SS Manticos
Encyclopedia
{|Manticos was a 3,538 GRT heavy lift ship
which was built by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool
in 1944 as Empire Barbados for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). In 1948 she was sold and renamed Tennyson. She was sold again in 1950 and renamed Berylstone and in 1960 was again sold and renamed Manticos. On 8 October 1963 she developed a leak, and despite efforts to save her she sank on 22 October 1963.
. In 1948 she was sold to the Rodney Steamship Co Ltd and renamed Tennyson, serving with them for two years under the management of Anglo-Danubian Transport Co Ltd, London
. In 1950, Tennyson was sold to T Stone (Shipping) Ltd and renamed Berylstone. She was operated under the management of Stone & Rolfe Ltd, Swansea
. Her port of registry was Llanelly
. On 14 September 1951, Berylstone was bombed by three Soviet
aircraft off Archangelsk. Berylstone served for ten years and was sold in 1960 to Compagnia Navigazione Zannis. Greece
and renamed Manticos. She was operated under the management of A Halcoussis & Co, Greece.
, Gabon
bound for the Mediterranean with a cargo of logs when she developed a leak. She was beached some 210 nautical miles (388.9 km) south of Dakar
, Senegal
(11°14′N 16°32′W). On 16 October, a tug
was alongside, assisting with pumping operations but on the 22 October the leak increased and the stern section of Manticos submerged. The ship was declared a total loss.
.
Empire Barbados had the UK Official Number 180081 and used the Code Letters
GFDX..
Heavy lift ship
A heavy lift ship is a vessel designed to move very large loads that cannot be handled by normally equipped ships. They are of two types: semi-submerging capable of lifting another ship out of the water and transporting it; and vessels that augment unloading facilities at inadequately equipped...
which was built by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool
West Hartlepool
This article refers to the place; for the Rugby Football Club see West Hartlepool R.F.C.West Hartlepool refers to the western part of the what has since the 1960s been known as the borough of Hartlepool in North East England...
in 1944 as Empire Barbados for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). In 1948 she was sold and renamed Tennyson. She was sold again in 1950 and renamed Berylstone and in 1960 was again sold and renamed Manticos. On 8 October 1963 she developed a leak, and despite efforts to save her she sank on 22 October 1963.
History
Empire Barbados was built by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool as yard number 1178. She was launched on 28 December 1944 and completed in March 1945. She was built for the MoWT and was initially operated under the management of Joseph Constantine Steamship Line Ltd. In 1946, management passed to the Rodney Steamship Co Ltd, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1948 she was sold to the Rodney Steamship Co Ltd and renamed Tennyson, serving with them for two years under the management of Anglo-Danubian Transport Co Ltd, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1950, Tennyson was sold to T Stone (Shipping) Ltd and renamed Berylstone. She was operated under the management of Stone & Rolfe Ltd, Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
. Her port of registry was Llanelly
Llanelly
Llanelly is the name of both a village and its respective parish in Monmouthshire principal area, within the historic boundaries of Brecknockshire, south-east Wales.- Situation :...
. On 14 September 1951, Berylstone was bombed by three Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
aircraft off Archangelsk. Berylstone served for ten years and was sold in 1960 to Compagnia Navigazione Zannis. Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and renamed Manticos. She was operated under the management of A Halcoussis & Co, Greece.
Sinking
On 8 October 1963, Manticos was on a voyage from LibrevilleLibreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
, Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
bound for the Mediterranean with a cargo of logs when she developed a leak. She was beached some 210 nautical miles (388.9 km) south of Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
(11°14′N 16°32′W). On 16 October, a tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
was alongside, assisting with pumping operations but on the 22 October the leak increased and the stern section of Manticos submerged. The ship was declared a total loss.
Official number and code letters
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO NumbersIMO ship identification number
The IMO ship identification number is made of the three letters "IMO" followed by the seven-digit number assigned to all ships by IHS Fairplay when constructed. This is a unique seven digit number that is assigned to propelled, sea-going merchant ships of 100 GT and above...
.
Empire Barbados had the UK Official Number 180081 and used the Code Letters
Code letters
Code letters were a method of identifying ships before the introduction of modern navigation aids. Later, with the introduction of radio, code letters were also used as radio callsigns.-History:...
GFDX..