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← All fourteen ships

1960–1961

M.T. Scotstoun

Falkland Shipowners Ltd.

Motor tanker

Eighteen months of tanker work at its most relentless: the Gulf to Britain through Suez, then a long spell running short hops between Venezuela, Curaçao and the refineries — sometimes three ports in a week.

2 pictures — tap to see them · Photograph by Frost

WillemstadSwanseaPort SaidBandar MashurWilhelmshavenNaplesVallettaColomboFinnartLittle AdenKawasakiPhiladelphia

1 of 46 passages

28th June 1960 — 6th July 1960

Wilhelmshaven → Naples

2,678 miles · 8 days at sea

BALLAST

SAILED Wilhelmshaven 2pm 28th June BALLAST BOUND Naples

Every passage he logged in her. Press play to follow her through, or tap a port to see every time he called there.

Log entries
103
Ports
26
Nautical miles
93,018
Days at sea
273

Her longest passage in the log ran from Kawasaki to Bandar Mashur — 7,214 miles, 16 days at sea.

The log

27 Jun 1960 to 3 Nov 1961

June 1960

  1. 27 Jun 1960

    Joined Wilhelmshaven

    JOINED in Wilhelmshaven 27th June SIGNED ON Glasgow 24th June

  2. 28 Jun 1960
    2pm

    Sailed Wilhelmshaven — bound Naples

    BALLAST

    SAILED Wilhelmshaven 2pm 28th June BALLAST BOUND Naples

July 1960

  1. 6 Jul 1960
    10am

    Arrived Naples

    ARRIVED Naples 10am 6th July BERTH N°33

  2. 8 Jul 1960
    4pm

    Sailed Naples — bound Valletta

    FOR DRYDOCK

    SAILED Naples 4pm 8th July BOUND Malta FOR DRYDOCK

  3. 9 Jul 1960
    10pm

    Arrived Valletta

    ARRIVED Valletta 10pm 9th July BERTHED 1pm 10th July. FLOATING 2D.

  4. 17 Jul 1960
    9am

    Sailed Valletta — bound Mena al Ahmadi

    FOR ORDERS

    SAILED Valletta 9am 17th July BOUND Mena FOR ORDERS

  5. 20 Jul 1960
    6am

    Arrived Port Said

    ARRIVED Port Said 6am 20th July

  6. 21 Jul 1960

    Canal transit

    CANAL TRANSIT 11pm 20th - 5pm on 21st July

  7. 21 Jul 1960
    5.30pm

    Sailed Suez — bound Mena al Ahmadi

    SAILED Suez 5.30pm 21st July FOR Mena

  8. 31 Jul 1960
    4pm

    Arrived Mena al Ahmadi

    Berth N°3 to load

August 1960

  1. 2 Aug 1960
    2am

    Sailed Mena al Ahmadi

    12,000T Diesel, 5,700T Fuel Oil

  2. 9 Aug 1960
    9am

    Arrived Colombo

    To discharge Tank N°7

  3. 14 Aug 1960
    1am

    Sailed Colombo — bound Mena al Ahmadi

    To load

  4. 21 Aug 1960
    9am

    Arrived Bandar Mashur

    To load crude

  5. 22 Aug 1960
    6am

    Sailed Bandar Mashur — bound Land's End

September 1960

  1. 1 Sep 1960
    5pm

    Arrived Suez

    8d till 0530 convoy 2nd

  2. 2 Sep 1960
    4am - 5:30pm

    Canal transit

    Bound Land's End for orders

  3. 5 Sep 1960
    5.45pm

    Sailed Port Said — bound Land's End

    For orders

  4. 15 Sep 1960
    6pm

    Arrived Wilhelmshaven

    Berth N°3

  5. 16 Sep 1960
    6pm

    Sailed Wilhelmshaven — bound Amsterdam

  6. 17 Sep 1960
    9am

    Arrived Amsterdam

    N.D.S.M. Yard

  7. 28 Sep 1960
    7pm

    Sailed Amsterdam — bound Mena al Ahmadi

    For orders

October 1960

  1. 9 Oct 1960
    2pm

    Arrived Port Said

  2. 9 Oct 1960
    7am - 11pm

    Canal transit

  3. 9 Oct 1960
    11.30pm

    Sailed Suez — bound Mena al Ahmadi

    For orders

  4. 19 Oct 1960
    10pm

    Arrived Bandar Mashur

    To load

  5. 20 Oct 1960
    2pm

    Sailed Bandar Mashur — bound Land's End

  6. 30 Oct 1960
    3.30am

    Arrived Suez

    8d till 0500 convoy 31st

  7. 31 Oct 1960
    05am - 6pm

    Canal transit

    CANAL TRANSIT 05am - 6pm 31st Oct.

