FPSO explodes off Nigeria

[John Arton]

An aged and reportedly poorly maintained floating production and storage offshore vessel has exploded and broken in half off the coast of Nigeria, reports say that all of its 10 crew are missing.
Rgds
J.A.
https://gcaptain.com/major-disaster-...eid=3b737aa316

[Tony Taylor]

An aged and reportedly poorly maintained floating production and storage offshore vessel has exploded and broken in half off the coast of Nigeria, reports say that all of its 10 crew are missing.
Rgds
J.A.
https://gcaptain.com/major-disaster-...eid=3b737aa316

there could be more in same location just waiting to happen.

[Graham Shaw]

Well past her shelf life at 47 !

FPSO TRINITY SPIRIT (LR/IMO 7370325).

Keel laid 9/75 and Completed 6/1976 by Ishikawajima-Harima,Kure,Japan. as a steam 'superanker' at that time- 117,646 grt/274,774 dwt.Named CONOCO INDEPENDENCE for Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. Liberian flag. She would keep same owners for next 30 years being renamed VENTURE INDEPENDENCE in 1978,then just INDEPENDENCE in 1988. In 1997 she was converted to a FPSO-Floating Production,Storage & Offloading vessel.Tonnage now 132,995grt.
In 2005 renamed TRINITY SPIRIT
In 2006 her owners were noted as being Allenne Ltd,Monrovia.tanker

[j.sabourn]

#3 Graham you wouldn’t know if the Beechwood O.N. 301133 was formerly the Aldersgate would you.? too much to ask for the stowaways phone number I suppose ?, would be nice to thank her for keeping me awake on the 4 to 8. Cheers JS. On seconds thoughts it may also have been the Bishopsgate . JS

[Graham Shaw]

#3 Graham you wouldn’t know if the Beechwood O.N. 301133 was formerly the Aldersgate would you.? too much to ask for the stowaways phone number I suppose ?, would be nice to thank her for keeping me awake on the 4 to 8. Cheers JS. On seconds thoughts it may also have been the Bishopsgate . JS

You're right on,John with your second thought.BEECHWOOD (301133) was the BISHOPSGATE originally, the immediate sister to Aldersgate ,both built in Laing's,Deptford Yard ,build numbers 823 and 824, in 1960.
She became the Beechwood in 1969.,then 75-86 to Greek,then Italian owners.BU in 11/ 86.

The ALDERSGATE (301180),her sister, was renamed SILVERSHORE in1969 then sold in 75 to Liberian then
Grk.Cypriot flagged owners.BU 4/84

PS It would indeed be nice to thank your stowaway for keeping you awake on the 04-08. Wish I had had one to note my times for my star sights back then and make me a mug o' cocoa-or two !

Cheers-Graham

[Graham Shaw]

Re the ex Conoco VLCC'S.
The subject of this FPSO disaster ,Trinity Spirit ex Conoco Independence,also had three sisters,Conoco Canada,Conoco America and Conoco Europe,all built in Japan and of around the 250,000 tonne deadweight mark. Two of them had the average lifespan for supertankers of their age and size perhaps of around 11 years before scrappage.although one lasted 25 years under the Bahamas flag,state unknown but can only be imagined.

CONOCO CANADA compl. 10/73.Renamed VENTURE CANADA IN.1978.
1984 Sold to Smit Tak International Ocean Towage & Salvage Co.Ltd,Netherlands.Renamed ADA,presumably for scrap delivery voyage.NB:ADA is an abbreviated form of VENTURE CANADA. BU Kaohsiung,Taiwan 3/85

CONOCO AMERICA compl. 4/73.Renamed VENTURE AMERICA in 1978
1984 also sold to Smit Tak.Renamed ERICA for scrap delivery voyage-again ,an abbreviated version of VENTURE AMERICA.
Also BU Kaiohsung

If those two hulks were towed together to Taiwan I imagine it would be a fanciful sight to see the two elderly sisters
ADA and ERICA being dragged across the oceans on their way to be cut up into razor blades and refrigerators....

CONOCO EUROPE compl.2/75.Renamed VENTURE EUROPE in 1978.In 88 Renamed EUROPE.Still same owners Connecticut Bank & Trust Co.
Now,here we are denied any possible mirth of seeing her named ROPE for her scrap voyage (!),because she wasn't sold like the other two sisters to Smit Tak.
In 1994 she was renamed SVELVIK by owners Svelvik Sg.Co Ltd,Nassau,Bahamas. Her tonnage now seems to have increased by nearly 12,000 tonnes to 134,156 gross registered tonnes....She was scrapped at Chittagong in 8/2000.

[cappy]

thanks for the info you guys ...as said the aldersgate was probably the best vessel i ever signed on ....but one sad factor for me was we sailed for 7 islands on dec5 1960.....she was a delight after some old tramps ie runcimans avonmoor in which jws sailed in earlier years than myself.....she took 19 days round trip from shields to newport in wales there she closed articles and all hands shot of back to shields...i wanted to stay in her and was given permissin to stay aboard ....i could not go back to shields as i lived with my gran at that time and did not have enough wage left after my beer and ciggies to go back at xmas with no money .....i recall xmas day i had two turkey buns ...a good xmas dinner lol .....and with just watchmen aboard was not a happy bunny to say the least ......anyway she was signing on jan 3 and when the old man came he asked me why i stayed .....and he very kindley signed me on fro xmas day 1960 ......doubt if many got that in there book signing on xmas day.....he was from shields the old man ....proper guy....it was a happy ship and happy crowd best feeder ever ....and a fine looking proper ship .....so i know she was GRT12718 TONS ....much bigger than any tramp type vessel i ever sailed on......ist time ever own cabin .....eating like a king ....overtime soogeing as much as you wanted.....happy days stayed in her till april 61 .....was sad to leave but my girlfriend now my wife for 58 years was calling and it was time to see her again ........sadly the aldersgate didnt las as long and was broken up in chittagong in 1984 after having been under liberian and greek flags.....sad a good ship regards R683532 cappy