SS Halia around 1968

[Christine Smith]

I am looking for anyone who may have served with my Dad - Rupert Stanley Smith (maybe known just as Stanley) on the SS Halia around 1968. I do not know much about his life at sea (although I do have some fantastic photos) but just wondered what life was like on board then.

[jerry moore]

I am looking for anyone who may have served with my Dad - Rupert Stanley Smith (maybe known just as Stanley) on the SS Halia around 1968. I do not know much about his life at sea (although I do have some fantastic photos) but just wondered what life was like on board then.

hi christine, halia was my first ship with shell in 1967 joined about july in rotterdam, left in tilbury about 14 dec, rejoined in 68 in singapore after being in hospital, was there for about 3 weeks about june(ish) what was your dad (rank/job)
jerry moore

[Arthur O'Malley]

I joined Halia as a Radio Officer at Grays Essex in October of 1970. In those days she was "lightening" the super tankers coming back from the Gulf so they could safely enter the oil terminal ports in Europe, like Rotterdam. Halia would generally preceed them to their destination port and discharge the cargo at the same oil-berth. Halia was modified to come alongside the big tankers and transfer several thousand tons of oil so that the supertanker rose in the water and was able to safely enter port without running aground on a sand bar at the entrance to the harbour. She would generally rendezvous in deep-water bays around the British Isles. In late October we were called from port (Rockferry) to assist in the salvage of a tanker called Pacific Glory which had run aground after a collision in the Solent. We spent several days in poor conditions trying to get alongside the stricken vessel, which was now sinking. It was a major salvage operation using Smiths Tugs from Rotterdam. We were on the news for a couple of nights. By the strangest coincidence, two years later I was on the Miguel de Larrinaga heading for Warri (Nigeria) from Beira (Mozambique) and we passed the Pacific Glory being towed (I always thought, to Taiwan to be scrapped) to Hong Kong for repairs ( Pacific Glory - Cedre ). The name was visible through binoculars, and I still have a couple of pictures (Kodak Brownie). We passed her a couple of days after rounding the Cape.
When Halia wasn't lightening supertakners she was transporting oil around the coast, mostly Ardrossan, Rotterdam and Falmouth. In December 1970 we were sent to Bonny in Nigeria to relieve the Haustellum which was on station doing the reverse operation - topping up the big tankers after they left port full of Bonny Crude. We stayed there for three months just at the end of the civil (Biafran) war. Two of the second officers and a couple of the junior engineers had their wives with them, so never a dull moment on board. Looking back, it was a very enjoyable and quite exciting time. Arthur O'Malley.

[stephen penfold]

I was an Deck Cadet on Halia from about November 1967 to June 1968, I cannot remember who Stanley was but I can tell you a bit a bout the voyage which started in the Mersey and finished (for me) in Kuwait. We also were in Siagon, under fire c about April 1968

[Red Lead Ted]

There she is Christine, Known as one of shell tankers H class, I was in one tanker that was enough for me Shells Achatina, Known as an A class tanker. Good luck with your search Terry.

[Jim Brady]

Terry that post of Christine's is from 6 years ago.
Regards.
jim.B.

[Red Lead Ted]

Terry that post of Christine's is from 6 years ago.
Regards.
jim.B.

[Keith Tindell]

Its a shame when people ask questions on this site, and obviously never read the replies, our research members must be cheesed off when they do a lot of work and no reply forthcoming. Fortunately many do reply and therefore an interesting story developes, kt