"Macoma" PJLB

picture by Shell

 

Shell VLCC 210.000tons

1968 built by IHHI

1983 scrapped

 

 

After "NEVERITA" i joined "MACOMA" for 6 months.

Shelltankers BV new flagship.

On board januari 15th 1969, left her july 11th 1969,

just after my 27th birthday party my nicest birthday party ever

on a Shell tanker.

 

I did not like her, as she was hastily built to last only a maximum of 15 years.

Cheaply built and it showed in many details.

 

She proved (to me) to be a very bad and dangerous design.

Experienced some harrowing moments.

This type of ship was much to big for those days.

I left her in July 1969, just before these things exploded.

Lucky me !

 

December 1969

Within a few days of each other, three of her sisterships exploded while cleaning cargo tanks.

"MARPESSA" did sink,

"MACTRA" and

"KONG HAAKON VII"

were very heavily damaged.

Several crew members disappeared in these explosions.

Never to be found again.

 

"MACOMA"

is pictured here with the inert gas system added after those explosions occurred. (The big box near the funnel at starboard)

VLCC's of similar design without inert gas systems went on exploding !

 

In 1974 her sister "METULA"

runs aground in the Straits of Magellan, 50,000 tons of oil are lost.

 

Done