IRON BANBURY. 1972 - 2001

IRON BANBURY. 1972 - 2001

Operator.  BHP Shipping Co. Pty Ltd.

General purpose cargo vessel laid down and launched as Banbury at Scotts Shipbuilding Co Ltd yard No. 721, Greenock for Alexander Shipping Co Ltd (Houlder Bros & Co Ltd appointed managers). 

During her fitting out period she was time chartered by BHP Ltd on a 4 year contract until 1975 and named Iron Banbury.

Tonnage: 11,381 gross, 6678 net, 15,500 dwt.

Lbd: 524' x 75'2" x 27'. (159.7 x 22.9 metres) 

Machinery: seven cylinder 2SA Sulzer oil engine by builder, 14,000 brake horsepower with consumption of 40 tons marine fuel per day and making 18 knots. 

9 holds, 5 hatches four of which were twinned.

Crew 32

Delivered from shipyard and steamed to Liverpool with an Australian crew. Loaded some general cargo, departing Christmas Day bound for Australia. En route bunkered at Las Palmas then on to Lorenco Marques loading 11,000 tons of fluorspar for Port Kembla, Newcastle and Whyalla.

June 1972 loaded a combined total of 13,644 tons of steel billets at Whyalla and Kwinana bound for Abadan, Iran. October 1972 sub-chartered to Hammersley Iron Pty Ltd for carriage of ore cars to Dampier from Melbourne and Brisbane.

She was returned to her owners 18 December 1975 and renamed Banbury.

Later a variety of services in her chartered career.

Many owners & names. 1982 renamed Lady Marina for Onward Marine Inc, registered Panama. 1989 renamed Ariane S 1992 renamed Presidente Aguirre Cerda and 1994 renamed M S C Elena for Compania Naviera Ariane S.A. Panamanian flag. 

Broken up at Alang September 2001

Source: SHIPAHOLICSOZ