  8. 31 Oct 1960
    6.30pm

    Sailed Port Said — bound Land's End

    SAILED Port Said 6:30pm 31st Oct. BOUND LEFO.

November 1960

  1. 10 Nov 1960
    9am

    Arrived Milford Haven

    To discharge 2,000T.

    ARRIVED Milford Haven 9am 10th Nov. To discharge 2,000T.

  2. 10 Nov 1960
    6pm

    Sailed Milford Haven — bound Swansea

    SAILED Milford Haven 6pm 10th Nov BOUND Swansea

  3. 11 Nov 1960
    1/2age 10am berthed 11pm

    Arrived Swansea

    ARRIVED Swansea 1/2age 10am berthed 11pm

  4. 24 Nov 1960
    11am

    Sailed Swansea — bound Amuay Bay

    SAILED Swansea 11am 24th Nov. BOUND Amuay Bay for orders

December 1960

  1. 10 Dec 1960
    7pm

    Arrived El Palito

    ARRIVED El Palito 7pm 10th Dec berthed 7am 11th Dec

  2. 12 Dec 1960
    10am

    Sailed El Palito — bound Land's End

    SAILED El Palito 10am 12th Dec. BOUND LEFO.

  3. 26 Dec 1960
    11am

    Arrived Swansea

    Windy all night.

    ARRIVED Swansea 11am 26th Dec (27th) Windy all night.

January 1961

  1. 2 Jan 1961
    7pm

    Sailed Swansea — bound Finnart

    Fuel oil & diesel

    SAILED Swansea 7pm 2nd Jan BOUND Finnart Fuel oil & diesel

  2. 4 Jan 1961
    9am

    Arrived Finnart

    L'd tail o' bank 7pm 3rd Jan

    ARRIVED Finnart 9am 4th Jan. L'd tail o' bank 7pm 3rd Jan

  3. 5 Jan 1961
    2pm

    Sailed Finnart — bound Dublin

    SAILED Finnart 2pm 5th Jan. BOUND Dublin

  4. 6 Jan 1961
    11am

    Arrived Dublin

    L'd from 3:30am in bay

    ARRIVED Dublin 11am 6th Jan L'd from 3:30am in bay

  5. 7 Jan 1961
    2am

    Sailed Dublin — bound Dingle

    Fuel oil

    SAILED Dublin 2am 7th Jan BOUND Dingle Fuel oil

  6. 7 Jan 1961
    2pm

    Arrived Dingle

    To discharge last of cargo

    ARRIVED Dingle 2pm 7th Jan To discharge last of cargo

  7. 8 Jan 1961
    1pm

    Sailed Dingle — bound Swansea

    To load

    SAILED Dingle 1pm 8th Jan BOUND Swansea to load

  8. 9 Jan 1961
    10am

    Arrived Swansea

    Queens Dock 1pm.

    ARRIVED Swansea 10am 9th Jan Queens Dock 1pm.

  9. 12 Jan 1961
    1am

    Sailed Swansea — bound Milford Haven

    Fuel oil & diesel

    SAILED Swansea 1am 12th Jan BOUND Milford Haven Fuel oil & diesel

  10. 12 Jan 1961
    9pm

    Arrived Milford Haven

    To discharge

    ARRIVED Milford Haven 9pm 12th Jan To discharge

  11. 13 Jan 1961
    2am

    Sailed Milford Haven — bound Rotterdam

    BOUND ROTTERDAM WITH DIESEL

  12. 14 Jan 1961
    6pm

    Arrived Rotterdam

    DISCHARGING AT 23 BERTHS

  13. 16 Jan 1961
    1am

    Sailed Rotterdam — bound Mena al Ahmadi

    BOUND MENA FOR ORDERS

  14. 26 Jan 1961
    11.30am

    Arrived Port Said

  15. 27 Jan 1961
    7pm – 9:30pm

    Canal transit

  16. 27 Jan 1961
    10pm

    Sailed Suez — bound Little Aden

    BOUND LITTLE ADEN TO LOAD

  17. 31 Jan 1961
    3.30pm

    Arrived Little Aden

    BERTH 3

February 1961

  1. 1 Feb 1961
    2pm

    Sailed Little Aden — bound Kawasaki

    FUEL OIL BOUND KAWASAKI/KOBE

  2. 22 Feb 1961
    11am

    Arrived Kawasaki

    BERTHED 9am 24th Feb

  3. 28 Feb 1961
    3pm

    Sailed Kawasaki — bound Mena al Ahmadi

    BOUND MENA F.O.

