# Seeking 1970s tanker crew, US-Saudi routes



## mcfarlandv (Aug 3, 2017)

I teach history at the University of Missouri, and I’m working on a book project about the US and Saudi Arabia during the 1970s oil crisis. I’d like to talk with people who worked on tankers that carried Saudi oil to the US during that period. 

I’m especially interested in stories from anyone who was at sea in October 1973, when the Arab oil embargo was declared. 

I’d also like to talk to anyone else who was on a tanker that sailed to & from Saudi Arabia during the 1970s and could give me a general sense of what it was like living and working on one of those ships, loading at Ras Tanura, etc., or has any photos to share from that time.

You can contact me on this forum or directly at [email protected].

Victor McFarland


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

This is Ras Tannura around late 1963, but I would not think it changed much over the years.

David

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## mcfarlandv (Aug 3, 2017)

Thanks for sharing that photo, David -- it's interesting to see what Ras Tanura looked like in the Sixties.

- Victor


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Victor............Again not quite your period, but this was the discharge end of many trips from Ras Tannura also during 1963. It is the offshore buoyed berth at the Bataan refinery on the west side of Manila Bay. The discharge pipeline was buoyed and lifted aboard. It was rumoured that the refinery was built on the 'Back to Bataan' landing site that perhaps you might be familiar with. 

A later voyage on another tanker started out from Ras Tan for Australia, but diverted to the Mediterranean because of the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict that closed Suez. The return voyage to the Gulf was 31 days. 

David
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## sheringham (Dec 22, 2008)

*Saudi/USA*

Hi,
I joined the James E O'Brien of Chevron Tankers in May 1977 as Second Mate.
We did a trip around the Cape to Savona in Italy and back again to the Gulf
Loaded full cargo of Arabian crude for San Pedro, California. either at Kharg Island or Ras Tanura. Loading time approx 18 hours.
35 days across the Pacific to the US. Discharged via submarine pipeline to on shore tank facilities in less than a day. Back to the Gulf in ballast retracing our outward bound course again in approx 35 days to Ras Tanura where we loaded again for Savona, Livorno and Marseille. back to the Gulf again to Ras Tan where we loaded for Rotterdam. I paid off in Rotterdam never to venture to sea again.
Chevron operated 2 vessels under the British Red Ensign, namely the O'Brien and the Wasson.
The vessels were well set up and the food was very presentable and varied. Crews were Asiatic and the Officers were European.
The problem, for me, was that although it was a happy ship the trips were dull and repetitive as were all other VLCCs but thats what they were built to do.
There are photos of Chevron vessels in the gallery.


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## mcfarlandv (Aug 3, 2017)

David -- thanks for that photo. It's interesting to see Manila Bay in the 1960s, and to hear about your voyage getting interrupted by the 1967 war.


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## mcfarlandv (Aug 3, 2017)

Sheringham -- thank you for sharing your memories of that period. The Gulf to San Pedro and back, then to the Mediterranean and back, then to Rotterdam -- that's a lot of distance to cover. Auke Visser's site shows the James E. O'Brien as being built in 1970 and scrapped in 1982 (http://www.aukevisser.nl/supertankers/part-2/id294.htm), so it wasn't in service very long.


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## r b quiery (Dec 8, 2007)

david that looks like the naess soverign who ran on a regular basis to batann Iwas on her sister ship Naess champion on a mobil charter mostly to port stanvac ne.ar adelaide then on to williamstown at melborne that would 1963 or 4. Iwas then back to ras tan in1970/1 on the Naess endevour going to sriracha in thailand &back every 5 weeks


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

RB Yes it was. My first trip. I joined out of drydock in Rotterdam 4th April 1963. (The chief RO wanted to do a tax year). Then 8 months of 'Back to Bataan'. Four years later I joined the Mobil Astral at Ras Tan only to find we were 'Back to Bataan' !!! Next though, was Port Stanvac and Williamstown.

This was off Cape Leeuwin northbound to the Gulf.

David
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## George Porteous (Jul 19, 2015)

Hi, I Received G side the Neass Sovereign (or Champion) right away. I sailed on the Sovereign as 3rd Mate for a year from January 1967 after just passing my 2nd Mates ticket. Loading mainly at Ras Tan and Kharg Island, didn't get to Bataan but did quiet a few Aussis trips as well as a good few round the Cape to Europe (LEFO!). Was also Chief Off on the Endeavour in 1973 on the Siracha run. Good times.


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