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SUGAR PRODUCER

Shipbuildervessel built by Hall, Russell & Company, Limited (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1864 - 1992)

Shipownervessel built for Silvertown Services Shipping Co. Ltd. (London, England)

Date14 May 1957

Object NameCARGO VESSEL

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 370' 11" x breadth 53' x depth x 28' 1"
Gross Tonnage: 5088 ton

Object numberABDSHIP002546

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: Hall, Russell & Co.
Yard Number: 858
Official Number / I.M.O: 187641 / 5343251
Subsequent Names: INSCO PRODUCER (1966); GALAXY FAITH (1971); NICHOLAS P (1976); TARA (1980)

Fate: Demolished in Pasquale di Conte & C.S.a.s., Taranto, in 1982.

Propulsion: Motor
Description: Self trimming cargo vessel, 1 deck, machinery aft.

Owners:
1957: Silvertown Services Shipping.
1962: Owners retitled Sugar Line Ltd.
1966: Owners Insco Lines, Monrovia, Liberia, renamed INSCO PRODUCER.
1971: Owners Lyra Shipping Co. Ltd., Famagusta, Cyprus, renamed GALAXY FAITH
1976: Owners Laline Shipping Co. Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus, renamed NICHOLAS P
1980: Owners Tara Marine Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus, renamed TARA.

General History:
15/05/1957:
'The Ship That Ran Away.
Crowds of onlookers saw the 660 ton, 370 foot long cargo vessel SUGAR PRODUCER break her drag hawsers when she was launched yesterday from the yard of Messers Hall Russell & Co., at Aberdeen and she sped unguided across the harbour.

The runaway vessel narrowly missed the North of Scotland and Orkney and Shetland Shipping Company’s passenger and cargo ship ST. NINIAN lying on her berth.
Then she crashed against the concrete quay at Point Law coaling station, her rudder biting deep into the concrete.

Helpless
Fortunately no ship was at the coaling berth. A trawler (the DUNKINTY) had pulled out shortly before the SUGAR PRODUCER was due to leave the slips.
Rebounding from the Quay, the SUGAR PRODUCER ’s bow struck the bridge of the ST. NINIAN causing slight damage.

Tugs had been standing by at the launching ready to take the new vessel in hand, but the crew were helpless to act. It was impossible to get a hawser aboard in time to prevent the ship striking the quay wall.
After the ship had been moved into her fitting-out berth the damaged rudder was inspected by shipyard workers.

Built for Silvertown Services Shipping Co. Ltd., London, the SUGAR PRODUCER was named by Mrs F. A. Sudbury, wife of the Managing Director.
She is the third vessel to constructed by Hall Russell and Company for the same owners.'
(Press & Journal)

Eyewitness report: -
The vessel was to be stopped after its launch by three sets of drag chains, each attached to the vessel’s starboard side by a single wire rope strop. This arrangement used the impetus of the launch to swing the ship around the wire anchor points on the hull, to land in line with and bows towards, the Victoria Dock entrance. It was then ready for the tugs to attach lines and move it under the shearpoles for engine installation.

During this launch, one drag chain wire took the strain before the others and failed in a cloud of rust. The vessel continued and the other two wires tightened and again, both failed. The vessel then glided gracefully across the Tidal Basin, to bury its rudder in the face of Albert Quay, at a point from which the trawler DUNKINTY, A.42, had just be moved. The hull then pivoted on its rudder and the bow struck and caused slight damage to, the bridge wing of the ‘North’ boat, St. NINIAN, which was berthed on the cross quay at Matthews Quay.

It was after this that Hall, Russell chartered a larger tug for the launch of bigger vessels and the FIERY CROSS often came up from the Tees to fulfil this role, until Aberdeen Harbour replaced the old steam tugs in 1962.

04/09/1957:
'Sugar Ship Runs so Sweetly on her Trials'
The SUGAR PRODUCER , a cargo vessel with luxury accommodation, ran her ballast and endurance trials in Aberdeen Bay yesterday in ideal weather conditions.
Constructed for Silvertown Services Ltd., of London, for sugar carrying from the West Indies to this country, the vessel is a credit to her builders, Hall, Russell & Co. Ltd.

Of the popular cargo-ship type with engines and accommodation aft, the vessel is 350ft. in length with a beam of 53ft. and is capable of carrying about 6500 tons of cargo.

The most remarkable feature of the ship, however, is the accommodation. Apart from the two storeboys, every member of the crew has a spacious cabin to himself, each being fitted out in handsome lines.

A suite of rooms for the supercargo is better than that to be obtined in many a first-class hotel.

There is a ship's office, a spacious and delightfully fitted-out lounge, and dining-room, and messrooms for the officers and crew. Port holes have given way to big windows in the public rooms.
A spacious stairway in mahogany is another feature, while the large galley is a housewife's dream with its stainless steel sinksand many cooking aids. here is also a hospital.

Among thos onboard for the trials were Mr John Wright, managing director of Hall, Russell & Co. Ltd; Mr S G Christensen, the owner's superintendent, and Captain J R Cassidy, who will be in command of the vessel.

The SUGAR PRODUCER is due to sail on Saturday to Rotterdam.'
(Aberdeen Press & Journal)

29/09/1982: Arrived at Taranto for demolition.

Notes:
Engine: Sulzer type by Geo. Clark & North East Marine (Sunderland) Ltd., Sunderland.
2 stroke, single acting, direct reversing, 6-cylinder, 600mm bore x 1040mm stroke.
3000 b.h.p. at 150 r.p.m.
13 knots
Single screw, 4-bladed manganese bronze propellor.

See also:
History (CS) - http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=52203&vessel=SUGAR+PRODUCER

Photograph sources in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives.
Aberdeen Harbour Board collection: -
Box AHB/11/2/8: Sugar Producer accident. Quay and rudder pictures.
Hall, Russell collection: -
HR/2/7/278(2) Sugar Producer at fitting-out quay.