M/V Thamesfeild starboard side too at Tampa Florida loading Yellow Phosphate by conveyor belt. Six holds and six 25tonne hydraulic electric deck cranes GRT 30,427.66
Returning home from Falklands after a six month trip a two week cruise on Uganda a lift by Wessex Helicpoter to Ascension Island and a flight to Brize Norton in VC 10. Singned off articles Port Stanley 16/10/1984 and Signed on deep sea cargo ship M/V Thamesfield at Antwerp 27/11/1984. The ship was loading steel products and containers in holds 1,2,4,6 leaving 3and 5 empty for loading Yellow Phosphate for Vancoover at Tampa Florida, the steel to be discharged at Los Angeles and San Francisco, the phosphate dischrged by ships cranes at Vancoover involved us fitting the grabs.This ship gave me an excellent insight into seamanship on a large scale The rigging of Table platform gangways with pilot ladder due to ships freeboard 8" multiplait ropes giant winches and wires, changing the crane wires and greasing at sea required a great amount of good seamanship skills and with a first rate bosun in charge i soon learnt the ropes being on day work then watch keeping getting behind the wheel of an extremely large ship under pilotage and steering through the panama canal. Plenty of general day to day maintaniance chipping scraping painting and sugee, the ship also had a dedicated Deck Engineer who I worked with on numerous occassions. Light ship in Vancoover we loaded 30000 tonnes of timber and paper products for Europe and The UK, which invloved lashing with chains and bottle screws with senhouse slips for quick release of cargo should we ship too much water as wood is like a sponge and can severly affect the ships stability. Also the timber in holds is well vented with clamp on booby hatch vents that dry wet timber allowing the ship to load to full cubic capacity some 5000 tonnes by drying cargo then battenend down. Steel is not vented during passage as this causes oxidation as you need air for rust to form.
M/V Thamesfield locking in at The Panama Canal
My youngest son of 11 years is using his iPad to satisfy his fascination in cruise ships. That led me to do a search myself for the four ships I worked on while in the Merchant navy. Thamesfield was one of them. Don`t remember exact date but was between leaving school in `79 and `82. I also went to Tampa and through the Panama so was a great surprise to come across this blog. Other ships include, MV Jostrica, MV Rubens and MV Zinnia from deck boy to Able Seaman. Thanks for posting your stories and pictures.
ReplyDeletehey, nice to see the memory of the Thamesfield , i served as deck boy on her from late 79 to late 1980, great ship great times , omg that was 34 years ago lol....
ReplyDeleteregards to all in advance,
mick cousins in folkestone.
What were the names of the sister ships to the Thamesfield? In my mind was the Warschau & the Dresden nut was there another one?
ReplyDeleteJohanna Schulte
DeleteHi.I was on MV Thames field between 78 and 82 and went through Panama canal and had crossing the line ceremony where I was dunked in paint.great times.Steve edwards
ReplyDeleteHi.I was on MV Thames field between 78 and 82 and went through Panama canal and had crossing the line ceremony where I was dunked in paint.great times.Steve edwards
ReplyDeleteI stood by the Thamesfield being built at the Flensburg Shipyard as 4th Engineer Gordon Brown was Chief Engineer, I went away on her maiden voyage with a great bunch if people, after my 6 months, I had my leave,then returned for what was to be last trip at sea, I think I came home 1979, if you could turn back the clock!
ReplyDeleteCheers
Alan Smith
I stood by the Thamesfield being built at the Flensburg Shipyard as 4th Engineer Gordon Brown was Chief Engineer, I went away on her maiden voyage with a great bunch if people, after my 6 months, I had my leave,then returned for what was to be last trip at sea, I think I came home 1979, if you could turn back the clock!
ReplyDeleteCheers
Alan Smith
I was on thamesfield 1980 carrying tmber from Vancouver islands to east coast usa I remember getting extra pay yankee coast money superb trip paying off in Newhaven
ReplyDeleteI sailed on her between 1980 and 1985 with a great bunch oh lads, Arthur Bingham, Dave Sim, Malcolm Hurn, Ian Mcgooie, Alan Daniels etc etc
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone ever remember rigging the Pilot Ladder on her, I did 2 hitches on Thamesfield between 82 and 84 fist trip was during the Seamans Strike. We were tied up in Nanimo I think it was and we had to go to anchor due to the tides and possible keel damage, we got loads of help from the stevedores Union none from our own. Greta trip all the same. Second hitch was also to Vancouver loaded timber and pulp for the East coast of the USA, knocked a jetty down in Booklyn then back through Panama and back up to Vancouver, Boson was little Tommy ( can't remember his second name) and Jimmy Stewart was Handyman both trips, and both great experiences learned a lot from Jimmy and Tommy, I was Ordinary seaman and EDH remember 2 Cockney ABs Vince was one can't remember the other.
ReplyDeleteJust found discharge book. I joined Harmac Oct 81 and left Harmac Mar 82 as Grade 2.
ReplyDeleteAccording to some other posts, I would have sailed with one or two of you but all a bit fuzzy sorry.