March 1961

  1. 16 Mar 1961
    6pm

    Arrived Bandar Mashur

    BERTH 1. TO LOAD CRUDE

  2. 17 Mar 1961
    9.30am

    Sailed Bandar Mashur — bound Land's End

    BOUND L.E.F.O.

  3. 27 Mar 1961
    5pm

    Arrived Suez

    AWAITING CONVOY

  4. 28 Mar 1961
    8am – 8pm

    Canal transit

  5. 28 Mar 1961
    8.30pm

    Sailed Port Said — bound Land's End

    BOUND UK/CONT.

April 1961

  1. 7 Apr 1961
    8am

    Arrived Swansea

    TO DISCHARGE & LOAD

  2. 12 Apr 1961
    1pm

    Sailed Swansea

    WITH 4,500 F.O. & 8,000 D.O.

Undated

  1. April 8pm
    8pm

    Arrived Milford Haven

    TO DISCHARGE

April 1961

  1. 13 Apr 1961
    2pm

    Sailed Milford Haven — bound Rotterdam

    BOUND ROTTERDAM

  2. 18 Apr 1961
    6am

    Arrived Rotterdam

    to discharge

  3. 18 Apr 1961
    11.30pm

    Sailed Rotterdam — bound Glasgow

    bound Glasgow for D/P

  4. 21 Apr 1961
    5pm

    Arrived Glasgow

    signed off 10am 22nd

July 1961

  1. 18 Jul 1961

    Rejoined Gareloch

    signed on 1st Aug. @ Greenock

August 1961

  1. 12 Aug 1961
    noon

    Sailed Greenock — bound Curaçao

    bound Curaçao F.O.

  2. 24 Aug 1961
    9am

    Arrived Punta Cardón

    for bunkers

  3. 24 Aug 1961
    3pm

    Sailed Punta Cardón — bound Puerto Miranda

    bound P. Miranda

  4. 24 Aug 1961
    midnight

    Arrived Puerto Miranda

    to load

  5. 25 Aug 1961
    midnight

    Sailed Puerto Miranda — bound Philadelphia

    bound Philadelphia

September 1961

  1. 1 Sep 1961
    10am

    Arrived Philadelphia

    Berth Point Breeze

  2. 3 Sep 1961
    8pm

    Sailed Philadelphia — bound Curaçao

    water for Curaçao

  3. 9 Sep 1961
    11am

    Arrived Willemstad

    Irene N°2

  4. 10 Sep 1961
    2pm

    Sailed Willemstad — bound Puerto Miranda via Punta Cardón

    for P. Miranda via Cardon

  5. 11 Sep 1961
    9am

    Arrived Puerto Miranda

    to load

  6. 12 Sep 1961
    3am

    Sailed Puerto Miranda — bound Rotterdam

    bound Rotterdam

  7. 26 Sep 1961
    11pm

    Arrived Rotterdam

    D1 Berth A

  8. 29 Sep 1961
    noon

    Sailed Rotterdam — bound Curaçao

    bound Curaçao for orders

October 1961

  1. 13 Oct 1961
    6am

    Arrived Colóncha

    to load

    We have not been able to place “Colóncha” on the chart.

  2. 14 Oct 1961
    9pm

    Sailed COLONCHA — bound Curaçao

    SAILED COLONCHA 9pm 14th OCT BOUND CURACAO

    We have not been able to place “COLONCHA” on the chart.

  3. 15 Oct 1961
    5pm

    Arrived Willemstad

    ARRIVED WILLEMSTAD 5pm 15th OCT JULIANA PIER

  4. 18 Oct 1961
    3am

    Sailed Willemstad — bound Maracaibo

    F.O.

    SAILED WILLEMSTAD 3am 18th OCT BOUND MARACAIBO F.O.

