RAPANA (2)

About

Completed 1973 as Runa for Rederi Ruth Norway. 1973 sold to Armatrice Santa Chiara Italy and renamed San Giusto. 1980 in bare-boat charter for Shell Coal Int. and renamed "RAPANA". 22-9-1990 explosion and fire during tank cleaning in Lisbon. 1991 sold to Tsakos Shipping Greece and renamed Iliada. 1993 sold to Argenos Maritime Cyprus and renamed Omiros. 4-2-1999 arrived Gadani Beach for scrap.

Also known as
Runa
San Giusto
Iliada
Omiros
IMO number
7334163
Call sign
MKYW
Construction number
867
Tonnage
227.408 ton
Beam
46m
Length overall
333m
Year of construction
1973
Year of renaming/broken up
1999
Service for Shell
1980 to 1991
Cargo
Class
Flag state
Home port
Manager
Shipyard
Status
Photo(s)

Comments

Sailors

Name Job Period Details
Sean Pulford assistant steward 1980
Roy Halsall mg 1 1980 mg1 / trainee pumps
Richard Lamble 2nd engineer 1980 to 1982
Gary Bailey able seaman 1980
Carl Ainsley engineer cadet 1980 to 1981
Kenny Webb able seaman 1980 to 1981
Nigel Wilton steward 1980
Nick Slater 5th engineer 1981
Nicholas Slater Fifth Engineer 1981 First Trip 5/E
Bernie Donnelly sg1a 1981 to 1982
Nick Roberts 2nd mate 1981 to 1982
David Nesom catering offficer 1981
Paul Crouch 5th engineer 1981 to 1982
Colin Mckay extra chief officer 1981 3/0 and xc/o short period after explosion (1990)
Herbert Rintoul p.o 1981
DanielBrown sg1a 1981
Clifford Pratley 2nd steward 1982 to 1986
Alan Burns radio officer 1982
Dan Jimack junior catering rating 1982 to 1983
Jim Scott 4th engineer 1982
John Arnott 2nd officer 1982
Derek Cumming 3rd mate 1983 to 1984
Eric Cordiner mg 1 1983
John Briton chef kok 1983
David Massy able seaman 1983
Alan Cheese steward 1984
William Andy Be... engineer cadet 1984
Charles Stobbart catering offficer 1984 to 1985
Michael O'keeffe steward 1984 to 1986
Mark Hill deck cadet 1984 to 1985
Craig Douglas 4th engineer 1984
Colion Greenall pumpman 1984 to 1985
David R. Byrne 2 po mechanic 1985 to 1986
Andy House 3rd engineer 1985
Terry Muldoon deck boy/junior ordinary seaman 1985 to 1986
Roger Chapman radio officer 1985 to 1986
Jerry Warman master 1986 to 1987
John Scowen able seaman 1986 to 1987
Malcolm Freeman 2nd/ck 1986
Andy Alderson engineer cadet 1986
Mark W. Dottin motorman 1986
Paul Crouch 4th engineer 1986
Glen Drummond master 1987 to 1988
Torvig Walton radio/electronics officer 1988
Derek Wallace D... master 1988 to 1989
Geoff Donnelly chief mate 1988 hospitalised with c/e john gray in brazil 24/11/88
John Bishop fitter 1988 to 1990 fitter/welder
Paul Kelly 2nd mate 1988 to 1989
Myles Povey 5th engineer 1988 to 1989
Alec Lamb 5th engineer 1988 to 1989
Keith Roberts radio officer 1989
Peter G. Furmston radio officer 1989
Derek Wallace D... master 1989
Stephen Povey 2nd officer 1989 to 1990
Ray Gill chief engineer 1989 to 1990 Hospitalised due to explosion onboard
Brian Graham chief engineer 1990 to 1991
Peter G. Furmston radio officer 1990 I was onboard for explosion/fire
Gerald Walcott fitter 1990 to 1992 po fitter
Randy Ellis steward 1990
Roy Robertson chief officer 1990
Brian Beattie 4th engineer 1990

