sailed on.


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## slick

*Tankers Speed*

All,
Got to be the three recently departed "O" boats (Olmeda, Olna and Olwen) of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service.
Up to 24 knots, when pushed ie the Falklands War.
Yours aye,
Slick


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## price

*Tankers speed*

In the late 1950s, on one of the Esso newly built 36000 dwt tankers[ probably the Winchester]. racing up the Red Sea/ Gulf of Suez for a north bound canal transit, a Caltex tanker, the 'Caltex Cardiff' overtook us. The Caltex Tanker appeared at dawn a few miles astern and, by dusk at the start of the first watch, she had all but disappeared over the horizon ahead of us. If I remember correctly, we had all the stops out, our speed probably something in excess of 20 knots, I would imagine the 'Caltex Cardiff' would have topped that by at least 2 knots, some speed!. The 'Caltex Cardiff' and her sister the 'Caltex Rome' were still in service when I worked for Texaco in the 1970s, renamed the 'Texaco Cardiff' and 'Texaco Rome', they were still reputed to be fast vessels.
The 24000 dwt. tankers 'Texaco Rotterdam', 'Texaco Ghent' and 'Texaco Brussels' were also fast ships. They formed a '500 club', all three vessels recording days runs in excess of 500 nautical miles. I can remember the 'Texaco Rotterdam', leaving Pembroke on a rising tide, bound for Avonmouth and arriving at King Roads for high water. A passage time of 5 hours from her berth at Pembroke Refinery to mooring in Avonmouth Locks.
Fast Tankers, but of course uneconomical as turbine propelled vessels in this age.
Bruce. (*))


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## peter lewis

i was on the texaco rotterdam and the texaco ghent when they did the 500 nautical miles thats the reason i asked this question i can remember the skipper on the rotterdam geting very exited about it (Hippy)


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## price

*Texaco Rotterdam*

Hi Peter,
Tony Reeves was the regular master on the 'Texaco Rotterdam' in my time,
a gentleman whom I held in high regard.
Bruce.


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## peter lewis

it was tony reeves at the time he was a very big man at one time then he lost a lot a weight i sailed with him quite a few times always had a lot of time for him (Hippy)


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## Split

price said:


> The 'Caltex Cardiff' and her sister the 'Caltex Rome' were still in service when I worked for Texaco in the 1970s, renamed the 'Texaco Cardiff' and 'Texaco Rome', they were still reputed to be fast vessels. Bruce. (*))


Hi Price,

The Caltex Rome was a T-2. I was mate of her at one time. She was, later,
jumboised- 1967, I believe. A great age for a t-2. When I left the company in 1963 the bulkeads were paper thin and we used to repair them with plastic patches.

If I remember correctly, the "Cardiff's" sister was the "Newcastle" or was it the Edinburgh"?

Split


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## price

*Caltex Rome*

Hi Split,
Yes, you are completely correct, the Texaco, ex 'Caltex Rome' was a T2. I was working from memory without reference. The 'Texaco Cardiff' sistership was the 'Texaco Rochester' ex 'Caltex Bristol', the 'Caltex Newcastle' and 'Caltex Edinburgh' were of the same vintage but slighty smaller. Sorry for the confusion.
Bruce. (*))


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## Split

price said:


> Hi Split,
> Yes, you are completely correct, the Texaco, ex 'Caltex Rome' was a T2. I was working from memory without reference. The 'Texaco Cardiff' sistership was the 'Texaco Rochester' ex 'Caltex Bristol', the 'Caltex Newcastle' and 'Caltex Edinburgh' were of the same vintage but slighty smaller. Sorry for the confusion.
> Bruce. (*))


Of course, the "Bristol"! I'd forgotten about her. Well, we can both be excused our lapses of memory. It's been a long time!

Split


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## graham

T2 rogue river 1953 Swansea to Freamantle to the Gulf to Sweden to Tilbury 12 weeks and paid of that was a fast trip 2 cargos one of fuel oil one of crude regards 
graham


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## Trevorw

Don't know about fast tankers, but I was certainly on one of the slowest - "El Mirlo" owned by Lobitos Oilfields of Peru and managed by C. T. Bowring. On a passage from Puerto De La Cruz in Venezuela to Isle of Grain, our average speed for the voyage was 7.4 knots!


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## lakercapt

Caltex Siagon was aT2 and a ripe age in 1962.
Held together with "Thistlebond" and off watch was slapping that on pipelines and bulkheads.
Quick load in Bahrain was 7 days as we kept going off spec as cargo was getting mixed due to pipe line failures etc.
Last Caltex ship as after three months I was down the gangway after the pilot a customs officer. Never went back as safety as long as it cost nothing seemed to be the way they worked
What a scary experiance as there was always something going wrong, like the for'd pumproom full of cargo, jet fuel jetting out a crack in the hull to name but two.


