# bue/viking



## MICK WILSON

Hey anyone out there work for bue/viking from 96-09, remember the intrepid, integrity, barra, lismore, trafalgar guardian and sister ship, or the new builds after that???


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## scottyb

I came from the Viking side of life so the only BUE ships I was on were the Iona and the Jura, weren't to bad old boats. I was on the Discovery from new for a few years and the went to Vector.
Scott


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## MICK WILSON

I think when i was on the jura the old man was from grimsby, she was an old relic, the cabin i had was one of the 2 down by the fwd engine room. I was on the discovery from new as bosun, at least i think it was the discovery, it was the one with costen as old man. Then moved to caledonian victory.....a proper ship.....well it still hit the rig.


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## kevinm

i was also with them started with bue in 2001 and still here


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## Ray Mac

MICK WILSON said:


> I think when i was on the jura the old man was from grimsby, she was an old relic, the cabin i had was one of the 2 down by the fwd engine room. I was on the discovery from new as bosun, at least i think it was the discovery, it was the one with costen as old man. Then moved to caledonian victory.....a proper ship.....well it still hit the rig.


Who was the Skipper when she hit the rig?(Pint) I was on Cal-Victory from China, retired from that ship in 2007.

Ray


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## MICK WILSON

how are ya Ray, she hit the rig on the port side just fwd of the smoking room and the damage went up to the windlass house, It wouldnt be right to say who the cpt was, but I was on the back to back crew and we were in Aberdeen for the welding repair, the engines blacked out. Suppose its not the first ship that happened to and it shows even on new ships things go wrong which cant be stopped. I reckon you brought her back from China with an irish first mate then?


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## MICK WILSON

kevinm said:


> i was also with them started with bue in 2001 and still here


Jesus Kevin, you should be in line for a medal, I was with them 13yrs, from Seaboard to Vroon or whoever they endded up as. Hope you still enjoying it, I finished 4yrs ago but must say it was great laugh and met some top lads. what ships were you on?


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## kevinm

hi mick i was on the skye, iona, stronsay, islay, provider, canna, then the new ones from spain


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## Ray Mac

MICK WILSON said:


> how are ya Ray, she hit the rig on the port side just fwd of the smoking room and the damage went up to the windlass house, It wouldnt be right to say who the cpt was, but I was on the back to back crew and we were in Aberdeen for the welding repair, the engines blacked out. Suppose its not the first ship that happened to and it shows even on new ships things go wrong which cant be stopped. I reckon you brought her back from China with an irish first mate then?


Hi Mike, On the run from China via Singapore the Mate was a Indian if I recall, the mate on the other watch joined with the crew in suez.
Was an Irish mate on when I retired.

Cheeers Ray.


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## MICK WILSON

Burned Toast said:


> Hi Mike, On the run from China via Singapore the Mate was a Indian if I recall, the mate on the other watch joined with the crew in suez.
> Was an Irish mate on when I retired.
> 
> Cheeers Ray.


So Ray, I think the Irish mate ended up as my skipper, Id have to check the discharge book to see when, one of the lads off the arc crew (poor bugger) just came over to ours for a visit this week, I live on the west coast of ireland now, he said ships still the same. I left it (victory) to do me second mates, did 3 months in Fleetwood but decided to become a fireman instead, shame really as only had to sit my orals. But a fine vessel all the same....only one I was on with a sextant, shows the state of our merchant fleet now So you retired then?


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## MICK WILSON

kevinm said:


> hi mick i was on the skye, iona, stronsay, islay, provider, canna, then the new ones from spain


So Kev, who was the skipper on the Skye for ya, I think when I was there it was ronnie maine and dave oconnor, IN ABOUT 97. I was on one of the new builds from Spain but buggered if i remember which one, but christ what a step up from an old freezer trawler built in 68 eh!! like the skye and foula,. Was on the intrepid/ foula for 5 years, but I thought Shetland was great....specially the Douglas arms and cpt flints....had some boss times there!!!


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## Ray Mac

MICK WILSON said:


> So Ray, I think the Irish mate ended up as my skipper, Id have to check the discharge book to see when, one of the lads off the arc crew (poor bugger) just came over to ours for a visit this week, I live on the west coast of ireland now, he said ships still the same. I left it (victory) to do me second mates, did 3 months in Fleetwood but decided to become a fireman instead, shame really as only had to sit my orals. But a fine vessel all the same....only one I was on with a sextant, shows the state of our merchant fleet now So you retired then?


Hi Mick

Have been retired five years this month, Big irish chap was mate nice fella, Skipper was Jimmy C, bit of an a***hole but rest were ok, Tommy was bosun Mick B ch.Cook. Glad too be out of it now, but did nearly fifty years so must have liked it.

