OCEAN GOING TANKERS THAT CALLED ON ARUBA

 

The Esso Aruba was built in 1931 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Ltd, in Wallsent, England for  Pan American Petroleum & Transport Co.

A single screw vessel of 15,145 deadweight tons capacity on international summer draft of 28 feet 8-7/8 inches and an overall length of 500 feet 7 inches and a breadth of 65 feet 3 inches.  The cargo capacity was 107,569 barrels and she had a pumping rate of 4000 barrels per hour.

Her single triple expansion engine, equipped with exhaust turbine and supplied with steam by three Scotch boilers, developed 5,800 indicated horsepower and gave her a certified speed of 11.1 knots.

Ships of the Esso Fleet in World War II.

ABOVE, A PAINTING OF THE ESSO ARUBA, SHE WAS BUILT IN THE 1931.  ON THIS SHIP THE BRIDGE IS ENCLOSED IN WOOD, DARK COLOR ATOP THE MID-SHIP SECTION, THERE WAS ALSO A STEERING STATION IN THE OPEN, ON TOP OF THE BRIDGE. 
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ESSO ARUBA VISIT  Auke Visser's WEB PAGE AT, CLICK ON LINK BELOW:

http://visseraa.topcities.com/Inter/id131.htm

 

The Esso Bayonne was built in 1937 by the Federal Shipbuilders and Dry Dock Company of Kearny, New Jersey.

A single-screw vessel of 13,075 deadweight tons on a summer draft of 28 feet.  She had an overall length of 450 feet, a breath of 60 feet with a cargo capacity of 105,415 Barrels and a pumping rate of 6,000 barrels an hour.

Her turbine engine, supplied with steam by two water-tube boilers developed 3,300 shaft horsepower with a certified speed of 12.7 knots.

THE ESSO BAYONNE, RUNNING EMPTY, NOTE THE PROPELLER IS PARTLY OUT OF THE WATER.  THE MID-SHIP SECTION OF THE TANKER HOUSED THE OFFICERS, (EXCEPT THE ENGINEERING OFFICERS), AND THE TOP OF THE MID-SHIP SECTION WAS THE BRIDGE WHERE THE SHIP WAS PILOTED.   THE AFT SECTION HOUSED HE CREW AND ENGINEERING OFFICERS.  THE ENGINE ROOM WAS DIRECTLY BELOW IN THE AFT OF THE SHIP.  THE GALLEY (KITCHEN) WAS ALSO LOCATED IN THE AFT SECTION, HOWEVER FOOD WAS TAKEN MID-SHIP AND SERVED TO THE OFFICERS IN THEIR DINNING ROOM MID-SHIP.  THE ENGINEERING OFFICERS JOINED THE OTHER OFFICERS MID-SHIP FOR MEALS.  THE CREW ATE THEIR MEALS IN THE AFT DINNING ROOM.
ABOVE, THE ESSO BAYONNE FROM: SHIPS OF THE ESSO FLEET IN WORLD WAR II.

 

After the Lago refinery was purchased by Standard Oil of New Jersey a number of Esso tankers were assigned to run between New Jersey and Aruba to carry fuel to the United States and needed commodities to Aruba.  These ships were: Esso Raleigh;  Esso New Orleans;  Esso Aruba;  Esso Bolivar;  F.W. Bedford, Jr. and the Peter Hurll.

Two of these ships, the Esso Raleigh and the Esso New Orleans were originally designed and built to serve as Aruba supply ships.  These two were built with two refrigerator boxes, under the amidships house, with a combined capacity of 36 tons of frozen meats and produce.  The ships were also fitted with additional winches to handle the unloading of cargo stowed in the forward hold and on deck. 

Ships of the Esso Fleet in World War II

Also tank space was set aside and these tanks were cement washed to carry fresh water. The other tankers making the Aruba run were not built as supply ships, but they were converted. Most of the tankers carried around 4,100 tons of fresh water. Commissary store items carried by these tankers ranged from egg-slicer parts to surgical instruments and from brass fittings to glass towers. A general cargo for the Esso Raleigh was usually about 200 tons. A typical list of stores, materials, and provisions for Aruba ran to the ten double-spaced manifest pages and totaled more than 200 different lots.  In addition to the commissary cargo, each ship carried on deck 300 drums of Anti-Knock Compound for use at the refinery.
 

THE PHOTO ABOVE SHOWS A T2 TANKER, ALSO A ESSO TANKER,  THAT IS FULLY LOADED, GETTING UNDERWAY OUT OF SAN NICHOLAS HARBOR, NOTE THE TUG BOAT AT THE BOW, ASSISTING IN THE DEPARTURE.  THIS TANKER IS OF THE SAME CLASS AS THE ESSO BAYONNE.  I AM UNABLE TO MAKE OUT THE NAME EVEN BY EXPANDING THE SIZE OF THE PHOTO.

 

 

NOTICE THE TANKER (CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPH, BEHIND THE SHIP ON THE LEFT) LEAVING SAN NICHOLAS HARBOR, THIS TANKER IS ALSO LOADED AND NOTICE THE AMOUNT OF FREE BOARD THERE IS FROM THE DECK TO THE WATER.

ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND HOW LOW IN THE WATER A FULLY LOADED TANKER RIDES IT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE DECK CAN BECOME AWASH EVEN IN A MODERATE SEA. SEE THE PHOTOS BELOW.
 

 

 

NEWER CLASS OF TANKER FROM THE 1950's, NOTE THERE IS NO MID-SHIP SECTION ON THIS NEWER CLASS OF TANKER, ALL ACCOMMODATIONS ARE CONCENTRATED IN THE AFT OF THE SHIP, INCLUDING THE BRIDGE.  ALSO NOTICE THE BOW, NOT QUITE A FULL BULBOUS BOW BUT A BEGINNING.

 

ESSO LINCOLN
A photo of Esso Lincoln arriving on her maiden voyage to Aruba. Launched in
the 60īs in the UK.  The launch was attended by the then Mayor of Lincoln, Bill Herbert, a work colleague of mine
at the time.  Bryan McCall
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