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Matco Avon - (1975-1993)
See her also as : Mobil Valiant (1) - (1964-1975) & More photos "Matco Avon"
Build as "Mobil Valiant" in 1964. Converted in 1975 as a North Sea shuttle tanker and renamed "Matco Avon", for servicing Mobil's Beryl Oil Field, with the "Matco Clyde" and "Matco Thames'. Owner was Matco Tankers (UK) Ltd.
Mobil was only 45 % shareholder.
Sold as "Avon" in UK in 1993, to Wijsmuller and towed to Bangladehs for breaking up.
"Matco Avon" lying at Blohm & Voss yard in late 1970s.( Photo Copyright Joerg Seyler )
"Matco Avon".
MATCO AVON, ex MOBIL VALIANT - 1975
LOA 869 ' 10 ", Beam 104 ' 5 ", Draught 46 ' 3", 77,696 SDWT.
Built 1964 by Bremer Vulkan, Bremen, Germany, as a 50,000 DWT tanker, powered by a Brown Boveri turbine
developing 18,000HP. As MOBIL VALIANT, she grounded in the River Scheldt while en route to Antwerp, Belgium.
She was pulled free by tugs with no significant damage.
She was jumboised in 1968 to 78,000DWT. A plaque in the engine room bears the inscription "Largest vessel ever to be
enlarged in the afloat condition. Mitsubishi 1968". On her first voyage after jumboising, the vessel grounded on the
Shah Allum shoal in the Arabian Gulf with no significant damage.
In the late 1960s she was fitted with a bulbous bow which extended the LOA to 874 ' 5 ". She was converted in 1975 for use as
a North Sea shuttle tanker to serve the new Beryl field for Mobil North Sea Limited. She was equipped for the job vnth a bow
thruster and variable pitch propeller.
Dedicated tanks were allocated for segregated ballast. As MATCO AVON, she loaded the first Beryl cargo in September 1976.
She is jointly owned by Mobil Shipping Company Limited, Enterprise Oil plc, Amerada Hess Limited, EG North Sea Holdings
Limited and OMV (UK) Limited.
The vessel groimded at Pembroke, Wales, on 15 October 1984 and demolished her bulbous bow. When repaired at Hamburg,
Germany, the bow was reconstructed to the original lines and the LOA reduced to 869 ' 10 ". MATCO AVON is the oldest serving
vessel in the fleet apart from SEMINOLE, which sails in the American fleet. They are the only remaining vessels in the
fleet with a midship house.
"Matco Avon".( Copyright J + J Lassen, photocollection )
"Matco Avon", converted to load from Beryl Alpha Field SBM. I ( Gary ) was R/O from June 1976 to November 1983.
Running from Beryl Alpha to UK/near Continental ports.
Mobil operated.
( Photo Copyright Gary McDanielsen )
"Matco Avon".
"Matco Avon".
"Matco Avon".
( Photo Copyright Chris Howell )
"Matco Avon", not a very sharp picture.
Taken from the shore with a 300mm lens we see the 1964 'bridge amidships' 78,000t tanker MATCO AVON.
This anchorage, a few miles off Scarborough on England's east coast, is a quite common one for Matco tankers.
December 1992.
( Photo Copyright Lee Brown )
"Avon", ex. Matco Avon", ex. "Mobil Valliant", at the end of the line at Gadani Beach, 1994.
The Miramar Ship Index for "MOBIL VALIANT"
IDNo:
|
6414461
|
Year:
|
1964
|
Name:
|
MOBIL VALIANT
|
Keel:
|
12.1963
|
Type:
|
Tanker
|
Launch Date:
|
26.05.1964
|
Flag:
|
LBR
|
Date of completion:
|
07.1964
|
Tons:
|
27904
|
Link:
|
-
|
DWT:
|
53490
|
Yard No:
|
914
|
Length overall:
|
224.0
|
Ship Design:
|
|
LPP:
|
214.5
|
Country of build:
|
DEU
|
Beam:
|
31.8
|
Builder:
|
Bremer Vulkan
|
Material of build:
|
|
Location of yard:
|
Vegesack
|
Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):
|
1ST-16
|
|
|
Subsequent History:
[ 1968 Lg 266.7 / 255.1 mtr, 42001 grt ] -
[ 1976 converted to shuttle tanker ] -
1975 MATCO AVON - 1993 AVON
Disposal Data:
Scrapped at Gadani Beach 13.01.1994. [ By Capricorn Enterprises ]
History :
ON
|
LR/IMO
|
ID
|
Year
|
Name
|
Tons
|
Change
|
Registered Owner
|
2068
|
6414461
|
6414461
|
1964
|
MOBIL VALIANT
|
27904
|
|
Mobil Tankers Co., (Liberia) Ltd.
|
2068
|
6414461
|
6414461
|
1964
|
MOBIL VALIANT
|
42001
|
1972
|
Mobil Sg & Tptn Co.
|
365965
|
6414461
|
6414461
|
1964
|
MATCO AVON
|
42001
|
1975
|
Mobil Producing North Sea Ltd & partners
|
|
6414461
|
6414461
|
1964
|
AVON
|
42001
|
1993
|
Gebr Wijsmuller Rederij BV
|