 House flag (1915-1927) | |
| Industry | Ship transport |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1915 |
| Successor | BP Tanker Company |
| Headquarters | , England |
Key people | Charles Greenway |
| Products | Oil |
| Owner | Anglo-Persian Oil Company Anglo Iranian Oil Company |
British Tanker Company Limited was the maritime transport arm of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, the forerunner of BP. Formed in 1915 with an initial fleet of seven oil tankers, the British Tanker Company became the BP Tanker Company in 1955.
From the moment oil was discovered in Persia (now Iran) in May 1908, the issue arose of how best to ship it back to Britain. The Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC) initially employed independent contractors; principally the Asiatic Petroleum Company, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, to carry the oil by sea. [1] In 1912 the company acquired its first ocean going ship, the SS Ferrara, a conventional freighter that carried oil products in metal cases. [2] Tankers were unable to berth in Abadan owing to a natural sand bar off the coast known as the Shatt-al-Arab Bar, and often had to anchor up to 40 miles from the port. This meant oil had to be lighter ed out to the ships. Accordingly, APOC made two further shipping purchases, a barge Friesland and a tug Sirdar-i-Naphte. This situation remained until the mid 1920s when the bar was eventually dredged to allow ships direct access to the port. [2]
However, the directors of APOC soon decided it would be better for the company to possess its own fleet of tankers. It set up the British Tanker Company Limited (BTC) in April 1915, with an initial capital of £100,000. The BTC placed orders with two Tyne based shipbuilders, Armstrong Whitworth and Swan Hunter, for a total of seven steam-powered oil tankers. The names of the first ships bore the prefix British, and most future additions to the fleet followed the same naming convention. This acknowledged the fact that the British government had invested heavily in the fledgling company to ensure a supply of fuel oil for the Royal Navy. [1]
BTC's first tanker was the 3,663 grt British Emperor, launched in 1916. She was employed to take oil from Abadan to the ports of Bombay, Karachi, Madras and Calcutta. She was the only BTC vessel not to be chartered by the Admiralty in World War I. Her career eventually ended in 1941, when she was sunk by the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin, after evading all the Pinguin's attempts to capture her intact.
BTC's share capital was doubled to £200,000 in 1916, and further increased to £3,000,000 in November 1917.
In 1917 APOC made a successful offer to the British government for the assets of the former German-owned Benzin und Petroleum BP AG seized on the outbreak of war. This included the associate Petroleum Steamship Company (PSSC) whose 13 oil tankers passed into BTC ownership. The same year BTC was chosen by the Royal Navy to manage seven Royal Fleet Auxiliary tankers, giving it management experience that proved valuable post-war. The PSSC, now a subsidiary of BTC, took over ownership of the locally manned and managed fleet of small craft operating at Abadan. [1]
By 1919 the fleet had grown to 25 ships, a motley collection of new and second hand vessels including the Scandinavia, the only sailing ship ever operated by BTC. [1]
Over the next decade, the demand for oil grew throughout the industrialised world, and BTC expanded its fleet accordingly. By 1924 the fleet numbered 60 vessels. The 60th ship was the new flagship, the 6,998 grt British Aviator. She was the BTC's first diesel engined oil tanker, and was at that time the most powerful single-screw motor ship in the world. [2] A significant event was the signing of a contract with P&O in 1923 to supply bunkering facilities for the latter's ships. [1]
The cargoes carried by BTC ships consisted of both crude oil and refined oil products; the main refined products being fuel oil, benzine and kerosine. During the 1920s the principal destination for BTC was the United Kingdom, which accounted for around half of all cargoes discharged. Twice as much crude oil was delivered to the United Kingdom as refined products, with most of the crude oil being taken to the newly established refineries at Llandarcy and Grangemouth. The next largest destination for BTC was India, receiving 14% of the total cargoes carried. Cargoes discharged in Europe increased steadily, and by 1928 accounted for 13% of the total. In 1928 BTC's fleet consisted of 80 seagoing tankers, five coastal vessels and four government owned steamers, with a further 13 seagoing tankers being chartered by the BTC.
With the onset of the Great Depression in the early 1930s, the merchant navies around the world faced increasing unemployment. However, through a number of strategic mergers, as well as the continuing support of the Shah of Iran, APOC managed to strengthen its position within the industry, and the BTC's fleet continued to grow until the launch of British Energy in 1931 marked the end of the post-war fleet renewal. In 1932, APOC reached an agreement with Royal Dutch Shell to combine their UK domestic marketing and distribution networks. This involved the transfer of some ships to a jointly owned company, Shell-Mex and BP. With careful management BTC only laid up six ships for an average of six weeks between 1930 and 1935. In 1935, with the Depression receding, the company started placing orders with British shipyards for a further 24 ships. The same year, at the Shah's request, the company was renamed the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. [1]
With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the British government chartered BTC's whole fleet of 93 vessels to transport fuel for its armed forces. In addition the company was made responsible for the management of requisitioned ships and American assistance tonnage. By 1942 the company had 146 ships under its control. The fleet lost 44 of its own ships and six managed ships sunk during the war, many during the Battle of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean U-Boat campaign, with two others so badly damaged they could only be used as storage hulks. [3] In addition two ex-BTC tankers operated by Italian companies were sunk by British submarines while a third was sunk by RAF Coastal Command.
