WESTMINSTER BRIDGE was built in 1968 by Lithgows Ltd at Port
Glasgow with a tonnage of 42202grt, a length of 805ft, a beam
of 105ft 5in and a service speed of 15 knots. Sister of the
Pacific Bridge she was launched on 19th September 1967 and delivered
to Watts, Watts & Co.'s Britain Steam Ship Co. for charter
to the Seabridge Consortium. Bibby's took the company over in
1968 and with it came the Pacific Bridge. She was replaced by
the English Bridge in 1973 and sold to Proteus Shipping Co.
of Monrovia and renamed Proteus. In 1985 she was acquired by
Philippine President Lines Inc. of Manila, renamed President
Roxas and, after a further five years service broken up in 1990.
WILTSHIRE was built in 1968 by Swan, Hunter
& Tyne Shipbuilders Ltd at Hebburn-on-Tyne with a tonnage
of 10036grt, a length of 497ft 8in, a beam of 70ft 2in and a
service speed of 16 knots. Launched on 16th April 1968 and delivered
in the following September she was immediately chartered to
George Gibson & Co. and had been built to their specification.
She was Bibby's first liquid gas carrier for propane, butane
or anhydrous ammonia and her hull was doubled around the tanks
which were suspended in expanded polyurethane foam as protection
against leakage. Her maiden voyage for George Gibson & Co.,
part of the Runciman Group, was from the Tyne to Houston, Texas.
In 1984 she was chartered to I. C. I. Australia and flew the
Australian flag. She came off charter and reverted to Bibby's
in 1989. In 1991 management of her was transferred to Bibby
International Services (IOM) Ltd under the ownership of Bibby
Transport Ltd. She was sold to Arab Maritime Petroleum Transport
Co. of Bahrain in 1995 and renamed Zallaq. Current records indicate
that she has either changed owners again or been broken up.
OCEAN
BRIDGE/GLOUCESTERSHIRE (3) was built in 1970 by Sumitomo Shipbuilding
and Machinery Co. at Yokosuka with a tonnage of 66057grt, a
length of 849ft 10in, a beam of 134ft 1in and a service speed
of 15.5 knots. Bibby's first OBO (ore, bulk, oil) carrier she
was launched on 21st November 1969 and delivered in the following
March for charter to the Seabridge Consortium. On 8th March
1971, during a voyage from Rotterdam and Pepel, she stopped
off the coast of Spain to assist the British Tanker Co.'s British
Comet which was taking water in her engine room. As the Ocean
Bridge stood by there was an explosion in her No.9 hold which
destroyed her pumproom and blew a hole in the starboard side
forward of the bridge the size of a tennis court. A resulting
fire destroyed the bridge superstructure and on 19th March she
was towed into Huelva by the tugs, Pacific and Heros, both owned
by Bugsier and Smit's Hudson. On 25th April she arrived under
tow in Gibraltar Roads where she was patched up and sent to
Marseilles for dock repairs. She was subsequently towed to Scott
Lithgow Drydocks Ltd at Glasgow where she arrived in the October
to have her after section rebuilt. The repair which cost £2,500,000
was reputed to be the most expensive on a British merchant ship.
In 1977 she was renamed Gloucestershire and in the following
year sold to Sevenseas Navigation Transport Inc. of Monrovia
who renamed her Oceanic Victory. She was owned by Chiu Lung
Investments of Monrovia in 1984 who sold her to the Chinese
Petroleum Corp. of Taiwan. Renamed Ocean Victory she was transferred
to the Chinese Maritime Transport co. of Taipei who changed
her name to China Victory. On 17th July 1986 she sailed from
Tubarao bound for Kaohsuing where she arrived in the October
to be broken up.
AUSTRALIAN
BRIDGE/SOMERSETSHIRE (2) was built in 1973 by Sumitomo Shipbuilding
& Engineering Co. at Yokosuka with a tonnage of 78257grt,
a length of 872ft 9in, a beam of 144ft 7in and a service speed
of 15.5 knots. An OBO carrier she was launched for Bibby Bulk
Carriers Ltd in January 1973, placed under the management of
Bibby Bros. & Co. and chartered to the Seabridge Consortium.
When her charter to Seabridge Shipping Co. ended in 1977 she
was renamed Somersetshire. In the following year she was sold
to Eddie Steam Ship Co. and renamed Enterprise Transporter.
