Theft from ships

[John Arton]

We were all used to things being stolen from our ships, be it port officials demanding "presents" or stevedores helping themselves to cargo brand goods but this takes the biscuit.
Rgds
J.A.
https://www.maritime-executive.com/a...vy-s-main-base

[vic mcclymont]

According to an MOD briefing the fuel wasn't stolen from the ship as the above posting states.
Fuel was delivered in Road tankers and the tankers and the fuel were driven out of the dockyard. An observant security guard spotted the scam and stopped only after £250k 's worth was removed.
MOD believe it was inside job Babcock employees.
Vic

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Funny thing, last night we were watching a video of Foils War, where petrol was being stolen from the depots.
Des

[Graham Shaw]

Have had containers broken into in West Africa-even those below decks ,on the first day of arrival from Far East ,which points to an inside job amongst and between port officials/ ,agents/stevedore gangs? -suspected targeted by container number ID,as not all containers were opened,only the comparatively high value cargo ones..Higher officials suspected because it was not your usual 'minor' pilferage of 'trashy' goods broached by overnight stevedore gangs.This latter often had it's amusing side.Going on deck one morning to commence port watch we were greeted by the departing night gang all streaming off the gangway wearing brightly coloured shoes in many different styles, instead of their usual flip flops,many of the wearers hobbling quickly away from the ship,homeward bound.Yes,you guessed.they were all left footed shoes and all one size,some of them ladies styles.Yes,Mr.Ogotoomba and his colleagues were determined to grab a pair even if it meant wearing two left ones and a smaller size than his West African size 12 plates of meat could comfortably take. An arriving agent commented that it was amazing to see so many brightly coloured pairs of feet hobbling round the streets of Takoradi in their new shoes-and did we have a spare pair that we had saved for him!. Shippers sending such cargoes of course tended to mitigate such thefts by sending the right footed shoes in a seperate container with if possible a different stowage slot,and with a greater volume to compensate for pilferage.
The same has happened with spectacles where after a container was broached in another port,it was amazing to see everyone in the port all walking round looking like professors or students in their new eyewear.Yes,they were frames containing clear plastic lenses destined for opticians who would then fit prescription lenses of course...but who cared,they looked the business......

[Keith Tindell]

Pilfering was and always will be on ships, i remember loading Becks beer in Hamburg, destined for the USA 6th / fleet in Genoa, the crews lockers etc , full. It had got so bad that a shore watchman was employed in , i think it was Rotterdam, and at the end of the day he had to be hauled out of the hatch, absolutely blotto. The story goes that with the advent of container ships, some shippers loved them, Scotch whiskey had been shipped previous in wooden crates and steel strapping, and the losses were still great, when they eventually used containers, shipped in cardboard boxes, and all arrived with no loss. I cannot vouch for the story, containers were after my time at sea.

[Graham Shaw]

One of the reasons why dockers hated the advent of container ships,Keith-no perks!The life of a docker was a good number.

[happy daze john in oz]

There was another kind of theft that took place on all ships of the BMN.

Crew wages, the rate of pay would constitute theft by deception on a grand scale.
Alos so on some ships the food quality and quantity would also come into the realms of theft.

[Doc Vernon]

Pilfering was and always will be on ships, i remember loading Becks beer in Hamburg, destined for the USA 6th / fleet in Genoa, the crews lockers etc , full. It had got so bad that a shore watchman was employed in , i think it was Rotterdam, and at the end of the day he had to be hauled out of the hatch, absolutely blotto. The story goes that with the advent of container ships, some shippers loved them, Scotch whiskey had been shipped previous in wooden crates and steel strapping, and the losses were still great, when they eventually used containers, shipped in cardboard boxes, and all arrived with no loss. I cannot vouch for the story, containers were after my time at sea.

Keith
Your post reminds me of the time i worked the Stacker Trucks in Durban Harbour when on the Night Shifts especially, the Off loaded Cargoes of all kinds of Beers and Liquers we had to take from the Quayside into the Large Sheds to Stack them, well mate so many of us just hopped off the Stacker, took what we wanted, of the Best, and into the Car Boot.
We also used to hide a few Beers under the Stacker Hood and whilst Driving had quite a few to Drink. Most Nights we would all go home after Shift rather Light Headed ?? lol

Lots of other Items too from various Ports around the World , got some great things , there was never any Guard at Nights there so it was a free for all. Whopeeee!!

[John Arton]

When the port of London opened its first container terminal, which was inside Tilbury docks it operated a strange system. All containers for export were stored in a huge shed prior to being loaded then brought out and loaded directly on board. Import containers were discharged into flat bed trucks and then taken to a storage area where they waited to be picked up for transportation to there final destination. Only thing was they were always parked with the container doors up against the fence which made it easy for thieves to break into them and help themselves to the contents.
The biggest theft I witnessed from ships was watching stevedores loading stores down the provision hatch, situated immediately in front of the bridge on the empress of Canada whilst alongside at Liverpool landing stage. As cases of steaks or spirits were coming on board they would land the pallet on deck and help themselves to a case of whatever took their fancy. The first time I saw this happen, I was on sea watch at the time, I attempted to stop it by shouting down to them from the bridge wing, only to be told in no uncertain terms that if I valued my Life I should pizz off and let them carry on. So being a good fellow I went down to the captain's cabin, which also looked out over the provision hatch and reported to the captain, who had the catering super with him, that the stevedores were helping themselves to the provisions and spirit, only to be told by both of them to ignore the thieving as stopping it would lead to a strike by the stevedores and the ship would not sail.
The amount of theft that went on was almost pandemic and I was told that a number of pubs and butchers in and around the area depended on the Empress's for their supplies as did the custom officers as placing a bottle of booze on the table just inside the customs shed meant that anyone paying off would not be stopped and have their bags searched.
Rgds
J.A.

[cappy]

a case of whoever pays the piper calls the tune ......cappy