Within two years of peace in 1945, BTC had restored its fleet to its pre-war total of 93 ships. This included the purchase of 10 American wartime T2 tankers [3] and three ex merchant aircraft carriers. [2] The recovery was further bolstered by the building of 57 new tankers, each of 8,600 grt. These new ships increased the tonnage of oil transported from the Abadan refinery, but they remained within the limits imposed by the requirement to sail through the shallow waters of the Suez Canal. At this time the company decided that the old principle of owning 90% of its required tonnage was too onerous and that chartered vessels should be employed to make up the average 50% annual shortfall. [4] To ease the problems of managing this large fleet an associated shipping company, the Lowland Tanker Company, was formed in association with Mathesons and Common Brothers of Newcastle to operate 10 time-chartered tankers exclusively for BTC. [4]
In 1951 the situation changed dramatically, when Iran nationalised its oil industry. AIOC removed all its staff from the country, and for a while had no access to Iranian oil. AIOC set about forming new alliances with other oil producing countries, especially Kuwait and Bahrain. The crisis lead to a major emergency logistics operation being undertaken to reroute and repurpose the tanker fleet to cope with the loss of the refining capacity at Abadan. In addition the Petroleum Steamship Company's fleet of barges, tugs, lighters and ancillary craft was hastily evacuated to Basra and Kuwait. [4]
In the early 1950s BTC began increasing the size of its deep-sea ships by building 13 so-called 'supertankers', each of 18,000 grt. These larger ships were particularly useful during the Suez crisis of 1956, which closed the Suez Canal and forced ships to sail around the Cape of South Africa, adding 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km) to their journey.
In November 1954 AIOC renamed itself the British Petroleum Company, and the BTC became the BP Tanker Company from 1 Jun 1956, British Soldier being the first ship turned out in the new company's colours. [4]
| Ship | Built | GRT | Photo | Built by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aras | 1893 | 3,210 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Purchased 1918. Sold 1930 and renamed Lina Campanella. Scrapped in 1950. | |
| British Admiral | 1917 | 6,842 |  | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1937. |
| British Advocate | 1922 | 6,994 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Captured 20 February 1941 by the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer and renamed Adolf, later renamed Nordstern. Sank 1944 during an air raid. [5] | |
| British Ambassador | 1924 | 6,940 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Scrapped in 1954. | |
| British Architect | 1922 | 7,388 | Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1953. | |
| British Ardour | 1928 | 7,124 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 5 April 1943 by torpedo from U-706 | |
| British Aviator | 1924 | 6,998 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | First diesel engined vessel. Scrapped in 1953. | |
| British Baron | 1908 | 4,906 | Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd., Newcastle | ex PSSC Roumanian acquired 1917. [3] Sold 1925 and renamed Norne. Resold 1928 and renamed Vincas. Scrapped in 1936. | |
| British Beacon | 1918 | 6,891 | Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | Operated first for the Shipping Controller then after 1919 for the Admiralty. 1937 removed from management and renamed Olcades. Scrapped in 1948. | |
| British Birch | 1916 | 5,882 | Short Brothers Ltd, Sunderland | Launched as RFA Oldbury, completed as RFA Birchleaf. Purchased and renamed British Birch in 1919. Scrapped in 1931. | |
| British Bombardier | 1942 | 8202 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast | Laid down as Empire Fusilier, launched as Empire Bombardier. Operated for the MoWT. Purchased 1946. Scrapped 1960. [6] | |
| British Bugler | 1945 | 3,766 | J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Ex Empire Arrow operated for the MoWT. Purchased 1946. Sold 1957 and renamed Montmajour. Resold 1963 and renamed Mantinia. Scrapped in 1981. | |
| British Captain | 1923 | 6,968 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 2 December 1941 by mine | |
| British Cavalier | 1942 | 9,891 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ex Empire Cavalier operated for the MoWT. Purchased 1945. Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Chancellor | 1921 | 7,086 |  | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Sold 1952 and renamed Wanmas. Then sold 1954 and renamed Viva. Finally sold 1955 and renamed Gaaton. Scrapped in 1963. |
| British Character | 1941 | 8,453 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Chemist | 1925 | 6,997 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1953. | |
| British Chivalry | 1929 | 7,118 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 22 February 1944 by torpedo from Japanese submarine I-37 | |
| British Colonel | 1921 | 6,999 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Scrapped in 1953. | |
| British Colony | 1927 | 6,917 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 13 May 1942 by torpedo from U-162 | |
| British Commander | 1922 | 6,896 |  | Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee | Sunk 26 August 1940 by the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin |
| British Commando | 1942 | 8,194 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast | Ex Empire Chapman operated for the MoWT. Purchased 1946, Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Commerce | 1922 | 4,205 | William Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1937. | |
| British Commodore | 1923 | 6,865 | Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee | Scrapped in 1953. | |
| British Confidence | 1936 | 8,494 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | Renamed Anglian Confidence in 1957. Scrapped in 1958. | |
| British Consul | 1924 | 6,940 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Sunk 19 August 1942 by torpedo from U-564 | |
| British Corporal | 1922 | 6,972 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Requisitioned by the MoWT in 1940 and renamed Empire Corporal. Sunk 18 August 1942 by torpedo from U-598 | |
| British Councillor | 1922 | 7,045 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Sunk 3 February 1940 by mine | |
| British Courage | 1928 | 6,952 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1953. | |
| British Destiny | 1937 | 8,470 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Renamed Gaelic Destiny in 1957. Scrapped in 1958. | |
| British Diligence | 1937 | 8,408 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Renamed Anglian Diligence in 1957. Scrapped in 1958. | |
| British Diplomat | 1926 | 6,484 | John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank | Requisitioned by the MoWT in 1940 and renamed Empire Diplomat. Laid up in 1944 and scrapped in 1946. | |
| British Dominion | 1928 | 6,983 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 10 January 1943 by torpedo from U-620 while sailing in Convoy TM 1 | |