She was sold on to Atlantic Combination Carriers Ltd of London
and then transferred to Cast Combination Carriers Ltd. in 1979
when her name was changed to Cast Puffin. Four years later she
was purchased initially by Ivorush Ltd. and then by Chili Ship
Holding Ltd who renamed her Chili. In 1986 she was acquired
by Lexvale Ltd of Hong Kong who changed her name to Danmark
and who, in the following year, sold her to K/S Finans-Invest
VI A/S of Norway who renamed her Norman Hunter. After four years
she was purchased by Ridgeway Maritime Inc. of Andros who reregistered
her as the Leon. Current records indicate that she has either
changed owners again or been broken up. (Photo: Bibby Line Group)
BERKSHIRE
was built in 1970 by Doxford & Sunderland Shipbuilding &
Engineering Co. at Sunderland with a tonnage of 19061grt, a
length of 598ft 9in, a beam of 86ft 7in and a service speed
of 16 knots. She was launched on 24th November 1969 and delivered
to Bibby Freighters Ltd in September 1970. The first of a trio
of ships, she was built as a car carrier with six removable
decks which, when not in use, were stowed in container-like
guides on the weather deck either side of the hatches. All of
her 7 holds were strengthened for the carriage of ore and her
wing tanks alternated between water (1, 2, 6, 7) and grain (3,
4, 5). When rigged as a car carrier she had capacity for 1900
medium sized cars. On completion she was, with her sisters,
placed on a five year charter carrying cars between Japan and
the USA and bulk cargoes on the return voyage. She was displaced
by purpose built ro-ro car carriers in 1979 and converted into
a bulk carrier only. She was Bibby's last dry cargo carrier.
In November 1983 she was sold to Takoradi Shipping Co. of Limassol.
Current records indicate that she has either changed owners
again or been broken up. (Photo: Bibby Line Group)
CHESHIRE (4) was built in 1971 by Doxford
& Sunderland Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. at Sunderland
with a tonnage of 19061grt, a length of 598ft 9in, a beam of
86ft 7in and a service speed of 16 knots. Sister of the Berkshire
she was launched on 3rd September 1971 for the British Steamship
Co. and delivered in January 1971. In June 1972, during a voyage
from Hampton Roads to Yokohama, she had an explosion in a mast
house which killed one and injured two crew members. With her
sister she was converted into a bulk carrier during 1979 and
in 1983 was sold to Ambersley Ocean S. A. of Panama who renamed
her Maria. In 1985 her name was changed to Miss Maria when she
was sold to Erotocritos Shipping Co. of Limassol. On 18th February
1986 she was laid up in the River Fal, supposedly under the
care of Shipping & Produce Ltd of London, and returned to
service in 1987. Current records indicate that she has either
changed owners again or been broken up.
OXFORDSHIRE (3) was built in 1971 by Doxford
& Sunderland Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. at Sunderland
with a tonnage of 19061grt, a length of 598ft 9in, a beam of
86ft 7in and a service speed of 16 knots. Sister of the Berkshire
she was launched on 14th December 1970 and delivered in the
following May. She remained with Bibby's until 1978 when she
was sold before conversion to Marsenorio Armadora S. A. of Piraeus
who renamed her Georgios Tsakiroglou for management by Cia Naviera
S. A. She was sold to Pericles Marine Co. of Limassol in 1985,
placed under the management of Navipower Cia Nav. and renamed
Georgios T. In 1994 she acquired by Delcando Shipping Co. of
Limassol who changed her name to Mike K. Current records indicate
that she has either changed owners again or been broken up.
HEREFORDSHIRE (3) was built in 1972 by Doxford
& Sunderland Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. at Sunderland
with a tonnage of 7463grt, a length of 529ft 8in, a beam of
70ft 4in and a service speed of 16.5 knots. A general cargo
ship she was launched for Bibby Bulk Carriers Ltd on 16th February
1972. After ten years service she was sold to Brittany Shipping
Corp. of Monrovia who renamed her Texas in 1982. Three years
later she was acquired by Atlas Business Co. S. A. of Panama
who changed her name to Brooklyn. On 5th March 1986, during
a voyage from Kandhia in India to Roumania, her engine caught
fire and she was towed into Karachi where she arrived on 13th
March. Declared a constructive total loss she was subsequently
broken up at Gadani Beach.
