British Respect

[Fairfield]

A shot taken on board at the Finnart Oil Terminal on Loch Long in 1974. She was one of BPs biggest at the time,about 270000dwt.and was laid up there for a while.
The second shot was taken some 12 years later and shows her off Gourock preparing to enter Loch Long on a return visit to Finnart

[Stevenson_Grangemouth]

A very very long shot, but if anyone remembers a Robin/Robert Stevenson, an engineer of type, be it sixer, chief or any inbetween, I'd love to hear from you. I'm his grandson, and although he has no interest in learning how to use the internet, some of the tales he has told are fascinating, I'd love to hear some more about his time with BP. I'm certain I've heard the name British Respect, and another that stands out in my memory is the fortitude?

Thanks very much for reading this, If you do remember or know anything about him then I look forward to hearing from you.

Alex Stevenson

[gadgee]

Moved from tanker to BP Shipping thread

[HENNEGANOL]

I remember a Robin Stevenson From Grangemouth who was an Engineer Superintendent, who I met on a number of occasions. If it is the same person he has a brother, "Sandy" who I sailed with on the British Robin. He was 3/E and I was his J/E.

I remember a Saturday night out in Grangemouth with Sandy and and his sisters. I had obviously had a few as I remember getting back on board into my cabin, when the ship suddenly rolled over onto her beam ends. In reality I had actually fallen back against the cabin door! It was certainly a night to remember.

If you go to the Chritos Betos thread under BP Shipping you will find photos of Robin Stevenson.

Best regards.

Gerry Taylor.

[tillo]

Sorry 'Fairfield' but you are adrift with your dates...
I joined Respect on handover from the dockyard in 'Sakied' (Sorry again...spelling) We sailed 8the September 1974 for the gulf then Rotterdam if memory serves,
Another cape run after that, I ended up paying off in Lavera at the end of January 1975,
We never went near Lock Long or Finnart that year, Sorry.

[Hoppy]

Sorry 'Fairfield' but you are adrift with your dates...
I joined Respect on handover from the dockyard in 'Sakied' (Sorry again...spelling) We sailed 8the September 1974 for the gulf then Rotterdam if memory serves,
Another cape run after that, I ended up paying off in Lavera at the end of January 1975,
We never went near Lock Long or Finnart that year, Sorry.

Hi, took a drive in 1973 from flat in Glasgow ( Apprentice days) to Finnart .. summer I think.. she was laid up then . Sailed on her in 1977 ..Spithead and the gulf

Paul

[Gordon L Smeaton]

She first laid up in Finart end of May 1975, I joined her in her first discharge port from builders Lavera, left in Europort and she was bound Finart for layup

[BillH]

Difficult I think in 1973 as she was yet to be built?

BRITISH RESPECT (2) Very large crude carrier (VLCC)
O.N. 363417. 136,601g. 112,534n. 277,746d. 336.03(BB) x 55.28 x 21.210 metres.
Two, steam turbines made by the shipbuilder, double reduction geared to screw shaft. 36,000 S.H.P.
29.4.1974: Launched by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Sakaide (Yard No. 1204), for Scalesdrene Ltd., London.
9.1974: Completed, B.P. Tanker Company Ltd., appointed as managers.
1981: Managers restyled as B.P. Shipping Ltd.
At 10:30hrs. GMT 22.12.1987: Whilst lying at Larak Island was bombed and set ablaze by Iraqi aircraft. Fire extinguished and vessel proceeded to Dubai for repairs.
4.2.1988: Returned to service.
1986: Transferred to Gibraltar registry.
1990: Transferred to B.P. Shipping Ltd., Bahamian registry.
1992: Sold to Delos Maritime Corp, Greece, and renamed DELOS.
1998: Owners restyled as E. N. E. Delos Ltd., (Aeolos Management S. A., managers), Greece.
10.10.1999: Arrived at Chittagong for demolition.

