# Niarchos Ships



## helen

Does anyone know a site where I can get information on 2 Niarchos ships please? (1) World Conqueror (new in 1962) and Saxon Glen (could be Glade) sailing around in 1953. Thanks. Helen


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## Tassie

Hi Helen....the little information I have is taken from a small book I had as a child called 'Ian Allan Ocean Tankers' printed in the late 1950's. It refers to ships starting with the name 'Saxon....' being part of the Niarchos group but does not list any ships beginning with 'Saxon' although it has a photo of the 'S S Saxonsky' with an attached note 'since renamed World Sky.' With that info in mind there is a ship called 'World Glade' details as follows..
World Glade - Built 1952. Tons Gross 11,222. Length 556 Feet. Breadth 75 feet. Speed 14 1/2 knots. Engines Steam Turbine. 
There was also a 'World Glen' with all the same statistics except..Built 1953 and Tons Gross 11,221 (1 ton lighter!!)
There were 4 ships in this section of the Niarchos group... Imperial Shipping Investments Co. Ltd. Niarchos (London) ltd. The other ships were the 'World Dale' and the 'World Mead.'
The only 'World Conqueror' I can find (in another book) was built in 1971 so I don't think it's the one you are interested in.
I hope this is of some assistance.
Kind regards.....Bill Burton...Tassie.


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## tanker

Ciao Helen,I know WORLD SEA built 1953 as SAXONSEA 12,877,g.t. i have not found a WORLD CONQUEROR built in 1962.
Gp


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## Hugh MacLean

Hello Helen,

I think the ship is Saxon Glade. There is a reference to it on Brians site;
http://www.merchant-navy.net/alphalist.html

the list of ships shows people looking for old friends. When you click on Saxon Glade I am afraid there is no mention of anyone conected with the ship, so I suspect that person is no longer available. May be worth giving Brian an email on his site in case he may have some info for you.

Rgds


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## ruud

Ahoy Helen,

Here a scanned page of an Ocean Ships 1967, of The Niarchos Group:


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## helen

*Niarchos Ships info.- a thank you!*

Just like to thank you all for taking the trouble to reply and for the scanned list. 

WORLD CONQUEROR: My father has done a folder of pictures of his ships, bar one or two. I have two of WC and the funnel has an N painted over a white band. He describes it as, "a unique ship of two parts. An old engine from a USA wartime tanker and a complete new hull forward...joined to each other" (and there's more!). No wonder they kept it quiet!!

SAXONGLEN (or GLADE which is what it says in the Cardiff papers I have): Joined it in May 1953 at Walkers Naval Yard and took it on trials. No picture.

I think I possibly sent Brian/Billy a list of his ships to add to the collection a couple of years ago and that's how they got there. 

"Ocean" is now another source I can check. All the internet has on Niarchos is personal to the family and nothing about the ships. Again, thanks for trying for me. I'm sorry I started this now, its hard work. Helen


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## Bob Davies

Hi all - again.
Just looked through Ruud`s list of Niarchos ships.I see there is no mention of the World Duality which I sailed on as R/O between Dec 72 and May 73 - maybe the whole trip was a dream.
I also sailed on the World Justice from June 73 to Jan 74.
Bloody awful feeders.
Bob


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## ruud

Ahoy Bob,
Wakey,wakey.(*)) 

That list was from 1967, and she was built [World Duality] in 1970 as Ore/bulk/oil carrier. Tons Gross:56800 Tonnes DWT:114150 LOA:264 x 38 x 15½
Sorry I can't scan at the moment, cos my 3-1 printer broke down, and will be repaird now, or maybe I should buy another new one.


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## Bob Davies

Thanks for that Ruud - I didn`t realise she was that new.I remeber the Justice as an old banger though.
Regards
Bob


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## price

*niarchos ships*

(*)) Does anybody remember an incident which occured in the Suez Canal early January 1955.
One of the Niarchos World Tankers, [possibly the 'Glory'] collided with the bridge at El Qantara, blocking the canal for a few days and causing quite a backlog of shipping awaiting transit.
I was on the 'Rhexenor' homeward bound from Freemantle to Europe, we moored in the congested anchorage at PortTewfik for a day or two.
I remember one night in the anchorage [Iwas watch below at the time], an Onassis tanker I think the 'Olympic Honour' collided with a sister the 'Olympic Thunder' which was lying at anchor. The Tanker underway struck the anchored vessel just for'd of the bridge on her port side, causing an explosion and a fire. Our motor lifeboat [which as an emergency boat was always lowered and bowsed in at prom deck level at sea] was lowered and crewed. 
I don't remember if the boat was sent away to help, I think not.
I remember come daylight seeing the large gash in the anchored ships' hull and a blackened bridge front, a complete contrast to the normal gleaming white paintwork of these fine looking ships.
Can anybody confirm the names of the ships involved or shed any further light on this incident of long ago.
Bruce.