| British Dragoon | 1943 | 9,909 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ex Empire Alliance operated for the MoWT. Purchased 1945. Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Drummer | 1944 | 3,758 | J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | ex Empire Ensign operated for the MoWT. Purchased 1946. Sold 1957 and renamed Anella. Resold 1958 and renamed Norse Commander. Scrapped in 1966. [7] | |
| British Duchess | 1924 | 5,973 |  | J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Sold 1952 and renamed Duchess. Scrapped in 1959. |
| British Duke | 1899 | 3,645 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ex PSSC Terek acquired 1917. Sold to Italy 1930 and renamed Laura Corado. Sunk 30 March 1941 by torpedo from HMS Rorqual [8] | |
| British Earl | 1901 | 6,288 | Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd., Newcastle | ex PSSC Pinna acquired 1917. Sold to Italy 1929. Scuttled 1940 but refloated and taken over by the US Government. Renamed Orissa, scrapped in 1950. [3] | |
| British Emperor | 1916 | 3,637 |  | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | First ship built for BTC. [2] Sunk 7 May 1941 by the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin |
| British Empress | 1917 | 6,847 |  | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1936. |
| British Endeavour | 1927 | 4,580 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 22 February 1940 by torpedo from U-50 | |
| British Endurance | 1936 | 8,406 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | 1959 sold and renamed Redwijs II. Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Energy | 1931 | 7,209 | Greenock Dockyard Co Ltd, Greenock | Damaged in an air-raid at Birkenhead in 1940. Scrapped in 1955. | |
| British Engineer | 1922 | 6,993 |  | Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | Sold 1952 and renamed Emily. Resold 1954 and renamed Yarkon. Scrapped in 1959. |
| British Ensign | 1917 | 7,048 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1937. | |
| British Enterprise | 1921 | 4,204 |  | William Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1936. |
| British Faith | 1928 | 6,950 |  | Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee | Scrapped at Milford Haven in 1956 |
| British Fame | 1936 | 8,303 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Represented the company at the 1937 Review of the Fleet off Spithead. [1] Sunk 12 August 1940 by torpedo from Italian submarine Alessandro Malaspina | |
| British Fern | 1917 | 5,831 | Napier & Miller Ltd, Glasgow | Built as Fernleaf. Purchased 1920. Scrapped in 1931. | |
| British Fidelity | 1938 | 8,465 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | 1957 renamed Gaelic Fidelity. Scrapped in 1958. | |
| British Fortitude | 1937 | 8,482 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | Damaged 23 February 1943 by torpedo from U-202, but survived. 1957 renamed Anglian Fortitude. Scrapped in 1958. | |
| British Fortune | 1930 | 4,696 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Sunk 31 October 1941 by German aircraft | |
| British Freedom | 1928 | 6,985 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 14 January 1945 by torpedo from U-1232 | |
| British Fusilier | 1923 | 6,943 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1953. | |
| British General | 1893 | 3.245 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | ex Georgian Prince acquired 1918. Sold to Spain 1922 and renamed Ebros. Scrapped 1940. [9] | |
| British General | 1922 | 6,985 |  | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 7 October 1940 by torpedo from U-37 |
| British Genius | 1939 | 8,553 | William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Glory | 1928 | 6,993 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Damaged 15 October 1940 by torpedo from U-138, but survived. Scrapped in 1954. | |
| British Governor | 1926 | 6,840 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1953. | |
| British Gratitude | 1942 | 8,463 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Grenadier | 1922 | 6,888 |  | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 22 May 1941 by torpedo from U-103 |
| British Guardsman | 1942 | 8,128 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Ex Empire Garrick operated for the MoWT. Purchased 1945. Sold 1951 and renamed Alan Evelyn. Resold in 1955 and renamed Westbrook. Scrapped in 1960. | |
| British Gunner | 1922 | 6,894 |  | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 24 February 1941 by torpedo from U-97 |
| British Harmony | 1941 | 8,453 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1960. | |
| British Holly | 1917 | 5,162 | William Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1931 | |
| British Honour | 1928 | 6,991 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | 1953 sold and renamed Marisin M. 1957 renamed Mario Martini. Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Hope | 1928 | 6,951 | Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee | Scrapped in 1957. | |
| British Hussar | 1923 | 6,944 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1953. | |
| British Industry | 1927 | 4,297 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1953. | |
| British Influence | 1939 | 8,431 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 14 September 1939 by torpedo and gunfire from U-29 | |
| British Integrity | 1937 | 8,412 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | 1957 renamed Gaelic Integrity. Scrapped in 1958. | |
| British Inventor | 1926 | 7,101 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 13 June 1940 by mine | |
| British Isles | 1917 | 7,108 |  | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1938 |
| British Judge | 1921 | 6,735 |  | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Scrapped in 1953. |
| British Justice | 1928 | 6,982 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1954. | |
| British Knight | 1908 | 4,762 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ex PSSC Danubian acquired 1917. [3] Sold 1929 and renamed Sanvik then sold again 1938 and renamed Arrivabene. Wrecked 1940. [10] | |
| British Lady | 1923 | 6,098 | J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Sold to the Admiralty in 1939 and scrapped in 1946 [1] | |
| British Lancer | 1942 | 9,891 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Ex Empire Wordsworth operated for the MoWT. Purchased 1945. Scrapped 1960. | |
| British Lantern | 1918 | 6,897 | Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | Taken over by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1937 as RFA Oligarch. Survived the War but was scuttled in the Red Sea in 1945. [11] | |
| British Liberty | 1939 | 8,435 | Furness Shipbuilding Co, Haverton Hill-on-Tees | Sunk 6 January 1940 by mine | |
| British Light | 1917 | 6,470 |  | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Managed for the Shipping Controller. 1919 transferred to the Admiralty. 1937 removed from management and renamed Olwen. Sold 1949 and renamed Mushtari. Scrapped in 1960. |
| British Lord | 1922 | 6,098 |  | J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Scrapped in 1953. |
| British Loyalty | 1928 | 6,993 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese midget submarine in Diego-Suarez on 30 May 1942. Later refloated and repaired. [12] Sunk 9 March 1944 by torpedo from U-183, but salvaged as a hulk. Scrapped in 1946. | |