[sparks69]

I always wondered if anybody developed Asbestosis after sailing on the Respect. I reported it when it was "discovered" whilst laying a cable from the bridge to the steering flat for a trial of Decca Arkas adaptive steering system.
All hell broke loose in London office and we eventually had some laggers down in I of G to paint over the bits I disturbed.

[gdynia]

I did 9 months on her just got off before she was hit in the Gulf war

[twogrumpy]

I always wondered if anybody developed Asbestosis after sailing on the Respect. I reported it when it was "discovered" whilst laying a cable from the bridge to the steering flat for a trial of Decca Arkas adaptive steering system.
All hell broke loose in London office and we eventually had some laggers down in I of G to paint over the bits I disturbed.

Interesting one that, running a cable up from the alternator flat to the control room on an R boat, found a stuffing box filled with blue asbestos stuff, allegedly one of the more iffy ones.
Having been showered with the material over the years, along with all the other engineers saw little point in making any fuss over it.
"All hell broke loose", why, they must have been fullly aware that most of their ships were rotten with it.
(Cloud)

[sparks69]

Interesting one that, running a cable up from the alternator flat to the control room on an R boat, found a stuffing box filled with blue asbestos stuff, allegedly one of the more iffy ones.
Having been showered with the material over the years, along with all the other engineers saw little point in making any fuss over it.
"All hell broke loose", why, they must have been fullly aware that most of their ships were rotten with it.
(Cloud)
I think they knew alright, but we were being visited by three blokes from BASEFA (?) wanting to look at a big tanker ! He and his two companions walked into the gyro room, saw the blue/grey lumps on the deck and told me in no uncertain terms that it looked very like blue asbestos. They went back to the old man's cabin told him and made their apologies and left. It then got official !

[Bernadette Matthews]

Hello
I am doing some research for a Dutch magazine, who are writing a article on the ship ' British Respect'. They are asking if anybody has any stories about her, that they could include in the article.

There is no payment.
If anybody has any stories they would like to share, would you get in touch with me: bernadettematthews71@gmail. com

Many thanks

[Treborvfr]

I always wondered if anybody developed Asbestosis after sailing on the Respect. I reported it when it was "discovered" whilst laying a cable from the bridge to the steering flat for a trial of Decca Arkas adaptive steering system.
All hell broke loose in London office and we eventually had some laggers down in I of G to paint over the bits I disturbed.

I installed these cables on at least one BP ship I was on. I'm fairly sure it was the Reliance between 28/01/80 and 16/05/80 where I encountered the same blue stuff, I reported it to the C/E who contacted Britannic House who confirmed it wasn't Blue asbestos. I subsequently got covered in the stuff so I hope it wasn't!

I thought I'd also installed the same cables on the Respect whilst she was at anchor in Lyme Bay (I joined her there on 02/08/80), but it may be my memory playing up. I know I was on the Respect when the vendors came to install/complete the installation of the Adaptive Steering System in Finnart where I left the ship on 13/11/80.

That was a very interesting trip on the Respect, sat at anchor in Lyme Bay for 6 weeks then sailed up to Finnart where she sat along side for about 5 months, I only had to do watches for the two/three day trip north!

The previous trip on the Reliance wasn't much different, 4 or 5 weeks running between Hound Point and Wilhelmshaven then she was contracted to be a storage tank in Europoort for 6+ months, so that was 3.5 mnths of not having to do watches. 1980 was a very easy year!

Bob

[kevjacko]

I did 9 months on her just got off before she was hit in the Gulf war

Hi gdynia, I was on her when she got hit. Got to admit I made that a good excuse to get off early. It was a poor trip and not one I was enjoying before the incident occured.

[sparks69]

I installed these cables on at least one BP ship I was on. I'm fairly sure it was the Reliance between 28/01/80 and 16/05/80 where I encountered the same blue stuff, I reported it to the C/E who contacted Britannic House who confirmed it wasn't Blue asbestos. I subsequently got covered in the stuff so I hope it wasn't!

