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ESSO Belgium Tankers Album
Esso Brussels (II) - (1960-1973)
See also : Onze Nieuwe Supertanker "Esso Brussels"    See also : Additional information "Esso Brussels (II)"
See also : Cutaway Drawing Esso Brussels (II)        See also : De Schelde op met de "ESSO BRUSSELS".
See also : 1960 - Met de Esso Brussels het zeegat uit       See also : Interieur foto's ESSO BRUSSELS (II)  ( Meerder pagina's ).
See also : Foto's aan boord "Esso Brussels (II)"      See also :  De aanvaring met de ”Seawitch” 1973

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"Esso Brussels" was build in1960.
On 2 June 1973,
the SS C.V. SEA WITCH lost steering control in New York harbor. The ship moved out of the channel and struck and pene-trated the anchored Belgian tankship SS ESSO BRUSSELS which was loaded with crude oil. The 31,000 barrels of oil from three ruptured tanks ignited and the resulting fire engulfed both ships. The master and two crewmembers died aboard the SEA WITCH. The master and ten crewmembers of the ESSO BRUSSELS died after abandoning ship, one crewmember died aboard ship, and one crewmember is missing. Some nearby beaches were polluted, and damage to the ships and car-go amounted to about $23 million. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause was a me-chanical failure in the steering system of the SEA WITCH and the lack of adequate and timely action by the crew to control their ship after the failure occurred. The cause of the loss of steering was the deficient design of the system which did not provide 'two separate and independent steering control systems' as required by 46 CFR 58.25. The cause of the fire, pollu-tion, and deaths after the collision was that the typically designed bow of the SEA WITCH penetrated the hull of the ESSO BRUSSELS instead of absorbing the crash energy.
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"Esso Brussels".
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"Esso Brussels".
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"Esso Brussels".
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"Esso Brussels", Suez-Channel.    ( Photo thanks to Robert )
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"Esso Brussels".
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"Esso Brussels".
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"Esso Brussels".
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Constuction of the "Esso Brussels".
( Esso-photo)
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"Esso Brussels".
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"Esso Brussels".

Additional Information :

S.S. "ESSO BRUSSELS (II)" -  ONET     (1960-1973).
2.1960 geouwd door Kockums Mekaniske  Verksted A.B., Malmo. (442).
26.467 B.R.T., 16.422 N.T., 43.964 D.W.T., - L X B X H  = 2l3.l2 (202.83) x 29.65 x 15,102 (11.59) meter.
Twee stoomturbines De Laval - werf, D.R. op een schroefas, 16.500 a.p.k. 17,25 kn., T.W. 26.10.1959, proefvaart 16-19.2.1960.
2.6.1973: nabij Stapleton in de haven van New York voor anker liggend door het Amerikaanse containerschip”Seawitch
(1968 - 17.902 B.R.T., (aangevaren en in brand geraakt ). De “Esso Brussels”' was aangekomen van Bonny (Nigeria).
In Gravesend Bay aan de grond gezet (13).
Verkocht en op 8.11.1973 gesleept naar en te Piraeus aangekomen om te worden hersteld.
1974: “PETROLA XVII”, Iphigenia Shipping and Trading Corporation (John D. Latsis). Piraeus.
1974: “SPIRO”, Iphigenia Shipping and Trading Corporation (John D. Latsis). Piraeus.
1975: “PETROLA XXXVI”, Iphigenia Shipping and Trading Corporation (John D. Latsis). Piraeus.
1983: “PETROLA 36”, Iphigenia Shipping and Trading Corporation (John D. Latsis). Piraeus.
1976: “PETROLA 36”, Bilinder Marine Corporation (John D. Latsis). Piraeus.
19.10.1985 door de”Megas Alexandros” uit Piraeus weggesleept.
21.10.1985 te Aliaga aangekomen om te worden gesloopt bij Leyal Gemi Sokum Ticaret A/S.