| British Major | 1913 | 4,147 | Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co, Newcastle | ex Roumanian Prince acquired 1918. Sold to Italy 1929 and renamed Riva Sicular. Scrapped in 1933. [13] | |
| British Maple | 1898 | 8,747 |  | CS Swan & Hunter, Wallsend | Built as Mount Royal, renamed Mapleleaf in 1916. Acquired 1919 & renamed British Maple in 1920. Hulked in 1933 and scrapped in 1935. |
| British Mariner | 1922 | 6,996 |  | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Severely damaged 20 October 1941 by torpedo from U-126, but salvaged and used as a hulk. 1947 sold, repaired and renamed Tex-Africa. Scrapped in 1951. |
| British Marquis | 1908 | 4,997 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ex PSSC Servian acquired 1917. [3] 1930 sold and renamed Conte di Misurata. Sunk by gunfire in 1941. | |
| British Marshall | 1912 | 4,158 | Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co, Newcastle | ex Russian Prince acquired 1918. Sold to Italy 1929 and renamed Tritone. Scrapped 1933. [13] | |
| British Merchant | 1922 | 6,994 |  | William Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1949. |
| British Merit | 1942 | 8,093 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Damaged 25 July 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-552, but survived. Scrapped in 1960. | |
| British Might | 1945 | 8,200 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Motorist | 1924 | 6,891 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 19 February 1942 by Japanese aircraft | |
| British Officer | 1922 | 6,990 |  | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 1 December 1940 by mine. |
| British Patience | 1943 | 8,097 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Peer | 1908 | 4,920 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | ex PSSC Carpathian acquired 1917. [3] Sold to Italy 1930 and renamed Tampico. Torpedoed 1941 and scuttled 1945. [14] | |
| British Petrol | 1925 | 6,906 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 14 June 1940 by the German auxiliary cruiser Widder | |
| British Pluck | 1928 | 1,025 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Transferred to Shell-Mex and BP and renamed Shelbrit 1 in 1936. Sank after hiiting a mine 19 Sep 1940 | |
| British Power | 1936 | 8,451 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1958. | |
| British Premier | 1922 | 5,872 |  | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 24 December 1940 by torpedo from U-65 |
| British Prestige | 1931 | 7,106 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1956. | |
| British Pride | 1931 | 7,106 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1955. | |
| British Princess | 1917 | 7,019 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | 1946 renamed British Veteran. Scrapped in 1949. | |
| British Progress | 1927 | 4,581 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped 4 November 1943 after being severely damaged by torpedo from a German E-Boat | |
| British Promise | 1942 | 8,443 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | Damaged 21 November 1942 by torpedo from U-518, but survived. Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Prudence | 1939 | 8,620 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Sunk 23 March 1942 by torpedo from U-754 | |
| British Purpose | 1943 | 5,845 | Furness Shipbuilding Co, Haverton Hill-on-Tees | Damaged 20 October 1943 by torpedo from U-532, but survived. 1959 sold and renamed Annella. Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Reliance | 1928 | 7,000 | Greenock Dockyard Co Ltd, Greenock | Sunk 2 April 1941 by torpedo from U-46 | |
| British Renown | 1928 | 6,997 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Damaged 21 November 1942 by torpedo from U-518, but survived. Scrapped in 1954. | |
| British Resolution | 1937 | 8,408 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Resource | 1931 | 7,209 | Greenock Dockyard Co Ltd, Greenock | Sunk 15 March 1942 by torpedo from U-124 | |
| British Respect | 1943 | 8,479 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Restraint | 1943 | 8,448 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Rose | 1916 | 6,572 | Sir Raylton Dixon & Co Ltd, Middlesbrough | Ordered as the Rona but taken over on the stocks and launched as RFA Califol. Transferred to the Shipping Controller and renamed Roseleaf. Purchased 1920. Sold 1930 and renamed Portofino. Bombed and sunk by RAF aircraft in 1942. | |
| British Sailor | 1918 | 5,576 |  | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Ex War Rajah purchased 1920. 1951 sold and renamed Viva. Scrapped in 1954. |
| British Science | 1931 | 7,138 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 18 April 1941 by torpedo from Italian aircraft | |
| British Scout | 1922 | 1,507 |  | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1957. |
| British Security | 1937 | 8,470 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Sunk 23 May 1941 by torpedo from U-566 | |
| British Sergeant | 1922 | 5,868 |  | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 9 April 1942 by Japanese aircraft |
| British Sincerity | 1939 | 8,533 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | Scrapped in 1958. | |
| British Soldier | 1918 | 5,564 |  | William Gray & Co Ltd, Hartlepool | Ex War Sikh, purchased 1919. Sold 1952 and renamed Marina. 1954 resold and renamed Romano. 1959 resold and renamed Menora. Scrapped in 1959. |
| British Sovereign | 1917 | 3,657 |  | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1951. |
| British Splendour | 1931 | 7,138 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 7 April 1942 by torpedo from U-552 | |
| British Star | 1918 | 6,888 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Managed for the Shipping Controller then transferred to the Admiralty in 1919. Removed from management in 1937 and renamed Olynthus. Sold to Itakl 1949 and renamed Pensilvania. Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Statesman | 1923 | 6,991 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Scrapped in 1963. | |
| British Strength | 1931 | 7,139 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | The last ship built by Palmers. [1] Sunk 15 March 1941 by German battleship Scharnhorst or Gneisenau | |
| British Tenacity | 1939 | 8,439 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Thrift | 1928 | 707 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Renamed Thriftie in 1935, then Shelbrit 2 in 1936. 1943 sold to Shell-Mex and BP and renamed Shell Loader. Sold 1961 and renamed Amphitrite. Scrapped 1984. [15] | |
| British Tommy | 1921 | 1,411 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1946. | |
| British Trader | 1921 | 4,204 |  | William Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow | Sold in 1953 and renamed Flisvos. 1954 resold and renamed Manco Capac. Scrapped in 1961. |
| British Tradition | 1942 | 8,443 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Triumph | 1936 | 8,402 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Sunk 13 February 1940 by mine | |
| British Trust | 1939 | 8,466 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Sunk 1 May 1943 by torpedo from German aircraft | |
