British Tanker Company
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British Tanker Company flag 1915-1926 | |
Industry | Ship transport |
---|---|
Founded | 1915 |
Headquarters | , England |
Owner(s) | Anglo-Persian Oil Company |
British Tanker Company Limited was the maritime transport arm of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, the forerunner of BP. The British Tanker Company was formed in 1915 with an initial fleet of seven oil tankers. The Company became the BP Tanker Company in 1955.
Contents
History 1915 to 1945
From the moment oil was discovered in Persia (now Iran) in May 1908, the issue arose of how best to ship it back to Britain. The Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC) initially employed independent contractors to carry the oil by sea. However, the directors of the APOC soon decided it would be better for the company to possess its own fleet of tankers. It set up the British Tanker Company Limited (BTC) in April 1915, with an initial capital of £100,000. The BTC placed orders with two Tyne based shipbuilders, Armstrong Whitworth and Swan Hunter, for a total of 7 steam-powered oil tankers.
The BTC's first tanker was the 3,663 gross tonnage British Emperor, launched in 1916. She was employed to take oil from Abadan to the ports of Bombay, Karachi, Madras and Calcutta. Her career eventually ended in 1941, when she was sunk by the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin, after evading all the Pinguin's attempts to capture her intact.
The names of all the first 7 ships bore the prefix "British", and all future additions to the fleet followed the same naming convention.
The BTC's share capital was doubled to £200,000 in 1916, and further increased to £3,000,000 in November 1917.
Over the next decade, the demand for oil grew throughout the industrialised world, and the BTC expanded its fleet accordingly. By just 1924 the fleet numbered 60 vessels. The 60th ship was the new flagship, the 6,998 gross tonnage British Aviator. She was the BTC's first diesel engined oil tanker, and was at that time the most powerful single-screw motor ship in the world.
The cargoes carried by the BTC were crude oil and refined oil products; the main refined products being fuel oil, benzine and kerosine. During the 1920s the principal destination for the BTC was the United Kingdom, which accounted for around half of all cargoes discharged. Twice as much crude oil was delivered to the United Kingdom than refined products, with most of the crude oil being taken to the refineries at Llandarcy and Grangemouth. The next largest destination for the BTC was India, receiving 14% of the total cargoes carried. Cargoes discharged in Europe increased steadily, and by 1928 accounted for 13% of the total. In 1928 the BTC's fleet consisted of 80 sea-going tankers, 5 coastal vessels, and 4 government owned steamers, with a further 13 sea-going tankers being chartered by the BTC.
With the onset of the Great Depression in the early 1930s, the merchant navies around the world faced increasing unemployment. However, through a number of strategic mergers, as well as the continuing support of the Shah of Iran, the APOC managed to strengthen its position within the industry, and the BTC's fleet continued to grow.
With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the British government chartered the BTC's whole fleet of 93 vessels, to transport fuel for its armed forces. The fleet lost 41 ships sunk during the war, many during the Battle of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean U-Boat campaign, with 2 others so badly damaged they could only be used as storage hulks.