I thought I'd also installed the same cables on the Respect whilst she was at anchor in Lyme Bay (I joined her there on 02/08/80), but it may be my memory playing up. I know I was on the Respect when the vendors came to install/complete the installation of the Adaptive Steering System in Finnart where I left the ship on 13/11/80.

That was a very interesting trip on the Respect, sat at anchor in Lyme Bay for 6 weeks then sailed up to Finnart where she sat along side for about 5 months, I only had to do watches for the two/three day trip north!

The previous trip on the Reliance wasn't much different, 4 or 5 weeks running between Hound Point and Wilhelmshaven then she was contracted to be a storage tank in Europoort for 6+ months, so that was 3.5 mnths of not having to do watches. 1980 was a very easy year!

Bob

Hi Bob,
I was your relief on the Respect. Very glad someone else can remember the blue stuff ! I'm now 65 and still breathing which makes one wonder..........
I also remember that it rained every day and that cirrosis of the liver was considered an occupational hazard due to the "entertaining" of the commodore ! I gave up the booze when joining next ship. Happy daze !

[gdynia]

Hi gdynia, I was on her when she got hit. Got to admit I made that a good excuse to get off early. It was a poor trip and not one I was enjoying before the incident occured.

I left her in St.Lucia she went back to Gulf then got hit i did 9 months on her we traded mainly Gulf to Singapore and Phillipines and drydocked in sambaweng over Xmas and New Year we joined with Wallems Ship Management

[derekhore]

.... we joined with Wallems Ship Management


Was that with the UK branch or the Singapore one?

[twogrumpy]

Hi Bob,
I was your relief on the Respect. Very glad someone else can remember the blue stuff ! I'm now 65 and still breathing which makes one wonder..........I also remember that it rained every day and that cirrosis of the liver was considered an occupational hazard due to the "entertaining" of the commodore ! I gave up the booze when joining next ship. Happy daze !

I served my time in a naval dockyard and the ships were full of it.
Still living in the Portsmouth area with so many ex RN and dockyard retirees, time and time again in the local press and in the area around me we hear of deaths due to asbestos, an ex RN/BP chap that used to do the condition monitoring and lived 5 minutes walk away died of it.
Many of us will have been in engine rooms when it is falling like snow on our shoulders, and as for Big Panic House saying that blue stuff was not asbestos, one can only wonder what the reaction would have beeen is they had found some in the office.(Thumb)

My feeling is that it is one of these things where if the bullet has your name on it......

2G, 64 going on 65, still breathing, and the drink did'nt get me either..
(Jester)

[gdynia]

Was that with the UK branch or the Singapore one?

It was the Hong Kong Office but administered thro Isle of Man it was near the end of the British Crews onboard. We had to wait nearly 3 weeks for her in Dubai as she was stuck in the war zone

[derekhore]

It was the Hong Kong Office but administered thro Isle of Man it was near the end of the British Crews onboard. We had to wait nearly 3 weeks for her in Dubai as she was stuck in the war zone

Cheers, I was with the UK team from 1977-1979 .. based in Staines, Middlesex.

[Treborvfr]

Hi Bob,
I was your relief on the Respect. Very glad someone else can remember the blue stuff ! I'm now 65 and still breathing which makes one wonder..........
I also remember that it rained every day and that cirrosis of the liver was considered an occupational hazard due to the "entertaining" of the commodore ! I gave up the booze when joining next ship. Happy daze !

I hope you found everything OK!

Yes, Doug was a very sociable person! I really enjoyed my tour on the Respect (from what i remember of it!).

Bob

[sparks69]

I hope you found everything OK!

Yes, Doug was a very sociable person! I really enjoyed my tour on the Respect (from what i remember of it!).

Bob
Yes Bob, it was a well maintained ship from what I remember. (Not like some dogs that got "handed over")

Doug told me to get another uniform as mine was a bit tatty. I still have it, unworn, in my wardrobe !