  5. 19 Oct 1961
    6am

    Arrived Cabimas

    TO LOAD

    ARRIVED CABIMAS 6am 19th OCT TO LOAD

  6. 20 Oct 1961
    4am

    Sailed Cabimas — bound Curaçao

    SAILED CABIMAS 4am 20th OCT BOUND CURACAO

  7. 20 Oct 1961
    11.30pm

    Arrived Willemstad

    ARRIVED WILLEMSTAD 11:30pm 20th OCT VALENTINE N°3 (SOUTH)

  8. 22 Oct 1961
    7am

    Sailed Willemstad — bound Punta Cardón

    SAILED WILLEMSTAD 7am 22nd OCT BOUND CARDON

  9. 22 Oct 1961
    1500

    Arrived Punta Cardón

    ARRIVED P.CARDON 1500 22nd OCT BERTHED 5am 23rd OCT

  10. 24 Oct 1961
    4pm

    Sailed Punta Cardón — bound Curaçao

    SAILED P.CARDON 4pm 24th OCT BOUND CURACAO

  11. 25 Oct 1961
    11am

    Arrived Willemstad

    ARRIVED WILLEMSTAD 11am 25th OCT VALENTINE N°3 (NORTH)

  12. 26 Oct 1961
    11am

    Sailed Willemstad — bound Maracaibo

    F.O.

    SAILED WILLEMSTAD 11am 26th OCT BOUND MARACAIBO F.O.

  13. 27 Oct 1961
    5am

    Arrived Puerto Miranda

    TO LOAD

    ARRIVED PUERTO MIRANDA 5am 27th OCT TO LOAD

  14. 27 Oct 1961
    9pm

    Sailed Puerto Miranda — bound Curaçao

    SAILED PUERTO MIRANDA 9pm 27th OCT BOUND CURACAO

  15. 28 Oct 1961
    4pm

    Arrived Willemstad

    ARRIVED WILLEMSTAD 4pm 28th OCT VALENTINE N°3 (NORTH)

  16. 29 Oct 1961
    6.30pm

    Sailed Willemstad — bound Maracaibo

    F.O.

    SAILED WILLEMSTAD 6:30pm 29th OCT BOUND MARACAIBO F.O.

  17. 30 Oct 1961
    10.30am

    Arrived Puerto Miranda

    TO LOAD

    ARRIVED PUERTO MIRANDA 10:30am 30th OCT TO LOAD

  18. 31 Oct 1961
    6.30am

    Sailed Puerto Miranda — bound Curaçao

    SAILED PUERTO MIRANDA 6:30am 31st OCT BOUND CURACAO

November 1961

  1. 1 Nov 1961
    1am

    Arrived Willemstad

    F.WERF

    ARRIVED WILLEMSTAD 1am 1st NOV F.WERF

  2. 3 Nov 1961
    noon

    Sailed Willemstad — bound Maracaibo

    F.O.

    SAILED WILLEMSTAD NOON 3rd NOV BOUND MARACAIBO F.O.

What was happening

Background written by the family, not from the logbook — but it explains a good deal of what is in it.

1954–1971

No telephone, no news

There was no way to call home. Letters were sent ahead to the agent at the next port, and if the ship was diverted the mail chased her round the world for months. A man could sail knowing his wife was expecting, and learn he had a child from a telegram handed up a gangway in another hemisphere.

1954–1971

Two years was a normal voyage

Foreign-going Articles could run for up to two years, and often did. David's longest unbroken spell in this logbook runs seventeen months, from June 1960 to November 1961 aboard the Scotstoun. Leave came at the end of it, not during.

1960–1971

The ships get very much bigger

In the 1950s a large tanker carried around 16,000 tons. By the mid-1960s the new turbine tankers carried three and four times that, and they were built too big for the Suez Canal to take them fully laden. Ports had to be rebuilt to match: Europoort was dug out of the sea off Rotterdam, and Kharg Island and Khor al Amaya were built out into deep water offshore.

In the log: David moves from the 1956 Norscot to the Naess ships, and the ports change with them — Europoort, Kharg, Khor al Amaya and Ras Tanura take over the log.

1954–1971

The map keeps changing

The place names in this log are the ones David used, and many of them have since changed. Bombay is Mumbai, Madras is Chennai, Bône is Annaba, Bougie is Béjaïa, Ceylon is Sri Lanka. He sailed through the end of one world map and into another.