MV Seminole

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History
Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
NameSeminole
Namesake Seminole
Owner Anglo-American Oil Co Ltd
OperatorJ Hamilton
Port of registryBarrow
Builder Vickers, Barrow
Launched11 December 1920
CompletedMay 1921
Identification
Fateran aground & scrapped
General characteristics
Tonnage
  • 6,933  GRT
  • tonnage under deck 6,194
  • 4,881  NRT
  • 10,500  DWT
Length424.5 ft (129.4 m)
Beam57.0 ft (17.4 m)
Draught26 ft 4 in (8.0 m)
Depth33.2 ft (10.1 m)
Installed power698 NHP
Propulsion Diesel engines, twin screw
Notes sister ship: Narragansett

MV Seminole was a UK motor tanker. She was built in 1921 and ran aground in the River Mersey in 1927, causing an emergency in Liverpool when part of her cargo of petrol escaped into the river. She was scrapped in 1936.

Contents

Building

Vickers Limited built Seminole in Barrow-in-Furness for the Anglo-American Oil Co Ltd, completing her in May 1921. She was 424.5 ft (129.4 m) long, had a beam of 57.0 ft (17.4 m) and draught of 26 ft 4 in (8.0 m). She was assessed as 6,933  GRT and 4,881  NRT. She had twin four-stroke diesel engines which between them developed 698 NHP and drove her twin screws. [1]

Seminole was the sister ship to MV Narragansett, which Vickers had completed in May 1920. [2]

Grounding

On 13 December 1927 Seminole was heading up the Mersey laden with 10,000 tons of petrol to be discharged at the oil jetty at Dingle, Liverpool when she ran aground on Pluckington Bank near Brunswick Dock. At low tide some of the steel plates of her hull parted and at least 2,000 tons of her cargo escaped into the river, creating a risk of explosion and fire. [3]

For several days the Port of Liverpool and River Mersey were in a state of emergency. Liverpool City Police sent all available officers to the landing stage to stop people from smoking. Notices were put on Mersey ferries warning people not to strike matches. In case of possible fire, Liverpool Fire Brigade laid out thousands of yards of hose and fire extinguishers were placed in readiness along seven miles of quays in the port. [3]

Anchor Line's 16,792  GRT liner California was at a nearby landing stage with 1,200 troops aboard her. She was moved out of the danger area. [3]

A 6-inch (150 mm) pipe was connected from Seminole to a tanker in Brunswick Dock. What cargo remained in the damaged tanker was transferred to the other vessel. [3]

Fate

In March 1936 Seminole was sold for scrap. [3]

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References

  1. ↑ "SEL–SEM". Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  2. ↑ "NAR–NAS". Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Visser, Auke. "Ocean tankers of the 1920s". Auke Visser´s Esso UK Tanker's site. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
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