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## Split

To Lakercapt,

We must have crossed paths. I was mate of the Saigon from January '62 until Sept '62. I joined in Port Said and left in Avonmouth. If you were mate I must have relieved you, or you me.

Did not sign a new contract and left to look for another company. Little was I to know that I was not to work on another ship again. I met my future wife and have stayed ashore ever since.


Split


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## Nelson

Hi Trevorw,
I`ve never heard anything about C.T.Bowring on this site before, apart from an inquiry I made a few months ago.In the `60s, I was R/O on the "Orlando," which was owned by them. We used to run from the Persian Gulf to Oz most of the time.


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## lakercapt

Split:
Sorry but I was on that heap from December 5, 1962 till January 21 1963.
Did indeed leave her in Avonmouth.
Rememeber it was a miserable Christmas and new years.
Went back to my girlfriend who became my wife (45 years ago and still married).
Person who was master was called Anderson from Aberdeen and you know the reputation of Aberdonians !!!! (True or false)


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## Split

Thank God I had good company with a master named Reid, from Edinburgh,
who was with his wife. Also, great friends with the chief engineer, Stan Robinson and wife.

I cleaned the Saigon from black to white oil on our way to Baton Rouge in filthy Atlantic weather for a cargo of aviation fuel and then we ended up running stuff into Haiphong, etc.

I have a wealth of stories I could tell about her. Once we were discharging No 2 tank and when we got below the main line we uncovered a hole and there was an ominous noise of air being sucked. I went down the tank with the smoke mask on and put a clamp on the pipe. 

Normally, we loaded three grades but I have loaded five into her and I knew that there had to be something better than that so, like you, I voted with my feet. A shame, really, because I liked the company but could not see much future, only as master of rotting t-2s.

Did you lift rust from the tanks? We used to lift hundreds of buckets of rust from the tanks.

We must have got married at the same time. I didn't know her when I stepped ashore. A very fast and successful romance and still going strong, with grandchildren. 

Split


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## lakercapt

Hi Spllit
Did a short spell on the Caltex Newcastle and was transferred to the Saigon in Cardiff where she was undergoing repairs.
Rust, where was the steel.!!! I was offered a contract and having seen the way contract mates/engineers were treated declined their offer. Like you saw no prospects as they were still influnced by the US office and they did inspections etc. Lots of BS on a beat up T2 where the only thing that was certain to work was the crew. Lost weight as the food was not so good and lived on curry and vitamin pills from the "Butler".
All Indian ratings when I was there.
Not one good memeory of that short episode tho I did receive a letter from the London office thanking me for my services and should I wish to reconsider etc.
Regards
Bill


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## Semaj

MV Luxor 6 cyl Doxford did about 14 knots but on average 12.
Loved watching the banjo pipes going up & down as if on elastic bands.

Jim.


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## Split

Hi Lakercapt,

I'm surprised at your opinion of the food. I never found that a problem. Soup, salad, curry or main dish with desert twice per day. Breakfast was good, too.

Good morale on the ships, There were, usually, four mates, all with certificates- the 1st mate was a day worker. 

However, when one was promoted to first mate the fun stopped! Apart from that, there was a lot of flying from one ship to another and the tours lasted a year with 105 days leave, far too long, especially with ships in that condition.

Split


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## peter lewis

the caltex newcastle has been mentioned a few times did she become the texaco newcastle (Hippy)


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## Split

Yes, that is so.


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## BlythSpirit

peter lewis said:


> i sailed on a few tankers in the 70s and 80s they varied in speed from slow steaming to the gulf from europe on avarage about 11 knots vlccs i also s ailed on a couple of tankers that could go 20 knots plus so the question i ask is what is the furthest a tanker as traveled in one day and what is the fastest speed that a tanker as achieved (Hippy)


Peter I heard long ago (when beer was one -and thrupence) that the Shell "Cap-Class" boats were the fastest tankers afloat. They were built in the states for the Military and had a clawback clause to revert to the US in time of war and need. I never sailed on that class - perhaps some of the other guys can confirm or refute this?


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## Wilco

Back in the early 50's I sailed both as an apprentice on the Caprinus, joining in the U.K. on its arrival on its maiden voyage from Bethlehem Steel, Quincy, Mass. via the Carib. & later as 3rd mate on the Caperata.To the best of my recollection speeds of 17knots were not uncommon. In those days I thought them the best equiped ships I'd come across both accommodation & equipment wise. Gave me my first experience of Loran.
Wilco


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## BlythSpirit

Sorry the Cap Class I was referring to were the Capiluna,Capisteria,Capulonix, Patro, and Lovellia, all 50,000dwt, ships built in Bethlehem Steel Corporation yard, in Baltimore Maryland,1959/60 I think. Don't ask me why the last two weren't named Cap something!
They were all Liberian Flag ships and certainly were not the pretty things you refer to!! All steel cabins without cladding, very functional and a portend of things to come!!
Best Regards.