| British Union | 1927 | 6,987 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 18 January 1941 by the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran | |
| British Unity | 1939 | 8,407 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Valour | 1927 | 6,952 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1954. | |
| British Venture | 1930 | 4,696 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Sunk 24 June 1943 by torpedo, from Japanese submarine I-27 | |
| British Vigilance | 1942 | 8,093 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Sunk 24 January 1943 by torpedo from U-105 | |
| British Vigour | 1943 | 5,844 | Furness Shipbuilding Co, Haverton Hill-on-Tees | The first vessel with a welded hull. [2] Sold in 1959 and renamed Thoronet. Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Vine | 1901 | 7,474 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Launched as the Patrician. In 1914 acquired by the Admiralty and converted to the dummy battleship HMS Invincible. In 1915 she was fitted with oil tanks and transferred to the RFA as the RFA Tarakol. Transferred to the Shipping Controller in 1917 and renamed Vineleaf. Purchased 1919. Sold in 1923 and renamed Busen. Scrapped in 1935. | |
| British Virtue | 1945 | 8,500 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1962 | |
| British Viscount | 1880 | 3,287 | Oswald, Mordaunt & Co, Southampton | Ex Rock Light acquired 1917. Sunk 23 February 1918 by torpedo from U-91 [3] | |
| British Viscount | 1921 | 6,895 |  | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 3 April 1941 by torpedo from U-73 |
| British Wisdom | 1945 | 8,130 | Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Workman | 1922 | 6,994 |  | Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | Sunk 3 May 1942 by torpedo from U-455 |
| British Yeoman | 1923 | 6,990 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 15 July 1942 by torpedo from U-201 | |
| British Zeal | 1937 | 8,532 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Damaged 31 December 1940 by torpedo from U-65, but survived. Sold 1958 and renamed Redwijs I. Scrapped in 1959 | |
| Empire Gem | 1941 | 8,139 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Operated for the MoWT. Torpedoed and sunk 24 January 1941 by U-66. [16] | |
| Empire Metal | 1942 | 8,201 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Operated for the MoWT. Sunk 2 January 1943 by air attack. [17] | |
| Eupion | 1914 | 3575 | Mackay Brothers Ltd., Alloa | Sunk 3 Oct 1918 by torpedo from UB-90 | |
| Ferrara | 1880 | 1,175 | Robert Steele & Company, Clydeside | Taken over from parent company in 1915. Sold to India 1923 and gutted by fire later the same year. [18] | |
| Josefina Thorden | 1932 | 6,620 | Eriksberg Mekaniske Verkstad A/B, Gothenburg | Operated for the MoWT 1941. Mined and sunk 6 Apr 1943. [19] | |
| Kura | 1889 | 2,391 | Armstrong & Mitchell Co. Ltd, Newcastle | Purchased 1918, sold 1924 to Italy and renamed Persiano. Sunk by torpedo from HMS Tetrarch in 1941 [20] | |
| Kerman | 1907 | 4,397 | Flensburger Schiffsbouw Ges., Flensburg | Ex Furth. A second freighter acquired in 1915 after capture by the Royal Navy to carry cased oil. 1920 sold and renamed Sultania. Scrapped in 1933. | |
| Khuzistan | 1924 | 871 | Amble Shipbuilding Company Ltd., Amble | Freighter adapted to carry cased oil. Sold 1953 and renamed Effigyny. Scrapped in 1959. | |
| Melpomene | 1923 | 7,011 | Ateliers & Chantiers De La Gironde, Bordeaux | Operated for the MoWT. Sunk 5 March 1942 by torpedo from the Italian submarine Giuseppe Finzi. [21] | |
| Mexican Prince | 1893 | 3028 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Acquired 1918. Sold 1919 and renamed Southern Isles. Resold 1930 and renamed Silva Porto. Scrapped in 1937. [22] | |
| Oltania II | 1928 | 6,394 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | Operated for the MoWT. Sunk 8 January 1943 by torpedo from U-436. [23] | |
| Rion | 1889 | 2,186 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Purchased 1918, sold 1924 and renamed Italiano. Resold 1925 and renamed Federico Garolla, sank after an explosion at sea in 1930 [24] | |
| Saint Patrice | Acquired and disposed of in 1922. | ||||
| Suram | 1893 | 2,186 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Purchased 1918, sold and renamed Bithnia 1920, scrapped in 1931. | |
| Scandinavia | 1905 | 456 | N. V. Werf V. Rijkee & Company, Rotterdam | Schooner, the only sailing vessel in the BTC fleet. Acquired 1917. Scrapped in 1923 after being wrecked at Portland [2] | |
| Taraqqi | 1930 | 388 | G. Brown & Company, Greenock | Coaster adapted to carry cased oil. Sold in 1955. Resold in 1967 and again in 1973 and renamed Tara Q. Deleted from Lloyd's Register in 1998. | |
| War Nawab | 1919 | 5,586 |  | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Operated for the Shipping Controller. Transferred to Admiralty in 1921, then to RFA in 1936, scrapped 1958. [25] |
| War Nizam | 1918 | 5,605 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Operated for the Shipping Controller. Transferred to Admiralty in 1921, then to RFA in 1937, scrapped 1949. [26] | |
| War Sudra | 1920 | 5,599 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Operated for the Shipping Controller. Transferred to Admiralty in 1921. Sold 1948, renamed Germaine in 1951, scrapped 1954. [27] |
| Ship | Built | GRT | Photo | Built by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beecher Island | 1944 | 10,668 | Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company | T2 tanker purchased 1947, scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Admiral | 1947 | 8,378 | Furness Shipbuilding Company, Haverton Hill on Tees | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Adventure | 1951 | 18,573 | Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness | The first "Supertanker". Sold 1973 and renamed Vrahos. Scrapped 1975. | |
| British Advocate | 1948 | 8,573 | Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Ardour | 1949 | 8,616 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Baron | 1947 | 8,556 | Cammell Laird & Co., Birkenhead | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Birch | 1951 | 8,688 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Builder | 1951 | 8,699 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1963. | |
| British Bulldog | 1951 | 18,593 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Captain | 1949 | 8,700 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Caution | 1945 | 8,552 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Chancellor | 1954 | 11,356 | Blythswood Shipbuilding Company Ltd., Glasgow | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1961 and renamed Clyde Chancellor. In 1964 reverted to BP Tanker Company and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Chivalry | 1949 | 11,217 | Blythswood Shipbuilding Company Ltd., Glasgow | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed Clyde Chivalry. In 1963 reverted to BP Tanker Company and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Commander | 1950 | 8,655 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Commerce | 1946 | 6,092 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Consul | 1950 | 8,655 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Scrapped in 1963. | |