Fleet list 1930 to 1945
Ship | Built | Gross Tonnage | Photo | Built by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
British Admiral | 1917 | 6,842 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Broken up in 1937 | |
British Advocate | 1922 | 6,994 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Captured 20 February 1941 by the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer | |
British Ambassador | 1924 | 6,940 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ||
British Architect | 1922 | 7,388 | Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Ardour | 1928 | 7,124 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 5 April 1943 by torpedo from German submarine U-706 | |
British Aviator | 1924 | 6,998 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Beacon | 1918 | 6,891 | Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | ||
British Birch | 1916 | 5,882 | Short Brothers Ltd, Sunderland | Built as Birchleaf. Renamed British Birch in 1920. Broken up in 1931 | |
British Captain | 1923 | 6,968 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 2 December 1941 by mine | |
British Chancellor | 1921 | 7,086 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ||
British Character | 1941 | 8,453 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Chemist | 1925 | 6,997 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Chivalry | 1929 | 7,118 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 22 February 1944 by torpedo from Japanese submarine I-37 | |
British Colonel | 1921 | 6,999 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ||
British Colony | 1927 | 6,917 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 13 May 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-162 | |
British Commander | 1922 | 6,896 | Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee | Sunk 26 August 1940 by the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin | |
British Commerce | 1922 | 4,205 | William Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Commodore | 1923 | 6,865 | Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee | ||
British Confidence | 1936 | 8,494 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | ||
British Consul | 1924 | 6,940 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Sunk 19 August 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-564 | |
British Corporal | 1922 | 6,972 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Councillor | 1922 | 7,045 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Sunk 3 Feb 1940 by mine | |
British Courage | 1928 | 6,952 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
British Destiny | 1937 | 8,470 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Diligence | 1937 | 8,408 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Diplomat | 1926 | 6,484 | John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank | ||
British Dominion | 1928 | 6,983 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 10 January 1943 by torpedo from German submarine U-620 | |
British Duchess | 1924 | 5,973 | J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ||
British Emperor | 1916 | 3,637 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 7 May 1941 by the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin | |
British Empress | 1917 | 6,847 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Endeavour | 1927 | 4,580 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 22 Feb 1940 by torpedo from German submarine U-50 | |
British Endurance | 1936 | 8,406 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Energy | 1931 | 7,209 | Greenock Dockyard Co Ltd, Greenock | ||
British Engineer | 1922 | 6,993 | Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | ||
British Ensign | 1917 | 7,048 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Enterprise | 1921 | 4,204 | William Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Faith | 1928 | 6,955 | Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee | ||
British Fame | 1936 | 8,303 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 12 August 1940 by torpedo from Italian submarine Alessandro Malaspina | |
British Fern | 1917 | 5,831 | Napier & Miller Ltd, Glasgow | Built as Fernleaf. Broken up in 1931 | |
British Fidelity | 1938 | 8,465 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Fortitude | 1937 | 8,482 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | Damaged 23 February 1943 by torpedo from German submarine U-202, but survived | |
British Fortune | 1930 | 4,696 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Sunk 31 October 1941 by German aircraft | |
British Freedom | 1928 | 6,985 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 14 January 1945 by torpedo from German submarine U-1232 | |
British Fusilier | 1923 | 6,943 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British General | 1922 | 6,985 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 7 October 1940 by torpedo from German submarine U-37 | |
British Genius | 1939 | 8,553 | William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ||
British Glory | 1928 | 6,993 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Damaged 15 October 1940 by torpedo from German submarine U-138, but survived | |
British Governor | 1926 | 6,840 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Gratitude | 1942 | 8,463 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Grenadier | 1922 | 6,888 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastlee | Sunk 22 May 1941 by torpedo from German submarine U-103 | |
British Gunner | 1922 | 6,894 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 24 February 1941 by torpedo from German submarine U-97 | |
British Harmony | 1941 | 8,453 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Holly | 1917 | 5,162 | William Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | Broken up in 1931 | |
British Honour | 1928 | 6,991 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Hope | 1928 | 6,951 | Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee | ||
British Hussar | 1923 | 6,944 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastlee | ||
British Industry | 1927 | 4,297 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Influence | 1939 | 8,431 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 14 Sept 1939 by torpedo and gunfire from German submarine U-29 | |
