MANTUA

About

Completed 1960 as "MANTUA" for P&O. Operated by Trident Tankers. 1960-1976 in time-charter for STUK. 1976 arrived Gadini Beach for scrap.

IMO number
5219785
Call sign
GHJA
Construction number
1258
Tonnage
19.016 ton
Beam
21m
Length overall
169m
Year of construction
1960
Year of renaming/broken up
1976
Service for Shell
1960 to 1976
Cargo
Class
Flag state
Home port
Manager
Shipyard
Status
Photo(s)

Comments

Sailors

Anecdotes

Date Visitor Anecdote
06/27/2015 - 08:35 Mark Bromwich

I joined the Mantua, in Stanlow, Manchester ship canal October 1970. She had just come back from long term deployment on the mosquito fleet in Maracaibo lakes. I did 7 months to the day onboard, and we did 42 ports round NW Europe, and the Meddy! As per the other comments, the Master would not allow the radars on! English channel, no radar, and of course before the traffic separations schemes. Just remember lights everywhere!! Good ship, rejoined here in 1974 as 3rd Mate.

03/21/2014 - 11:03 Michael Rickard

I joined Mantua on Nov 1961 at Smith's Dock M'bro as an Asst Eng. It was her second voyage and she was in immaculate condition. Her skipper was Basil Thompson,the Chief Eng was Lambert,2nd Eng Wilson.3rd Eng Peter Waring (Pud) 4th Engineer Brian Backhouse and another Asst Eng was Brian Backhouse. I remember the Chief Steward who was Robert Gliddon otherwise known as 'Peirhead Gliddon'
The ports of call were varied and in some cases unusual such as Apia. She ran like clockwork with very few problems. I left her in 1962 to join the liner Himalays as 4th Eng.
I would like to send my regards to any of the people I have mentioned also others on the ship that I have forgotten their names. I hope they are all well.

01/26/2014 - 12:15 Richard Davies

I joined the Mantua in October 1972 as a Deck Cadet. It was my first ship when I was 16. It was a time when she was run by Trident Tankers and it was just being incorporated within the P&O Group. There were 2 cadet cabins each with 2 berths. The radar was only switched on under the direct orders of the Captain!

07/25/2013 - 11:42 Peter Crane

I joined Mantua, as Radio Officer, in Curacao 3.01.1961 and discovered the most luxurious accommodation since joining P & O in 1952. Ports of call were so different
to "normal" P & O routes and we were fortunate to have a wonderful Captain, Teddy Cowen.
Radio callsign was GHJA and a coincidence was that Curacao, where I joined, had a radio callsign PJC which happened to be my initials!
I left Mantua in that wonderful port of Middlesboro, 1.11.1961.
As we nosed into Smiths drydock the order came to flood one of the ballast tanks.
Screams of anguish from 2nd Engineer as that was where he had placed our excess
duty frees! The next sailing crew had the benefit of that stash.

PJC

10/09/2011 - 00:40 Malcolm Buttler

I joined SS Mantua in San Fernando, Trinidad with my new wife after getting married in March 1972, so next year is our 40th wedding anniversary! The ship at that time was Trident Tankers who I was employed with as a Fourth Engineer Officer on my second trip at sea, although I think she was chartered to both Shell and Texaco to carry 'White Oil'.
We sailed between Trinidad, Curacao, Aruba, New York, Boston, Philadelphia before returning across the channel to Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus and other forgotten places.I have many happy memories of SS Mantua, so much so that we named our house 'Mantua'as in many ways it was our Honeymoon trip.
My first trip to sea was on her sister ship SS Maloja in 1971 as a Junior Engineer Officer but promoted to 4th Engineer after three months.Both ships ran like clockwork with their Parsons steam turbines built at Stockton on Tees.
I have many pictures including some nice ones taken in the engine room on SS Maloja,however all are either prints or slides so I will have to scan some and send them to you when I can.
My best regards,
Malcolm Buttler