| British Corporal | 1954 | 10,071 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1957 and renamed Clyde Corporal. In 1964 reverted to BP Tanker Company and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Councillor | 1948 | 8,573 | Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1967. | |
| British Craftsman | 1951 | 8,697 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Crown | 1952 | 18,570 | Cammell Laird & Co., Birkenhead | Scrapped in 1966 after an explosion and fire. | |
| British Crusader | 1954 | 11,346 | Cammell Laird & Co., Birkenhead | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1957 and renamed Clyde Crusader. In 1964 reverted to BP Tanker Company and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Defender | 1950 | 6,138 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Sold 1965 and renamed El Flamingo. 1969 rebuilt as a suction dredger. Scrapped in 1982. | |
| British Diplomat | 1950 | 6,155 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Duke | 1948 | 8,562 | Cammell Laird & Co., Birkenhead | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Earl | 1946 | 8,745 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Hit a mine off Denmark in 1947 which required major repairs. [28] Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Empress | 1947 | 8,745 | Furness Shipbuilding Company, Haverton Hill on Tees | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Endeavour | 1949 | 8,589 | R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Ltd., Hebburn | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Engineer | 1954 | 21,077 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 1972 sold and renamed Petrola V. Scrapped in 1976. | |
| British Ensign | 1947 | 8,738 | Furness Shipbuilding Company, Haverton Hill on Tees | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Enterprise | 1946 | 6,095 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Envoy | 1953 | 11,349 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed Clyde Envoy. In 1963 reverted to BP Tanker Company and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1970. | |
| British Escort | 1943 | 8,908 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Laid down as British Virtue but taken over by the MoWT and launched as the merchant aircraft carrier Empire MacCabe. Purchased and renamed in 1946. [2] Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Explorer | 1950 | 8,644 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed Clyde Explorer. Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Fame | 1949 | 11,203 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1971. | |
| British Fern | 1947 | 8,582 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Flag | 1953 | 11,327 | R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Ltd., Hebburn | Scrapped in 1971. | |
| British Fortune | 1949 | 6,108 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Freedom | 1950 | 11,207 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British General | 1950 | 8,775 | Furness Shipbuilding Company, Haverton Hill on Tees | Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Guardian | 1953 | 11,359 | Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed Clyde Guardian. In 1963 reverted to BP Tanker Company and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Guide | 1951 | 8,778 | Furness Shipbuilding Company, Haverton Hill on Tees | Scrapped in 1963 after being in collision with Ocean Enterprise. | |
| British Gunner | 1954 | 10,076 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1961 and renamed Clyde Gunner. In 1964 reverted to BP Tanker Company and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Hero | 1954 | 11,358 | Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Holly | 1946 | 8,582 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Isles | 1947 | 8,738 | Furness Shipbuilding Company, Haverton Hill on Tees | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Knight | 1946 | 8,629 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Lady | 1951 | 6,140 | Smiths Dock Company Ltd., Middlesbrough | Scrapped in 1963. | |
| British Liberty | 1949 | 8,589 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Loyalty | 1949 | 8,592 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1967. | |
| British Major | 1946 | 8,564 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Maple | 1951 | 8,686 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1965. | |
| British Mariner | 1948 | 8,576 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Scrapped in 1962 after colliding with and sinking the Palmyra off Ushant. [29] | |
| British Marquis | 1946 | 8,563 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Marshall | 1946 | 8,582 | Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Merchant | 1954 | 21,064 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | 1973 sold and renamed Petrola VII. 1976 resold and renamed Petrola 7. Scrapped in 1978. | |
| British Navigator | 1951 | 6,135 | J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Oak | 1953 | 11,307 | Smiths Dock Company Ltd., Middlesbrough | Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Officer | 1954 | 11,362 | William Hamilton and Company, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1973. | |
| British Patriot | 1950 | 8,661 | Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1963. | |
| British Patrol | 1954 | 11,380 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | 1973 sold and renamed Maripatrol. 1980 resold and renamed Nona Maro. Suffered a fire and explosion at Flushing in 1980. [30] Scrapped in 1981 | |
| British Peer | 1950 | 8,661 | Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1963. | |
| British Pilot | 1943 | 9,133 |  | Laird, Son & Co., Birkenhead | Laid down as British Caution but taken over by the MoWT and launched as the merchant aircraft carrier Empire MacColl. Purchased and renamed in 1946. [2] Scrapped in 1962 |
| British Pioneer | 1951 | 8,651 | Blythswood Shipbuilding Company, Glasgow | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed Clyde Pioneer. Scrapped in 1965. | |
| British Piper | 1945 | 8,238 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Laid down as Empire Grenada but completed for BTC in 1946. Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Pluck | 1945 | 930 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Ex Empire Tesella. Managed for MoWT. Purchased 1951 and scrapped in 1954. | |
| British Premier | 1951 | 8,661 | Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow | Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Princess | 1946 | 8,582 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | The ship was launched by Elizabeth II. [31] Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Progress | 1948 | 8,577 | Blythswood Shipbuilding Company, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1963. | |
| British Prospector | 1950 | 8,655 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed Clyde Prospector. Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Prudence | 1949 | 8,577 | Blythswood Shipbuilding Company, Glasgow | Scrapped in 1966. | |
| British Ranger | 1948 | 8,575 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1957 and renamed Clyde Ranger. Scrapped in 1963. | |
| British Realm | 1952 | 18,571 | Fairfield Company Ltd., Glasgow | Scrapped in 1970. | |