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## jimmys

I was an engineer on the Texaco Ghent class they had a bank of extra turbine nozzles in reserve if they wanted to sail above 15/16kn. Large tip capacity could be fitted to the boilers. I never saw it used. It was said on trials speed was up to 24kn. They certainly had a massive capacity to steam.
I went to Texaco/Caltex from Blue Funnel 69/70 not much changed until I was made redundant 84/85. The only thing that worked on the ships was the crew. You were very well paid and that was the only thing that kept people.
T2, Cardiff Class, Ghent Class, VLCC and the daddy of them all the Texaco Great Britain are best forgotten.

best regards
jimmys


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## Dave I

I was an apprentice on the Cardiff, as far as my memory goes she was built with sistership Bristol to be part of the UK strategic tanker fleet, i.e. she could steam much faster than her normal service speed and once a month would proceed at maximum speed for a 24 hour cycle. I remember going past the Isle of Wight at 24 knots during the monthly speed trial. I think her normal service speed was 17.5 knots..
One ship i sailed on in Caltex ( i think the Cardiff) was built without bilge keels, a big mistake because she rolled in a flat calm and bilge keels were fitted at the guarantee drydock..


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## price

Hello Jimmys, I sent a post on page one of this thread regarding the speed of the sisters Texaco Ghent, Texaco Rotterdam and the Texaco Brussels, the '500' club, I expect that you would have been on the Ghent around that time and would probably remember it. Remarkably fast ships.
Bruce.


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## jimmys

Hi Bruce,

I never sailed on the Texaco Ghent. Once on the Texaco Brussels, twice on the Texaco Rotterdam. The latest Rotterdam 1980. John Coleman was the Master. Time Before Rotterdam around 1978 Jimmy Blundell was Master. I sailed on the Cardiff as well around 1970.
All three ships could cover 500 miles per day but never ran at that speed when I was on board. The fuel consumption was prohibitive. By the 1980's all these ships were past their best.

regards


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## John N MacDonald

*Speedy Tankers*

Last September while nearing the Straits of Malacca on the LT Cortesia we passed numerous tankers rushing back to the Gulf to reload for SE Asia and China and according to AIS most were doing over 17 knots.
The German 2nd mate who was on his last trip before retiring said the speed of tankers appears to have increased significantly over the last few years.


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## JimC

Rusty said:


> What about T2s? I joined one called the "Esso Avonmouth" in Fawley for a 3-month spell, delivering fuel to ports round the UK and N.Ireland. I was told she could do 18 kts - she was certainly faster than most of the cargo ships I sailed on.


Exactly! was going to mention these ... built by the Americans during WW2. I think they were turbines and could beat anything I ever saw in the 1950s. If I remember rightly there was a fleet of them operatiing in Venzuela .. something to do with mozzies?


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## Trevorw

Don't know about fastest, try the slowest! I was on "El Mirlo", owned by Lobitos Oilfields of Peru and managed by C. T. Bowring. We did a trip from Ellesmere Port to Puerto La Cruz and back to the Isle of Grain. Our average speed for the voyage was 7.4 knots! We were even overtaken by one of Hogarth's Barons!


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## surfaceblow

The T2 had two designs T2-SE-A1, 6000 hp and a cruising speed of 14 1/2 knots and the T2-SE-A2, 10,000 hp and a cruising speed of 16 knots. 
There were extra nozzles and the military use nozzles would increase the speed 3 to 4 knots with a very large increase in fuel consumed. The military use nozzles usually had a chain and lock on them, with a sign for military use only. You had to get the special tips from the chief engineer for the boilers. I can remember having the fuel pressure the same as the boiler pressure when using the extra nozzles. (450 psi)
When the T2's were lengthen their speed increased. 
T2-SE-A1 cost 3,010,703
T2-SE-A2 cost 2,970,029


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## Ian

Interesting thread this one,
Would anyone know, wether or not tanker owners or charterers,even today ? specify a maximum speed for their ship over a given voyage, or like it was in the 60,s etc if you were loaded and the best price for your cargo hadn,t been found you were sent slow -steam to lay off landsend, or Cape town as happened to the vessel I was on ?.
or has the need /greed for oil products sent all these things by the board ?
Best regards Derby