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## Mac

"World Glen" was ex " Saxon Glen", built in 1953 by Vickers Armstrongs Ltd Walker. Greek Flag, 20,514 DWT. Steam turbines, 6,600 @ 95 rpm.


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## price

*niarchos ships*

(*)) R651400;
Thanks for the info. Yes 'World Peace' was the ship, you have jogged my memory, I dont know where i got the 'World Glory' from, must have something else about the same time. I think it was the 'World Concord' that broke her back in the Irish Sea 1953/4 ish, I may have got that wrong as well.
I wonder what became of the other tankers I mentioned in the incident the 'Olympic Thunder' and the 'Olympic Honour'. I notice Ruuds' Onassis fleet list posted yesterday includes the Thunder but no mention of the 'Honour'.
Thanks. Bruce.


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## John_F

Bruce,
The World Glory had her own "happening". On 14.6.1968 she broke in two off Durban, burst into flames & sank taking 25 crew members with her. Photo attached of her at Mena.
Regards,
John


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## price

John, 
Thanks for the info. and photo of the 'World Glory', I knew that she been in trouble somewhere but thought it was earlier, may have been another incident?.
It is always sad to hear of of disasters of this type.
Regards. Bruce.


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## helen

This Niarchos line seems a bit dodgy if my dad said World Conqueror was a "ship of two parts" and World Glory broke in two!!


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## Jan Hendrik

*Hellenic Shipyard*

I think this was the shipyard owned by Niarchos.
Found this postcard in shoebox number 14, a unique photo as it also depicts some Onassis vessels.
Around 1960-1965 I would say.
Cannot read the names of the ships.
Anybody with better "eyes"???
Jan


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## athinai

*World Glory*

I was in 2 way Radio contact with World Glory before she broke in two that day off South Africa. I am still in contact with the R/O who survived that event, and what a story he tells.


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## athinai

Jan,
that looks like the Hellenic Shipyards known as HSY at Skaramanga near Piraeus, I spent three weeks there once, and visited Marias Bar outside the Gate, anyone remember that ? And by the way Niarchos did own the Yards then, as I worked with his company.


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## Jan Hendrik

Yes, can confirm this is Scaramanga


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## athinai

*World Conqueror*

Helen,

I remember the World Conqueror, but all I can say is that she was still around in 1967 as part of the Niarchos Fleet, and I believe she continued for some years after that.,
I will make further enquiries. Adio


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## Ian

I finally got around to checking my Tyne shipyard files and found the following about the Niarchos order.

There were to be four tankers built. They were launched and delivered from the Vickers Armstrong Walker yard, in 1953-1954. The ships (In delivery order.) were named Saxonglade, Saxondale, Saxonglen, and Saxonmead. Each was to be approximately 13,322 tons and 20,500 tons dwt.

I have a quote from the one of the launch parties, that they were named differently from the fleet norm of using the prefix "World" because all were specifically ordered fro charter to Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company. Perhaps that charter was up when they were all renamed.

Regards,

Joe


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## holfordm

*World Enterprise*

This ship was launched by my grandmother (Lady Micklem) and my brother (Michael Holford). Attached are two photos and an article. The people in the photo are:Mr P.H.Muirhead, Sir Frederick Yapp, Lady Micklem, Michael 
Holford, Lady Weekes, Sir Ronald Weekes.


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## Aldinga

*Saxondale*

Here are two the sisters Joe: The first “Saxondale” with the dark hull and the Saxonglade.
Built: 1952 at Vickers-Armstrong Walker-on-Tyne.

Ron


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## Janice

*"Ships of two parts"*



helen said:


> This Niarchos line seems a bit dodgy if my dad said World Conqueror was a "ship of two parts" and World Glory broke in two!!


If I remember rightly, a lot of the oil tankers of the 1950's were refurbished Liberty Ships from WWII. I was told that they had a long rigid beam and, in high seas, when on top of a wave, as it were, could "break their backs". I would be delighted if someone could confirm or correct this. Might explain the "two parts", if they were welded together in the middle.

By the way, as a novice typist in the supplies department of Niarchos, I once ordered one thousand pounds of potatoes, instead of one hundred pounds, to be loaded on one ship! I expect someone corrected my error - but I was teased that they had to order ships to meet "my" ship, mid-ocean, to redistribute the surplus spuds!