| British Reliance | 1950 | 11,201 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 1973 sold and renamed Bangor Bay. 1974 resold and renamed Ocean Princess. Scrapped in 1975. | |
| British Resource | 1949 | 11,200 | R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Ltd., Hebburn | Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Rover | 1951 | 6,137 | J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 1961 sold and renamed Makeni Palm . 1967 resold and renamed Kerkennah. 1971 renamed Palau. Scrapped in 1976. | |
| British Rose | 1946 | 6,101 | J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Sailor | 1953 | 20.961 | John Brown & Company, Clydebank | 1972 sold and renamed Marisira. 1974 resold and renamed Fagr. Scrapped in 1980. | |
| British Scientist | 1948 | 8,545 | Cammell Laird & Co., Birkenhead | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1957 and renamed Clyde Scientist. Scrapped in 1963. | |
| British Seafarer | 1951 | 11,220 | R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Ltd., Hebburn | Scrapped in 1973. | |
| British Sergeant | 1954 | 10,073 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1960 and renamed Clyde Sergeant. In 1963 reverted to BP Tanker Company and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Security | 1948 | 8,583 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Sold 1966 and renamed Mana. Resold 1967 and renamed Ypatia. Wrecked off Mozambique in 1968 and scrapped in 1969. [32] | |
| British Skill | 1952 | 18,550 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Soldier | 1954 | 21,082 | John Brown & Company, Clydebank | 1972 Sold and renamed Maribruna. Scrapped in 1976. | |
| British Sovereign | 1954 | 21,138 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd., Barrow in Furness | 1972 sold and renamed Petrola VI. 1976 renamed Petrola 6. Scrapped in 1977. | |
| British Splendour | 1950 | 11,233 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Sportsman | 1951 | 11,231 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Strength | 1948 | 8,580 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Scrapped in 1966. | |
| British Success | 1945 | 8,215 | Blythswood Shipbuilding Company Ltd., Glasgow | Laid up 1957. Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Supremacy | 1945 | 8,242 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | The first of the post-war ships. Scrapped 1962. | |
| British Surveyor | 1950 | 8,655 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1961 and renamed Clyde Surveyor. Scrapped in 1964. | |
| British Swordfish | 1943 | 8,908 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | Laid down as British Wisdom but taken over by the MoWT and launched as the merchant aircraft carrier Empire MacKay. Purchased and renamed in 1946. [2] Scrapped in 1959. | |
| British Talent | 1952 | 18,593 | R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Ltd., Hebburn | Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Triumph | 1949 | 8,640 | Cammell Laird & Co., Birkenhead | Scrapped in 1956. | |
| British Trust | 1950 | 8,640 | Cammell Laird & Co., Birkenhead | Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1957 and renamed Clyde Inventor. Scrapped in 1963. | |
| British Union | 1950 | 8,663 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1962. | |
| British Venture | 1948 | 6,119 | J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1961. | |
| British Victory | 1955 | 21,153 | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd., Barrow in Furness | 1973 sold and renamed Marivic. Scrapped in 1977. | |
| British Viscount | 1951 | 8,664 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Scrapped in 1965. | |
| British Vision | 1954 | 11,349 | J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | Scrapped in 1972. | |
| British Warrior | 1951 | 6,143 | J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 1961 sold and renamed Anne. 1964 resold and renamed LSCO Pandacan. scrapped in 1977. | |
| British Workman | 1949 | 8,575 | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Glasgow | In 1960 collided with and sank the Mongabara in fog off the German coast. Scrapped in 1967. [33] | |
| British Yeoman | 1949 | 8,741 | Furness Shipbuilding Company, Haverton Hill on Tees | Scrapped in 1963. | |
| Chisholm Trail | 1944 | 10,660 | Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company | T2 tanker purchased 1947, sold 1955 and renamed Montsoreau. Scrapped after collision in 1961. | |
| Cottonwood Creek | 1944 | 10,647 | Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company | T2 tanker purchased 1947, sold 1955 and renamed Brissac. Sold 1959 and renamed Bulk Mariner but reverted to original name in 1960. Sold 1965, wrecked and abandoned 1970. | |
| El Morro | 1944 | 10,673 | Kaiser Company | T2 tanker purchased 1947, scrapped in 1959. | |
| Fort Frederika | 1944 | 10,672 | Kaiser Company | T2 tanker purchased 1947, scrapped in 1959. | |
| Fort Stevens | 1944 | 10,639 | Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company | T2 tanker purchased 1947, scrapped in 1959. | |
| Iran | 1943 | 798 | Grangemouth Dockyard Company Ltd., Grangemouth | Ex Empire Settler purchased 1947. Renamed Widad in 1958. Sold in 1962 and renamed Motol VII. Scrapped in 1968. | |
| Mesa Verde | 1944 | 10,660 | Kaiser Company | T2 tanker purchased 1947, sold 1955 and renamed Villandry. Scrapped in 1961. | |
| Pazan | 1942 | 438 | Greifenwerft G.m.b.H., Stettin | Ex Luftwaffe August. Acquired by AIOC in 1948, renamed Angliran 20 and transferred to PSSC. Transferred to BTC in 1949. Sold in 1956 and renamed Southern Pioneer. Scrapped after an explosion and fire at Mombasa in 1964. | |
| Red Bank | 1944 | 10,639 | Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company | T2 tanker purchased 1947, sold 1959 and renamed Bank. Scrapped in 1960. | |
| Rogue River | 1944 | 10,647 | Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company | T2 tanker purchased 1947, sold 1959 and renamed Hunsfors. Renamed Apache in 1960. Sold 1968 and renamed Pacmerchant. Scrapped in 1977. | |
| Smoky Hill | 1944 | 10,448 | Kaiser Company | T2 tanker purchased 1947, sold 1957. Scrapped in 1967. | |
A number of second-hand ships weren't integrated into the main fleet but were operated by subsidiary companies, often a single ship per company. These vessels were not renamed into the British sequence. [3] The principal subsidiary companies were The Petroleum Steam Ship Company, The Lowland Tanker Company and the jointly owned Shell-Mex and BP company.
The first house flag consisted of the black letters BTC set in a white circle on a white horizontal band, the white bordered with black, all set against a red background.
In 1926/7 the flag was changed to include the Persian colours. This new house flag consisted of the red Cross of Saint George on a white background, with a large green lozenge imposed over the centre of the cross, the lozenge containing a golden lion 'passant guardant'; the lion being a symbol of Persia. This remained until 1954, when a red lion 'rampant' replaced the golden lion.
Tidewater Oil Company was a major petroleum refining company during the early 20th century. Tidewater was sold many times during its existence. Brands included Tydol, Flying A, and Veedol.
The Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC) was a British company founded in 1909 following the discovery of a large oil field in Masjed Soleiman, Persia (Iran). The British government purchased 51% of the company in 1914, gaining a controlling number of shares, effectively nationalizing the company. It was the first company to extract petroleum from Iran. In 1935 APOC was renamed the "Anglo-Iranian Oil Company" (AIOC) when Reza Shah formally asked foreign countries to refer to Persia by its endonym Iran.
The Abadan Crisis occurred from 1951 to 1954, after Iran nationalised the Iranian assets of the BP controlled Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC) and expelled Western companies from oil refineries in the city of Abadan.
The Silver Line was a shipping company formed in 1908, part of the British Merchant Navy. By the 1930s they were offering round the world passenger/cargo services, with the passenger fare on a freighter being £100. Entirely on foreign service, the ships did not include UK ports of call. Managing owners were the S & J Thompson family. Most of their merchant ships bore the name Silver followed by the name of a tree. The Second World War claimed 11 of their ships. One of them, the Silverfir, was sunk by the German battleship Scharnhorst on a voyage from Manchester to New York in 1941. Silver Line switched to tramping around the world in the 1950s, then went through several ownership changes, and by 1985, with the sale of their last ship, was no more.
SS British Chivalry was a British oil tanker sunk by a Japanese submarine in the Indian Ocean in 1944.
Cory is a recycling and waste management company based in London. Originally founded as William Cory & Son in 1896, the company has operated vessels on the River Thames for more than 125 years, transporting a range of commodities and materials including coal, oil, aggregates and waste. Ships from Cory's fleet supported Britain's war efforts in both world wars, with 30 ships being lost during the conflicts. From the 1980s onwards, the business has become increasingly focused on waste management.
MISC Group was incorporated in 1968 as Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Berhad and is the leading international shipping line of Malaysia. In September 2005, Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Berhad adopted its present corporate identity and changed its name to MISC Berhad. Its main shareholder is Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas), the national oil conglomerate of Malaysia. With over 50 years of experience, MISC's principal businesses include energy shipping, offshore floating solutions, marine repair and conversion, integrated marine services, port management and maritime services, and maritime education and training. Fleet consists of more than 100 owned and in-chartered vessels with a combined deadweight tonnage capacity of over 13 million tonnes. MISC Group is a proud constituent of the DJSI Emerging Markets Index and FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index, a testament to our strong sustainability performance and ESG practices.
Silvanus was a steam tanker built in 1920–1921 by the Southwestern Shipbuilding & Drydock Company of San Pedro for the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company with the intention of transporting oil and petroleum products between Dutch East Indies and various destinations in Europe and the Far East. The tanker was employed in this capacity through the first part of 1926. In April 1926 Silvanus collided with the tanker Thomas H. Wheeler in the Mississippi River, resulting in the explosion and death of 26 seamen. Silvanus was declared a total loss and sold at auction to the newly formed Petroleum Navigation Company of Texas. The tanker was rebuilt and renamed Papoose and started operating in March 1927. In March 1942, she was attacked by German U-boat U-124 off the coast of North Carolina. The ship drifted for several days and eventually sank in 200 feet (61 m) of water off Oregon Inlet.
A heavy-lift ship is a vessel designed to move very large loads that cannot be handled by normal ships. They are of two types:
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries. Product tankers, generally much smaller, are designed to move refined products from refineries to points near consuming markets.
The history of the oil tanker is part of the evolution of the technology of oil transportation alongside the oil industry.
BP Shipping is the maritime arm of British headquartered global oil company, BP. The unit covers the marine transport, logistics and insurance requirements of all BP's global activities.
The SS Desabla was built by Hawthorn Leslie & Co. Ltd at Newcastle upon Tyne in 1913 for Bank Line, Glasgow. She was the first oil tanker to join the Bank Line fleet and was chartered and operated for approximately one year by General Petroleum Company along the Pacific coast of the United States, Chile and Canada. In 1914 she was re-chartered to the British Government to transport oil from Texas to the United Kingdom. In 1915 she was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-17 off the coast of Scotland.
SS San Wilfrido was a 6,458 GRT steam-powered British tanker that was launched in February 1914 and sunk by a German mine less than six months later. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd built her on the River Tyne for the Eagle Oil Transport Co Ltd.
Hong Lam Marine is a ship owning company, and an operator of petroleum products and chemical tankers, based in Singapore. The company operates a fleet of 35 tankers, totaling a tonnage of 290 605 Deadweight-Tonnage (DWT). Hong Lam Marine has tankers operating within the ports of Singapore, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Australia and in international waters. The tankers are purpose-built and its business activities are mainly in the chartering and ship management of these vessels. The tankers are used for bunkering marine fuels, transportation of jet fuel, supplying marine lubricants in bulk, drums and packs, and transportation of petroleum products and chemicals.
National Bulk Carriers was a shipping company which owned and operated oil tanker ships and bulk carriers. Some of them were among the largest in the world at that time. It was one of the largest multinational corporations in the world.
Kuroshio Maru was a tanker that was built in 1938 for Japanese owners. She was chartered by the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army during World War II: the ship was sunk in January 1945 at Takao, Formosa by American aircraft. Salvaged in 1946, she was allocated as a war prize to China and renamed Yung Hao, but was forced to remain at Hong Kong by the British. She was requisitioned by the Admiralty during the Korean War and allocated to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. She was to have been named RFA Surf Pilot but due to her poor condition she did not serve in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. She served as Surf Pilot, a tender to HMS Terror until 1958 and was subsequently scuttled off Pulau Aur, Malaya in 1960.
The Lowland Tanker Company was a British shipping company operating a small fleet of oil tankers on time-charter to BP.
Sieling & Jarvis Inc. was a shipping company that operated tanker ships and some cargo ships. Sieling & Jarvis was started by David B. Jarvis and Dick Sieling in New York City. Later David B. Jarvis was the company president and later became the sole owner of Sieling & Jarvis Inc. Mr. Sieling was the vice president and a partner in Sieling & Jarvis. Sieling & Jarvis supported the World War II effort by operating United States owned ships.
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