VOLVULA

About

Completed 1956 as "VOLVULA" for STUK. 1958 as "VOLVULA" to Shell France. 25-4-1984 arrived Kaohsiung for scrap.

IMO number
5383562
Call sign
G... / FNCL
Construction number
1837
Tonnage
33.940 ton
Beam
26m
Length overall
201m
Year of construction
1956
Year of renaming/broken up
1984
Service for Shell
1956 to 1984
Cargo
Class
Flag state
Home port
Manager
Shipyard
Status
Photo(s)

Comments

Sailors

Name Job Period Details
John D. Ironside 3rd engineer 1956 to 1957
David E.c. Read deck apprentice 1956 to 1957 2nd trip, ships maiden voyage
Barry Williams assistant steward 1957 to 1958
Daniel Rutherford chef kok 1957 to 1958
Chris Matthews apprentice engineer 1957
Geneslay Roger seaman 1958 to 1959
Le Bihan Yvon novice machine 1962 to 1963
Jean-luc Hespel pilotin 1962
Jean-claude Mace pilotin 1963
Souplis pilotin 1964
Paul Pied cadet 1965 to 1966
Coutin Jean Marie eleve pont 1965
Karin Rifaut passenger 1969 to 1973 Wife of chief officer Guy Rifaut
Martial Dargent ouvrier mecanicien 1973
Francois Morin cadet 1973 to 1974
Bomy Bernard cadet 1974
Plouhinec Michel seaman 1974 to 1978
Alain Charlou 3rd engineer 1976 to 1977

Anecdotes

Date Visitor Anecdote
07/29/2014 - 22:00 Larry Gregory

I had the privilege of spending 7 weeks aboard (November - December 1974). Unfortunately the only quarters available was the Owners Cabin, but I managed all right. Tanker was used for storage of well production until it could be offloaded to a much larger ship.

01/09/2010 - 11:50 Karin Rifaut

In the seventies, my husband Guy Rifaut was chief officer on board the Volvula , I think it was in 1973 that we went to Miri/ Borneo.

My husband had to stay on board but two of us officers' wives wanted to go ashore.We were told that we were only allowed to leave the ship as wives of the captain and chief engineer.So we lied and were accompanied by our "husbands " the captain and the chief engineer for some hours.

Another time we went to Bougainville Island and visited the Gold and Copper Mine Panguna which was exploited by the Australian Government and the Government of New Guinea.We were also allowed to see a native chief and his son.
The chief intendant of the Shell, an Australian, came on board and appreciated a French aperitif very much...

Years later on the internet I was informed that the natives of Bougainville Island had started a rebellion and that the gold and copper mine was closed.

My husband Guy Rifaut unfortunately died of cancer in 1993. I have two sons(Nicolas 30 Years old now, and Marc 28 years now).We live in the south of Germany but we have un pied D'a terre in Chateauneuf du Faou Finsitere.

I have known Captain Xian Bely, Captain Chapuis and captain Perron with whom we spent a very good relaxed time on board the Volvula.

And M Metais ,radio officer and his wife, M Pellegrini, chief engineer and his wife Christine Pellegrini who jogged around the ship. M Bonnefille and his German wife Barbara.M Charles, chief engineer and his wife.Unfortunately I don't have any addresses but if some of you read these lines ,please contact me on the internet.

The Volvula has been my favourite ship.I always remeber the good time we had on board this ship.

Karin Rifaut

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