Cheers - Janice


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## James_C

Ah, that's nothing. I was on one ship where the Catering Off (Chief Thief) fouled up royally with the stores order.
He wanted to order 75kg of Chicken and 200 Blueberry muffins. Now, having had a few 'shandys' (as they tended to do), he misplaced the decimal point for the chicken, and didn't realise just how many Muffins came in a box.
Result?
750kg (3/4 of a tonne) of Chicken and 2000 blueberry muffins.
We had 2 chicken courses with EVERY meal, and muffins for every smoko for 6 months afterwards.
The muffins went hard of course, so when the appeared in the messroom they were invariably used for bun fights!
The Old Man did not approve....

Hahaha.


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## Steuermann

Hi Helen,
YOu mentioned, that you have spome old pictures of the "World Conqueror". Do you have them scanned so that you can post them here? I am searching for old pictures of the "world..." ships (world conqueror, world felicia and world seafarer"). Information ist rare...for the World Felicia I had to translate from French, bu at least I got it ;-)
Nice story! I would like to eat 2000 blueberry muffins


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## Gareth Jones

There seems to be some wrong information over the World Enterprise - I sailed on her from May 1970 to may 1971. In those days she was chartered to Esso and made regular trips from Maricaibo/Aruba/Amuay Bay to Newyork. At that time she had never been broken in half !

After her annual drydocking (June 1971) she was prgrammmed to go for another year back on the same run with Esso. after which time she would be scrapped.

Sometime later I happened to be travelling by bus from Piraeus to Piremar and saw her hull in the skaramanga shipyard, on her side. I was told she was being used as some kind of storage facility. When this was I can't remember. But if she had broken in half after I sailed on her she would surely have been scrapped not repaired - she was too old.

She had been British Built (see previous post of her launching) and a model of her used to stand outside the Niarchos office door in Piraeus. I was told by the Office people there that she was the first big ship Stavros Niarchos had commissioned from scratch and that he held her in high regard.

The World Glory did indeed break in half off South Africa and went down very quickly but there was no fire. I understand that only the Mate and the R/O were saved, and this after a lengthy time in the cold sea in lifejackets. They had been virtually washed off the wing of the bridge as she went down. Their rescue was somewhat miraculous as a passing ship happened to see them in the water.

I'm pretty sure the World Conqueror was still going in Oct 1978, I was on the Spyros at that time, making regular trips from Malaysia to USA across the Pacific, and an R/O from Liverpool named Ian was on her making the same trips, so we had many regular QSO's.


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## Apollo

According to "Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages" Helen's father was right. Details here: http://www.aukevisser.nl/t2tanker/id511.htm

Regards

Eddie


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## Norman Brouwer

Improbable as it may seem there are three ships in the group of sixteen Reserve Fleet vessels currently being disposed of by the U.S. Maritime Administration that are directly related to this thread. 

Two are the sister ships MOUNT VERNON, ex-MOUNT VERNON VICTORY and MOUNT WASHINGTON built by the Bethlehem Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1961 and 1963 for Onassis' Victory Carriers. Shipping journals that reported on their launchings said they were a "standard tanker design" that originated with the WORLD GLORY of 1954. By the time the MOUNT VERNON VICTORY was launched seventeen of the series had been built or were nearing completion. This included Niarchos WORLD GLORY and WORLD BEAUTY, Onassis' OLYMPIC EAGLE, OLYMPIC FALCON and MONTICELLO VICTORY; 3 for Texaco, 1 for Transeastern Shipping, 1 for J. M. Carras, and 6 for Hercules Tankers.

The third vessel is the OHIO, ex-SEATRAIN OHIO which incorporates sections of three T-2 tankers; MISSION SAN DIEGO (300 ft. fwd cargo), U.S.S. TOMAHAWK (120 ft. aft cargo) and MISSION SAN JOSE (stern and machinery); all re-assembled at Maryland Shipbuilding & Dry Dock, Baltimore in 1967.


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## djw1

All,

You can get an idea of what the CTX has on the Niarchos' ships
by going to http://www.c4tx.org/ctx/job/cdb/flex.html and searching
on world. Of course, not all ships starting with world are niarchos
and some niarchos ships did not have a name starting with world.
Any additions, corrections gratefully accepted.

Jack


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## pandegee

*World Glory*



athinai said:


> I was in 2 way Radio contact with World Glory before she broke in two that day off South Africa. I am still in contact with the R/O who survived that event, and what a story he tells.


INTERESTING ..... I TOO WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE RO - BIG IRISH LADDIE IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY??? GRATEFUL HIS NAME IF YOU HAVE IT ....