Ray(Pint)(Pint)


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## MICK WILSON

Burned Toast said:


> Hi Mick
> 
> Have been retired five years this month, Big irish chap was mate nice fella, Skipper was Jimmy C, bit of an a***hole but rest were ok, Tommy was bosun Mick B ch.Cook. Glad too be out of it now, but did nearly fifty years so must have liked it.
> 
> Ray(Pint)(Pint)


Well Ray, glad you enjoy retirement, I think Mick was still cook and if Tommy the bosun was from montrose I sailed with him too and sailed with him 10yrs before, the irish mate you had could well be living up the road from me but is now on a drill ship. Tommy works for aberdeen harbour.But i sell flowers and am a fireman but only did 13 yrs at sea.


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## scottyb

Hello Mick. Yeah would that have been the Innovator or Seeker you were on then. I've ended up on the Victory too. Tommy fae Montrose is working with the pilots in Montrose nowadays.


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## MICK WILSON

scottyb said:


> Hello Mick. Yeah would that have been the Innovator or Seeker you were on then. I've ended up on the Victory too. Tommy fae Montrose is working with the pilots in Montrose nowadays.


Hi Scotty, it was the innovator i was on i joined it in aberdeen as it arrived from spain, a fine ship and a good crew, but to be honest got bored trying to find work for the lads on a brand new ship it was fine doing cargo though, so left to join vector and Tommy on the victory (sailed with him 10yrs before on bue barrra). But found sitting on arccs even worse. did 2nd mates at fleetwood then and been a fireman ever since!!!Which crew were you with on the Victory?


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## scottyb

I'm on the crew that had Daryoosh as C/E (he has left) and John Pirtchard as 3rd. I was lucky as I joined straight away as deck A/B. I know what you mean about finding jobs to do aboard the new ones. The newbuilds were fine enough wee boats, some bits were badly thought out though.


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## MICK WILSON

scottyb said:


> I'm on the crew that had Daryoosh as C/E (he has left) and John Pirtchard as 3rd. I was lucky as I joined straight away as deck A/B. I know what you mean about finding jobs to do aboard the new ones. The newbuilds were fine enough wee boats, some bits were badly thought out though.


So I reckon youd know Ken, Iian,donald, noel, mehaal, niel and all them them then?
Dave and Chris were on the deck when I was there. I was on arrc but only supposed to be till deck vacancy came up, but they sent me to fleetwood in the end to do 2nd mates.


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## scottyb

I know Chris the Bosun, Noel and Mick (ex RN) and few others. The turn over of crew is mad sometimes.


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## RFARoy

For those who are interested in BUE/Topaz vessels please see the following information on the fleet currently in operation serving the BP/AIOC/SOCAR offshore oil industry in the Caspian Sea out of Baku, Azerbaijan.

Topaz/BUE Caspian Vessels as of September 2012

Caspian Endeavour
Caspian Power
Caspian Pride
Caspian Protector
Caspian Provider
Caspian Qala (Gala)
Caspian Server

Topaz Arrow (Sub-sea Intervention & ROV Survey)
Topaz Glory 
Topaz Legend

Aura
Citadel (Sub-sea Intervention & ROV Survey)
Fortress
Jura
Islay
Guardian (May have been in Baku at one time but not sure)

Svetlomor (Last in Baku 2011)

Joan A McCall (Catamaran Crew Boat) 
Allan L McCall (Catamaran Crew Boat) 

Best Regards, RFARoy


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## Les Gibson

Hi Roy,
Was in Baku with BUE 1995-1997 and worked on Aura AHTS would that be the same one? If so she is a good age, I believe built mid 80s in Poland. Are you in Baku at the moment? 
Regards,
Les Gibson


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## RFARoy

Les Gibson said:


> Hi Roy,
> Was in Baku with BUE 1995-1997 and worked on Aura AHTS would that be the same one? If so she is a good age, I believe built mid 80s in Poland. Are you in Baku at the moment?
> Regards,
> Les Gibson


Hi Les,
Still in Baku, I came out in 1995 and have been here ever since!!!
You will not recognise Baku now from what you remember in 1995.

The Aura and the Isley are the same and are the principle AHTS vessels in the Caspian for the western oil companies.

For you information, in 2005 Topaz Marine merged with Renaissance Services SAOG of Oman to acquire BUE Marine Services thereby entering into the Caspian Sea market. The BUE acquisition brought with it a significant increase in fleet size and making Topaz an important OSV provider in the Caspian Sea. Tidewater had a presents here for a while but Topaz are the main player apart from SOCAR's own vessels and the local Nefigaz vessels.

The Topaz Legend & Topaz Glory are the latest arrivals from the UAE.

Regards, Roy


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## RFARoy

*Addition to Topaz Fleet in the Caspian Sea*

The latest addition to the Topaz fleet in the Caspian Sea, the Topaz Triumph, built in the UAE in 2012 and arrived in the Caspian Sea early 2013. Sister ship to the Topaz Dignity.

She has just been fitted out with a Fugro Survey Ltd operated AUV sub-sea survey equipment under charter to Total.

Previously, I missed off the the Caspian Sea Topaz Fleet list the Baki (Emergency Response & Rescue Vessel) and the Caspian Protector (Emergency Response & Rescue Vessel)

RFARoy


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