Ribera (V) 1965
Seen here on her maiden voyage from Smith's Dock - courtesy of 'Chippy' Chapman
Pictured here possibly moored in the Thames at Greenwich, or Gravesend, waiting to be sold in 1972/3
Ribera 1965
18088 tons and 29830 dwt
Length 182.8 and 175.3 LPP x 24.2m
Motorship 12 cyl Sulzer RD76
3x turbo charged Ruston generators
15kts
Smith's Dock Co., South Bank, Middlesbrough
Yard No 1278
1973 sold to the Ben Line Steamers and renamed Benvorlich
1976 sold to Peoples Republic of China and renamed Kang Hai
1976 owners title China Ocean Shipping Co.
1983 owners title Shanghai Ocean Shipping Co. (COSCO -Shanghai)
Eventual fate not known
1st Hand
'If I win the pools I'm going to buy one of these generators and stand it at the bottom of my garden.
Then I'm going to sit at my french doors with a glass in my hand and watch it start up with no oil in it!!
Chief Engineer 'Sammy' Sandvid 1970
On a voyage in ballast from Tilbury to US Gulf in 1972 the chippy, heading for'd after lunch, noticed water issuing from the deck plating in way of No 4 hatch.
It turned out that a crack had appeared running down either side of the vessel from the hatch combing, across the deck and down the shell plate for about 5 feet and the water was ballast from the topside tanks.
A careful about turn took her to Falmouth within 24 hours for repairs.
The fracture was attributed to weakness induced by the practice of transporting part cargoes when alternate holds were filled, Nos 2, 4 and 6 having been empty on the previous voyage.
'Chief Sandvid came roaring past the control stand shouting for me to follow him whereupon we went straight down to the bottom plates and slammed shut the hatch to the duct keel.'
Lloyd Housley 3/E
'It was on my watch when it was first noticed, I was hanging over the dodger on a nice sunny afternoon [west bound] and Chippy pointed at this quaint fountain of water on the maindeck- it was then that the sh1t hit the fan and Sammy bounded past you!!!'
Simon Coate C/O