REGARDS

PANDEGEE


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## pandegee

athinai said:


> Jan,
> that looks like the Hellenic Shipyards known as HSY at Skaramanga near Piraeus, I spent three weeks there once, and visited Marias Bar outside the Gate, anyone remember that ? And by the way Niarchos did own the Yards then, as I worked with his company.


YES - I SPENT MANY HAPPY DAYS IN SKARAMANGA. ANYONE REMEMBER CHARLIE PITTICK WHO WAS LOOKING AFTER NIARCHOS' PRSONAL LAUNCH/LUXURY BOAT AND ALSO HIS SAIL BOAT. CAN'T REMEMBER THEIR NAMES. TALKING OF ABOUT 66 - 69'ISH ....

PANDEGEE


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## Splinter

I was in Skaramanga on the tanker Bideford for about two weeks in '62, also there were, the tankers Mobil Radiant and the London Splender.
Although I can't remember the name of the bar, we often went in for a drink on our way to Piraeus.
At the time both of Niarchos, personel boats were in, the Creole and the Brave Challenger.

Ray.


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## chadburn

Who could forget Hans and of course the very lovely Lottie Hass who dived off the Creole, Brave Challenger is now at Southampton still looking superb


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## bill red

price said:


> John,
> Thanks for the info. and photo of the 'World Glory', I knew that she been in trouble somewhere but thought it was earlier, may have been another incident?.
> It is always sad to hear of of disasters of this type.
> Regards. Bruce.


 hello happy 2011 iwas a 4th engineer with world guardian round 1965 1966 when we had to resque 5 members from world Glory burst in to flames in the red sea after colide with a norwegian tanker the rest gone to the dam surks, it was very ruff sea the chiff stuart was a old frient of mine we got some bonus as we had to guard the vessel for over 3 days, both we are going to the gulf


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## bill red

World Guardian Was German Made Tanker It Was Extendet To 45000 Tons In Skaramanga 1964


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## bill red

BIG SORY TO MY PRIVEUS POST IT WAS WORL LYBERTY WITH NORWEGIAN MOSIL LOOK AT http://www.c4tx.org/ctx/job/cdb/do_flex.html 1966 WAS THERE WITH WORLD GUARDIAN BIG BANG WE HEARD IT 10 MILES AWY WITH A BIG FLAME SAD


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## Brian Martin

*Niarchos 'Saxon' Tankers*

My first trip was on Saxonglen in 1956, during a 10 month trip she became World Glen. There were 8 ships in that 'class' Saxon:
Glen, Glade, Mead, Dale under Bermudan flag while Sea, Sky, Heath and hill were Liberian register. All were built on the strength of a charter with Anglo Saxon (to become Shell) and It was said that 'Saxon' was replaced by 'World' either at the end of that charter or when they had paid off cost of construction. In 1958 the Bermudan registered vessels were transferred to Liberian register.


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## bill red

ruud said:


> Ahoy Helen,
> 
> Here a scanned page of an Ocean Ships 1967, of The Niarchos Group:


thanks 4 the info


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## bill red

*T2 tanker converted*

my 1st taste of oil tankers world was 1965 terible, but in need 4 a job and went with world guardian, as an aprentice engeneer the T2 tankers converted cut in half and from about 35000 tons 2 45000 tons oil in skaramanga NIARHOS boat yard it was telible at the time my ancle was the 1 who take me,(MAD) was 1st engeneer name george kokkinis a sort man but very clever stay withh niarhos for 3 years left as 3nd


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## redball

price said:


> John,
> Thanks for the info. and photo of the 'World Glory', I knew that she been in trouble somewhere but thought it was earlier, may have been another incident?.
> It is always sad to hear of of disasters of this type.
> Regards. Bruce.


Hi All.First time on site. Interesting to see post re World Glory. I signed off the World Faith in Rotterdam as the R/O. On arriving back home in Cornwall I received a cable fro Niarchos London Office asking if I would fly out to The Gulf and Join the Wold Glory, I believe her R/O was taken ill. I declined the offer as I felt I needed a break!! Glad to hear theR/O who took the job managed to get off OK, If he is still around I would very much like to get in contact.


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## shipmate17

Hi, SAXONGLADE built 1952 by Vickers-Armstrongs. High Walker. grt 13322. 1956 WORLD GLADE. 1971 LORETTA. scrapped Kaohsiung 14/4/78.


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## shipmate17

Hi, FORT GEORGE built 1943 by Kaiser, Swan Island. grt 10448. 1956 WORLD TRUTH. 1961 WORLD CONQUEROR. 1967 PAULINA. scrapped Kaohsiung.28/10/77.


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