LANCASHIRE (4) was built in 1972 by Doxford
& Sunderland Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. at Sunderland
with a tonnage of 7463grt, a length of 529ft 8in, a beam of
70ft 4in and a service speed of 16.5 knots. Sister of the Herefordshire
she was launched on 12th June 1972 for the general charter market.
As opposed to operating as tramp ships where single voyages
were brokered, the two sisters were deployed on longer time
charters, responding to the seasonal demands of many worldwide
cargoes. Many shippers preferred to charter as and when required
rather than become shipowners with all the associated problems
of tying up capital, finding crews as well as year round employment
for their ships. In 1982 she was sold to Agincourt Shipping
Co. of Monrovia who renamed her Virginia and in 1985 she was
acquired by the Mediterranean Ocean Navigation Co. of Panama
who changed her name to Antibes. She was sold again in 1986
to Tor Point Enterprises Inc. of Panama who changed her name
to Amer Asha for management by the Amer Shipping Corp. Current
records indicate that she has either changed owners again or
been broken up.
DART
ATLANTIC was built in 1972 by Swan, Hunter & Tyne Shipbuilders
Ltd at Hebburn-on-Tyne with a tonnage of 31036grt, a length
of 759ft 10in, a beam of 100ft 6in and a service speed of 23
knots. She was the first of three container ships capable of
carrying the equivalent of 1556 20 ton containers of which 1100
were below deck. Of an all welded construction with much high
tensile steel she was, at the time, equipped with the UK's highest
powered diesel engines. Her enclosed bridge and chartroom extended
the full width of the ship. She was launched on 14th October
1970 for the Bristol City Line as part of their contribution
to the Dart Container consortium to operate a weekly service,
Antwerp - Southampton - Halifax - New York - Norfolk, Virginia.
When she was delivered on 24th May 1972 Bibby's had become the
owners. The planned service proved to be unprofitable and she
was taken over by C. Y. Tung's newly acquired Furness, Withy
& Co. in 1980 for operating the same route and with the
same name. In 1981 the Dart Consortium was reorganised and she
was transferred to Canadian Pacific Ltd on a demise charter
and renamed C P Ambassador. Her owner was recorded as being
Tricity Finance Ltd. of London. In 1985 she was renamed Canmar
Ambassador by the same owner but operated by 'Canmar' (Canadian
Marine Drilling Ltd) of Calgary and still on charter to Canadian
Pacific. In 1988 she was owned by Channel Ltd and managed by
BCP Ship Management Ltd of Bermuda. She was owned by Canadian
Maritime Ltd in 1991 and managed by Canada Maritime Services
still as the Canmar Ambassador. Current records indicate that
she has either changed owners again or been broken up. (Photo:
Bibby Line Group)
DART AMERICA was built in 1972 by Swan, Hunter
& Tyne Shipbuilders Ltd at Hebburn-on-Tyne with a tonnage
of 31036grt, a length of 759ft 10in, a beam of 100ft 6in and
a service speed of 23 knots. Sister of the Dart Atlantic she
was launched on 30th November 1970 for Tyndale Shipping, part
of Clark Traffic Services of Montreal in which Canadian Pacific
held a substantial share, and managed initially by the Bristol
Shipping Line and then by Bibby Bros. & Co. She was never
owned by either of the management companies. In 1981 Tyndale
Shipping was taken over by C. Y. Tung's Furness, Withy &
Co. and she was allocated to Manchester Liners and renamed Manchester
Challenger for their UK to USA/Canada service. She was transferred
to Tynedale Shipping Ltd, part of the Orient Overseas Container
Line Ltd of Hong Kong, in 1988 and renamed OOCL Challenge. Current
records indicate that she has either changed owners again or
been broken up.
DART EUROPE, the third of the trio was owned
by Cie. Maritime Belge.
MONTREAL CITY was built in 1963 by Burntisland
Shipbuilding Co. at Burntisland with a tonnage of 6623grt, a
length of 440ft, a beam of 57ft 6in and a service speed of 15
knots. Costing £900,000 she was built under the Government's
'Shipbuilding Credit Scheme' and financed with a £700,000
loan repayable over 10 years at 5% interest. She was delivered
in January 1963 with an orange hull and masts for the Bristol
City Line's Canadian service. In 1972 she was absorbed by Bibby's
when they took control of the Bristol City Line and, as she
was surplus to requirements, laid up at Barry Docks in December
of that year pending her sale to Thai Maritime Navigation Co.
of Bangkok. After fourteen years as the Nakornthorn she arrived
at a Thai shipbreaker on 18th July 1986 for demolition.