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## surfaceblow

It would depend on who owned the oil on board and if you were a chartered vessel or owned by the oil company. I sailed on the SS Golden Gate has Chief Engineer and we were chartered to BP on the US West Coast. Every morning around 7:30 local time the cell phone would ring in the Captains Office and then my office if he did not pick up. The call was always from the Traffic and Chartering Department to give us new orders. Since we were a product carrier the orders did not change much when I answered the phone when the Captain was in the middle of his morning shower. On the few times that the Captain did answer the phone after I shouted for him the Captain would be on the phone for a good, while often missing breakfast. The norm was when I got back to my office the lady on the other end would ask Ed what he was wearing while I was hanging up the extension. One morning the Captain did not answer the phone while we were in port and the lady wanted to talk to Ed. So I went to Ed's office an shouted in that it was time for his dose of phone sex. At breakfast Ed introduced me to his wife who was seating in his Day Room. Neither of them were to happy about my morning message.(==D)


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## Derek Roger

jimmys said:


> I was an engineer on the Texaco Ghent class they had a bank of extra turbine nozzles in reserve if they wanted to sail above 15/16kn. Large tip capacity could be fitted to the boilers. I never saw it used. It was said on trials speed was up to 24kn. They certainly had a massive capacity to steam.
> I went to Texaco/Caltex from Blue Funnel 69/70 not much changed until I was made redundant 84/85. The only thing that worked on the ships was the crew. You were very well paid and that was the only thing that kept people.
> T2, Cardiff Class, Ghent Class, VLCC and the daddy of them all the Texaco Great Britain are best forgotten.
> 
> best regards
> jimmys


That is a remarkable speed for a Tanker ; I wonder if they tested it on Sea Trials ??? Was that class perhaps considered as " support " for the Navy ? hence the speed capability ? Bit Like the Cunard vessels which could be used as troop ships ? 
Derek


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## James_C

BP's British Courage/Valour had an extra set of nozzles and much bigger boilers than their sisters. Apparently they were capable of doing 22 knots flat out, and an annual Admiralty speed trial would be conducted just to make sure.
The idea being that during times of war they would be used as Auxiliary Fleet oilers.


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## Ian

LOL surfaceblow.
Good story, did one have the obligatory red face ? 
best regards Derby


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## surfaceblow

I did not have a red face but Ed and his wife sure did.


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## Ian

surfaceblow,
did you get treated any better after your escapade ?
or was it say no more ? lol


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## ajblack

Did any of you ever work with a George Stewart onboard Caltex tankers? He was a Chief Engineer if I remember right. After he came ashore he went on to run a couple of boiler businesses, hence how I came to talk to him. Spent hours in the office talking over his experiences. 

BTW, should have said, he was from Belfast, Northern Ireland


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## surfaceblow

Nothing more was ever said about it, but the morning routine changed a bit I did not have to answer the phone as often. 
The next trip Ed left his keys for the ships safe at home and I had to drill the lock to get the ships papers for the next port. Fun times.(Thumb)


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## Ian

Surfaceblow,
seems to me you might well have had a little bit of a hold over him after these escapades then mate lol ?
often wish we were still in those times 
best regards Derby


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## surfaceblow

(==D) Ed had the second mate do the voyage abstracts there after so all I had to do was to enter the pounds of steam used and sign my name.


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## Brian D

Your right the Caltex Newcastle was the Cardiffs sister ship I served on the Cardiff 1960/61 The Edinburgh was much smaller even so a very nice ship.
Brian D


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## Dave I

I am pretty certain if my memory serves me right that the Bristol was the sister ship to the Cardiff and the Newcastle was the same size as the Edinburgh. Cardiff and Bristol 32k and Edinburgh and Newcastle 17k. I sailed on all except Bristol, happy days a long time ago........


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## Burntisland Ship Yard

Rumour had it that the Texaco Rotherdam, could "fly around the UK coast", she was a steam ship, and with low sea water temps the condensor vacuum, would have been good, perhaps some of the readers would like to comment. I never had that privilidge, but did my time on the Ghent on the Trinidad / West Africa Tour !

I also sailed on the Cardiff and Rochester still remember having to shut off the nozzles etc to do the soot blowing. The HP turbine also had end tightening fitted so prior to standby for slowing down you had to move the rotor back !

On the final tour with the Cardiff from Europe to eventually Taiwan for scrap, the word from the bridge was that initially when we left the suez heading south, we were beating the mail boats ! that was of course until they went full ahead !


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## ogdenm

Sounds about right - I sailed with my late father Captain Michael Ogden in 1967 (ish) on El Lobo - similarly 'challenged'


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## ogdenm

I may be able to offer some information as my late father Captain Michael Ogden served with CT Bowring from September 1942 through to 1985 when he retired (although they had by that time been sold by Marsh McLennan who bought the Bowring Group). My mum has a copy of the Bowring Story


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