The "M" Boat's of Shell Tankers

[Wagga]

I was a GP 3 on the Marinula, one of Shell Tanker's "M" boats, so called because all the names started with "M".
She was built in 1968 and I joined her in 1971. She was about 200,000 tons and was pretty modern for her day. Although I was only a GP3 at the time, the accommodation was brilliant. I had my own cabin complete with shower and toilet and it was quite spacious too. We had a table tennis room, a wash room and of course a bar. The food was excellent as was the dining room.

The pay was amazing and I was earning more than my dad at just 17. Of course the only down-side to all of this as anyone who knows will testify to, is that there was no shore leave for six months. UK - Gulf and back again over and over. Then you would get a month off.

It was roasting in the Gulf too and I have never experienced heat like it since but when you are young, you tend to have a much greater tolerance of it.
There were only two bicycles on board for the crew so if you had to walk, especially in that heat, it was further than you thought.

This the ship on which I remember painting the front of the massive bridge WHILST AT SEA (on a calm day, granted) with two of us on a stage, gently swinging back and forth with the motion of the ship. Looking back it does make you wonder just what we all got up to.

[Brian Perry]

I too sailed on Joe Shell in the late sixties/seventies Megara, Melo, Murex Marticia. I concur with what you say. The accommodation was very good. The crew, who were all GP, mostly Grade one worked two weeks daywork rotating to two weeks watch. I remember the Megara with great fondness, I spent almost seven months on that ship, It was a Happy Ship. We spent a lot of that time painting the ship from stem to stern, Main deck to Truk of the after mast, including the very tall funnel which the big yellow shell on it. It was a very long time ago now but I remember my time as a wonderful experience with some great memories.

[Captain Kong]

Can you tell me what a GP is apart from a Doctor?
I was with SHELL a few times but mainly on their T2s in the 50s.
Brian

[j.sabourn]

General Purpose. JS

[Keith at Tregenna]

General Purpose (GP) ?

Added: Replied just before me, same result.

K.

.

[j.sabourn]

In Australia they are IR. Intergrated rating. JS

In America who knows maybe fallback on GI General issue, who everyone thinks of as a soldier. JS

[Captain Kong]

Cannot be the same as an Able Seaman,
It took 7 years plus examinations to become an Able Seaman when I was a lad.,

What does a man have to do now to be a GP on deck??

[Lewis McColl]

7 years to become an AB, I think you were all being conned, sounds like a good way to have kept the wages down. It takes 7 years to become a vet I think a vet would have a lot more up top than an AB.

As a signatory to the STCW Convention UK ships are commanded by Deck Officers and Engineering Officers. Officers undergo 3 years of training, known as a cadetship at one of the approved maritime colleges in the United Kingdom.

[Tony Taylor]

Can you tell me what a GP is apart from a Doctor?
I was with SHELL a few times but mainly on their T2s in the 50s.
Brian

GP general purpose crews, came in when when they did away with engine room staff like firemen and ER Storekeeper (PO).
Did not work too well at first, apart from old time firemen, the new "breed " of GP seamen did not like working in the engine room unless the weather was crap, regular "discussions" between the mate and C/E about how many men would be allocated down below. Could be a nightmare at times if two deck oriented guys were provided to carry out firemens' duties manoeuvring, having to learn on the job how to put burners on and off, they hated standing in front of a boiler radiating heat at them when they could be up top in the fresh air.

[Tony Taylor]

I too sailed on Joe Shell in the late sixties/seventies Megara, Melo, Murex Marticia. I concur with what you say. The accommodation was very good. The crew, who were all GP, mostly Grade one worked two weeks daywork rotating to two weeks watch. I remember the Megara with great fondness, I spent almost seven months on that ship, It was a Happy Ship. We spent a lot of that time painting the ship from stem to stern, Main deck to Truk of the after mast, including the very tall funnel which the big yellow shell on it. It was a very long time ago now but I remember my time as a wonderful experience with some great memories.

Megara was the first M class built by Mitsubishi and was indeed a good quality ship in my opinion, I sailed on her in early seventies (72 ish), Marticia was the last M class to be built and I sailed on her next trip after Megara. It was built in Holland and the build quality was rubbish, the engine control room could have been built better by p-ssed up miners in their allotments and the installed equipment was crap also. It was however run by decent crew while I was there which made up for a lot. We had three Singapore Chinese eng apprentices, really good lads who I am still in contact with.r

- - - Updated - - -

I was a GP 3 on the Marinula, one of Shell Tanker's "M" boats, so called because all the names started with "M".
She was built in 1968 and I joined her in 1971. She was about 200,000 tons and was pretty modern for her day. Although I was only a GP3 at the time, the accommodation was brilliant. I had my own cabin complete with shower and toilet and it was quite spacious too. We had a table tennis room, a wash room and of course a bar. The food was excellent as was the dining room.

The pay was amazing and I was earning more than my dad at just 17. Of course the only down-side to all of this as anyone who knows will testify to, is that there was no shore leave for six months. UK - Gulf and back again over and over. Then you would get a month off.

It was roasting in the Gulf too and I have never experienced heat like it since but when you are young, you tend to have a much greater tolerance of it.
There were only two bicycles on board for the crew so if you had to walk, especially in that heat, it was further than you thought.

This the ship on which I remember painting the front of the massive bridge WHILST AT SEA (on a calm day, granted) with two of us on a stage, gently swinging back and forth with the motion of the ship. Looking back it does make you wonder just what we all got up to.

ha ha, those bikes, what a joke. They were so badly abused they were hardly used. I made a trailer for one so I could haul tools up to the focsle, but not long after the company issued an order to ditch them as there were too many accidents happening, so they all went over the wall.