HALIFAX CITY was built in 1964 by Burntisland
Shipbuilding Co. at Burntisland with a tonnage of 6647grt, a
length of 440ft, a beam of 57ft 6in and a service speed of 15
knots. Sister of the Montreal City she was built under the Government's
'Shipbuilding Credit Scheme' for the Bristol City Line and completed
in July 1964. Taken over by Bibby's in 1972 she was surplus
to requirements and laid up at Barry Dock in August of that
year pending her sale to Thai Maritime Navigation Co. of Bangkok
who renamed her Ratchaburi. On 24th March 1973, during her first
sailing for her new owner, she caught fire while loading rubber
for Japan and on the following day sank in Pattani Bay, Thailand.
ENGLISH BRIDGE/WORCESTERSHIRE (3) was built
in 1973 by Swan, Hunter Shipbuilders Ltd at Haverton Hill, Newcastle
with a tonnage of 76012grt, a length of 965ft 2in, a beam of
145ft 3in and a service speed of 15.5 knots. An OBO carrier
she was launched on 25th September 1972 and delivered to Bibby
Bulk Carriers Ltd in March 1973 for deployment by the Seabridge
Consortium as the English Bridge and later renamed Worcestershire
when she reverted to Bibby management. After six years, in 1979,
she was sold to Amroth Investments Corp. who renamed her Sunshine
and in the following year she was acquired by Grimaldi Cia di
Navigazione S.p.A. who changed her name to Murcurio. She became
the Crystal Transporter when she was purchased by the Far Eastern
Navigation Co. of Kaohsuing in 1983 and the Kowloon Bridge when
she was acquired by Helinger Ltd of Hong Kong in 1985. On 18th
November 1986, during a voyage from Seven Islands in Canada
to Hunterston in the Clyde estuary, in position 51.13N 10.22W
and in heavy weather, she reported cracks in her deck in front
of the bridge. She made for the protection of Bantry Bay in
Ireland where she remained until 22nd November when she continued
her voyage to Scotland. The weather deteriorated and she lost
her rudder. Shortly after midnight on 23rd November the crew
were taken off by R.A.F. helicopters and on the following day
she was blown ashore on the Stags in Eire. Before assistance
could reach her, she broke her back and was lost
(2).jpg)
OCEAN
BRIDGE/GLOUCESTERSHIRE (3) was built in 1970 by Sumitomo Shipbuilding
and Machinery Co. at Yokosuka with a tonnage of 66057grt, a
length of 849ft 10in, a beam of 134ft 1in and a service speed
of 15.5 knots. Bibby's first OBO (ore, bulk, oil) carrier she
was launched on 21st November 1969 and delivered in the following
March for charter to the Seabridge Consortium. On 8th March
1971, during a voyage from Rotterdam and Pepel, she stopped
off the coast of Spain to assist the British Tanker Co.'s British
Comet which was taking water in her engine room. As the Ocean
Bridge stood by there was an explosion in her No.9 hold which
destroyed her pumproom and blew a hole in the starboard side
forward of the bridge the size of a tennis court. A resulting
fire destroyed the bridge superstructure and on 19th March she
was towed into Huelva by the tugs, Pacific and Heros, both owned
by Bugsier and Smit's Hudson. On 25th April she arrived under
tow in Gibraltar Roads where she was patched up and sent to
Marseilles for dock repairs. She was subsequently towed to Scott
Lithgow Drydocks Ltd at Glasgow where she arrived in the October
to have her after section rebuilt. The repair which cost £2,500,000
was reputed to be the most expensive on a British merchant ship.
In 1977 she was renamed Gloucestershire and in the following
year sold to Sevenseas Navigation Transport Inc. of Monrovia
who renamed her Oceanic Victory. She was owned by Chiu Lung
Investments of Monrovia in 1984 who sold her to the Chinese
Petroleum Corp. of Taiwan. Renamed Ocean Victory she was transferred
to the Chinese Maritime Transport co. of Taipei who changed
her name to China Victory. On 17th July 1986 she sailed from
Tubarao bound for Kaohsuing where she arrived in the October
to be broken up. 
