From the Book Sailing ship to Supertanker. Esso Tynemouth Completed 2.1960 Gross tons 525 Built by J. Bolson & Sons Ltd., Poole. Measurements: 171 feet (loa) x 28 feet breadth. 688 tdw. Engines: Oil. 91/2 knots. 1978: Celtic Lee (Celtic Coasters Ltd.). 3.12.1979: Steering gear failed, struck quay, holed, capsized and sank while berthing at Cork (on voyage: Whitegate/ Cork with diesel fuel). 14.1.1980: Refloated, sold and repaired. 1982: Maldea (Marine & Industrial Energy Cleaners Ltd.). 1984: Drysdale (Irish Waste Ltd., Belfast). Esso Ipswich Completed 11.1960 Gross tons 1,103 Built by J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland. Measurements: 231 feet (loa) X 36 feet breadth. 1,576 tdw. Engines: Oil. 91/2 knots. 1981: Maldivo Valour (Maldives Shipping Ltd.). 1984: Fultdhoo (Central Atolls Shipping (Pte) Ltd., Maldive Islands). Esso Dover Completed 3.1961 Gross tons 490 Built by J. Bolson &Son Ltd., Poole. Measurements: 176 feet (loa) X 27 feet breadth. 556 tdw. Engines: Oil. 10 knots. 1980: Gherryhobs (Cherry Marine Ltd.). Towards the end of 1980 Cherry hobs was acquired by the St Helena Shipping Company for service at St Helena. She was renamed Bosun Bird and her new job was to load fuel at Ascension for St Helena. There she lay as a floating fuel store, her oil not only used for the island's domestic purposes, but for the mororship St Helena, the island's link with Europe. Until then oil had been imported in drums from South Africa for there is very little demand for it in the tiny mountainous island. Esso Jersey Completed 5.1961 Gross tons 313 Built by Scott & Sons Ltd., Bowling. Measurements: 123 feet (loa) X 24 feet breadth. Engines: Oil. 9 knots. 1972: (T. Holden). 1974: Edwharf (Edgells Wharf, Southampton); converted to an effluent carrier, renamed John S. Darbyshire. 1977: Kielder (Effluent Services Ltd.). 3.7.1984: Arrived Hull for scrapping. Esso Caernarvon Completed 7.1962 Gross tons 1,103 Built by J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland. Measurements: 231 feet (loa) X 36 feet breadth. 1,570tdw. Engines: Oil. 12.1985: Caernarvon (C. Crawley Ltd., Gravesend). In 1985 Esso made Avonmouth its main distribution centre for South Wales and much of the south-west and on 5th August, 1985, the Esso Caernarvon made the last delivery to the Esso Wharf, in the Ely River adjacent to Penarth Dock in South Wales. The wharf, the last trading berth on the Ely River, was officially closed on 14th September, 1985. Esso Purfleet Completed 1.1967 Gross tons 2,838 Built by Furness Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Haverton Hill-on-Tees. Measurements: 323 feet 6 inches (loa) X 47 feet breadth. 4,430 tdw. Engines: Oil. 8.1983: Prima Jemima (Prima Tankers Ltd., Gibraltar). Built for the carriage of lubricating oil and other refined products in a highly automated cargo system, with fuel lines connecting independently to tanks. Twelve grades of oil could be carried. Between 1962 and 1964 a number of 60-foot steel pontoons were built at North Woolwich for work in yachting and boating centres around the British coast. They were really Esso floating service stations, with a capacity for 5,000 gallons of diesel oil, petrol and two-stroke mixture. For the convenience of yachtsmen they were also able to offer fresh water, marine stores and some consumable stores. Esso Chale Bay Esso Langstone Bay (renamed Esso Poote Bay II) Esso Pegwell Bay Esso Seaford Bay Esso Thames (renamed Esso Poole Bay) Esso Weymouth Bay Esso Torbay