Robert Cole recalls his time as a deck cadet on Esso Ulidia, as well as the unreliable nature of similar ships...
I was deck cadet on the Ulidia from August to November 1976, and I also did trips on the Caledonia and Northumbria. The other Kingdom ships were the Scotia and Cambria (German built 250s) and the Anglia, Mercia and Bernicia (French built but 'only' 190 K dwt).
Reliability was not a strong point of the four UK 250s. One set a record for the number of blackouts between Dubai and Ras Tanura: four I think. The main engines were all steam turbines. Luckily the crews were of a reasonable size and when time allowed there was a decent social life, with Saturday night horse racing for example.
Robert Cole
More letters
Warm QM2 welcome for Cunard war veteran
Knowing that we would be marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day this year, I was honoured recently to meet a Merchant Navy veteran of the Second World War.
New addition to Hull historic trail celebrates maritime education
On 27 March 2025 at 12 noon, the Old Boys of the Hull Trinity House School Association and the Hull Trinity House Brethren held a ceremony to celebrate the work of Hull Trinity House School over more than two centuries.
Same old story on seafarer safety
I was watching a recent programme on BBC1, Why Bridges Collapse, about the MV Dali container vessel hitting the bridge at Baltimore. The part where they were taking the bridge's trusses off the bow of the vessel I found quite illuminating.