AUSTRALIAN
BRIDGE/SOMERSETSHIRE (2) was built in 1973 by Sumitomo Shipbuilding
& Engineering Co. at Yokosuka with a tonnage of 78257grt,
a length of 872ft 9in, a beam of 144ft 7in and a service speed
of 15.5 knots. An OBO carrier she was launched for Bibby Bulk
Carriers Ltd in January 1973, placed under the management of
Bibby Bros. & Co. and chartered to the Seabridge Consortium.
When her charter to Seabridge Shipping Co. ended in 1977 she
was renamed Somersetshire. In the following year she was sold
to Eddie Steam Ship Co. and renamed Enterprise Transporter.
She was sold on to Atlantic Combination Carriers Ltd of London
and then transferred to Cast Combination Carriers Ltd. in 1979
when her name was changed to Cast Puffin. Four years later she
was purchased initially by Ivorush Ltd. and then by Chili Ship
Holding Ltd who renamed her Chili. In 1986 she was acquired
by Lexvale Ltd of Hong Kong who changed her name to Danmark
and who, in the following year, sold her to K/S Finans-Invest
VI A/S of Norway who renamed her Norman Hunter. After four years
she was purchased by Ridgeway Maritime Inc. of Andros who reregistered
her as the Leon. Current records indicate that she has either
changed owners again or been broken up. (Photo: Bibby Line Group)
BERKSHIRE
was built in 1970 by Doxford & Sunderland Shipbuilding &
Engineering Co. at Sunderland with a tonnage of 19061grt, a
length of 598ft 9in, a beam of 86ft 7in and a service speed
of 16 knots. She was launched on 24th November 1969 and delivered
to Bibby Freighters Ltd in September 1970. The first of a trio
of ships, she was built as a car carrier with six removable
decks which, when not in use, were stowed in container-like
guides on the weather deck either side of the hatches. All of
her 7 holds were strengthened for the carriage of ore and her
wing tanks alternated between water (1, 2, 6, 7) and grain (3,
4, 5). When rigged as a car carrier she had capacity for 1900
medium sized cars. On completion she was, with her sisters,
placed on a five year charter carrying cars between Japan and
the USA and bulk cargoes on the return voyage. She was displaced
by purpose built ro-ro car carriers in 1979 and converted into
a bulk carrier only. She was Bibby's last dry cargo carrier.
In November 1983 she was sold to Takoradi Shipping Co. of Limassol.
Current records indicate that she has either changed owners
again or been broken up. (Photo: Bibby Line Group) 
DART
ATLANTIC was built in 1972 by Swan, Hunter & Tyne Shipbuilders
Ltd at Hebburn-on-Tyne with a tonnage of 31036grt, a length
of 759ft 10in, a beam of 100ft 6in and a service speed of 23
knots. She was the first of three container ships capable of
carrying the equivalent of 1556 20 ton containers of which 1100
were below deck. Of an all welded construction with much high
tensile steel she was, at the time, equipped with the UK's highest
powered diesel engines. Her enclosed bridge and chartroom extended
the full width of the ship. She was launched on 14th October
1970 for the Bristol City Line as part of their contribution
to the Dart Container consortium to operate a weekly service,
Antwerp - Southampton - Halifax - New York - Norfolk, Virginia.
When she was delivered on 24th May 1972 Bibby's had become the
owners. The planned service proved to be unprofitable and she
was taken over by C. Y. Tung's newly acquired Furness, Withy
& Co. in 1980 for operating the same route and with the
same name. In 1981 the Dart Consortium was reorganised and she
was transferred to Canadian Pacific Ltd on a demise charter
and renamed C P Ambassador. Her owner was recorded as being
Tricity Finance Ltd. of London. In 1985 she was renamed Canmar
Ambassador by the same owner but operated by 'Canmar' (Canadian
Marine Drilling Ltd) of Calgary and still on charter to Canadian
Pacific. In 1988 she was owned by Channel Ltd and managed by
BCP Ship Management Ltd of Bermuda. She was owned by Canadian
Maritime Ltd in 1991 and managed by Canada Maritime Services
still as the Canmar Ambassador. Current records indicate that
she has either changed owners again or been broken up. (Photo:
Bibby Line Group) 
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