Anecdotes

Date Visitor Anecdote
09/26/2016 - 23:04 Kenny Webb

First OBO ship I was ever on scary when first loading in BRAZIL and seeing the way we just went down in the water as the iron ore was dropped from a height into the centre of the hatches think we loaded four hatches at time .was on her again in 85

10/07/2014 - 11:36 Nick Roberts

I joined her in the October 1981 as she came into NWE to discharge an oil cargo in Rotterdam, then tank clean for drydock in Brest (The sister vessel "Rimula" had just been found to have a huge problem with corrosion in the fore peak, and had taken on board a massive cement box in the focsle to get her to her discharge and subsequent emergency dry dock for repair - somebody thought they had better look at Rapana?). It was during this discharge at MOT in Rotterdam that the Bosun fell from the accommodation ladder as he was recovering it. I was the duty officer on deck, and found myself dropping into the water to try to rescue him (as he was face down in the water). I was quickly followed into the water by the 3/0 (who fell from the lifeboat as they endeavoured to launch it!). Eventually, the lifeboat was launched... and picked up the 3 off us from the very cold Rotterdam waters. I never heard the actual cause of the bosuns fall and subsequent death - but a "heart attack" before he fell was the most rumoured? I was never interviewed, and if I recall we only stopped cargo for a couple of hours... long enough for me to get dry...

Cleaning the ship was a nightmare as she had no bottom washers in the side tanks, and the mountains of sludge would not shift. Even when an old "M Class" tank cleaning heater was brought to the ship and temporarily plumbed in on deck. If I recall we arrived in Brest after several WEEKS trying to clean her - and the gas levels were only held down by continuous venting.... I seem to recall the sludge was eventually removed by cutting holes in the bottom of the ship...

She was not Shell's greatest success even before the explosion some years later...

04/10/2010 - 19:05 Roy Halsall

Rapana,
An enigma!
Neither a tanker or a bulker.
Unlucky from the start. ( Since Joe Shell took her anyway)Nothing but faults and unsavoury incidents, culminating in the sad loss of life ( after Id left)
I was trainee Pumpman. The pumpan in question didnt have a clue, ( welsh guy) so in effect I was the pumpman. Being a time served marine fitter , and also having previously served in the Royal Navy ,the Pumpmans job was no problem, except for the long hours. ( Minimum discharge on the older vessels was 30 hours!) I remember joing Rapana in France, she was discharging oil, and we went over to Brazil to load Iron Ore. Me and the mate went 6 hours on, 6 hours off for tank cleaning -for 18 straight days. That was brutal.
We sailed from Brazil to Japan, 59 days slow steaming , due to the cost of bunkers.
I remember prior to leaving, we( Me and the chief eng) loaded 23,000 tons of bunkers for the voyage -a record I believe?
I was saddened to hear of the explosion and fatalities later after I had left.
If my memory serves me correctly, a PO Deck lost his life whilst turning out the gangway -in Rotterdam prior to me joining.
I went on to the engineers side after we lost all our jobs to Philipinos . I hated the officers side, and left Shell and the sea in 1990.
I loved the sea and always have done. Miss it so much even today.
Joe Shell. " Work Hard, Play Hard"

01/05/2010 - 17:59 John Bishop

was onboard with explosion

11/23/2009 - 00:59 Stephen Povey

2nd Officer during the explosion of 1990.

11/23/2009 - 00:58 Stephen Povey

2nd Mate on The Rapana during the ill fated incident of 1990.

12/15/2008 - 18:31 John Connelly

I beleive the chief officer who was killed on the Rapana explosion was Dave Camish.
I sailed with Dave on the lightening ships and was earmarked then for rapid promotion when he was second mate.I had left the company by then not much point in staying when they had thrown us out of the pension scheme and no paid leave and yet they still expected undying loyalty, unpaid field days with a considerable loss in earnings.