British Integrity | 1937 | 8,412 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Inventor | 1926 | 7,101 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 13 June 1940 by mine | |
British Isles | 1917 | 7,108 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | Broken up in 1938 | |
British Judge | 1921 | 6,735 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ||
British Justice | 1928 | 6,982 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Lady | 1923 | 6,098 | J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ||
British Lantern | 1918 | 6,897 | Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | Broken up by 1936 | |
British Liberty | 1939 | 8,435 | Furness Shipbuilding Co, Haverton Hill-on-Tees | Sunk 6 January 1940 by mine | |
British Light | 1917 | 6,470 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Lord | 1922 | 6,098 | J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ||
British Loyalty | 1928 | 6,993 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 9 March 1944 by torpedo from German submarine U-183, but salvaged as a hulk | |
British Mariner | 1922 | 6,996 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Severely damaged 20 October 1941 by torpedo from German submarine U-126, but salvaged and used as a hulk | |
British Merchant | 1922 | 6,994 | William Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Merit | 1942 | 8,093 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Damaged 25 July 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-552, but survived | |
British Might | 1945 | 8,200 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Motorist | 1924 | 6,891 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 19 February 1942 by Japanese aircraft | |
British Officer | 1922 | 6,990 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 1 December 1940 by mine | |
British Patience | 1943 | 8,097 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Petrol | 1925 | 6,906 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 14 June 1940 by the German auxiliary cruiser Widder | |
British Pluck | 1928 | 1,025 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Renamed Shelbrit 1 in 1936 | |
British Power | 1936 | 8,451 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Premier | 1922 | 5,872 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 24 December 1940 by torpedo from German submarine U-65 | |
British Prestige | 1931 | 7,106 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
British Pride | 1931 | 7,106 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
British Princess | 1917 | 7,019 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Progress | 1927 | 4,581 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | Broken up 4 November 1943 after being severely damaged by torpedo from a German E-Boat | |
British Promise | 1942 | 8,443 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | Damaged 21 November 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-518, but survived | |
British Prudence | 1939 | 8,620 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Sunk 23 March 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-754 | |
British Purpose | 1943 | 5,845 | Furness Shipbuilding Co, Haverton Hill-on-Tees | Damaged 20 October 1943 by torpedo from German submarine U-532, but survived | |
British Reliance | 1928 | 7,000 | Greenock Dockyard Co Ltd, Greenock | Sunk 2 April 1941 by torpedo from German submarine U-46 | |
British Renown | 1928 | 6,997 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | Damaged 21 November 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-518, but survived | |
British Resolution | 1937 | 8,408 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Resource | 1931 | 7,209 | Greenock Dockyard Co Ltd, Greenock | Sunk 15 March 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-124 | |
British Respect | 1943 | 8,479 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Restraint | 1943 | 8,448 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | ||
British Sailor | 1918 | 5,576 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Originally built as War Rajah. Renamed British Sailor in 1920 | |
British Science | 1931 | 7,138 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 18 April 1941 by torpedo from German aircraft | |
British Scout | 1922 | 1,507 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Security | 1937 | 8,470 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Sunk 23 May 1941 by torpedo from German submarine U-556 | |
British Sergeant | 1922 | 5,868 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 9 April 1942 by Japanese aircraft | |
British Sincerity | 1939 | 8,533 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | ||
British Soldier | 1918 | 5,564 | William Gray & Co Ltd, Hartlepool | Originally built as War Sikh. Renamed British Soldier in 1919 | |
British Sovereign | 1917 | 3,657 | Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Splendour | 1931 | 7,138 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 7 April 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-552 | |
British Star | 1918 | 6,888 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Renamed Clynthus 1937 | |
British Statesman | 1923 | 6,991 | Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ||
British Strength | 1931 | 7,139 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 15 March 1941 by German battleship, Scharnhorst or Gneisenau | |
British Tenacity | 1939 | 8,439 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Thrift | 1928 | 707 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Renamed Thriftie in 1935, then Shelbrit 2 in 1936 | |
British Tommy | 1921 | 1,411 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
British Trader | 1921 | 4,204 | William Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Tradition | 1942 | 8,443 | Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | ||
British Triumph | 1936 | 8,402 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Sunk 13 Feb 1940 by mine | |
British Trust | 1939 | 8,466 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Sunk 1 May 1943 by torpedo from German aircraft | |
British Union | 1927 | 6,987 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 18 January 1941 by the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran | |
British Unity | 1939 | 8,407 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
British Valour | 1927 | 6,952 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
British Venture | 1930 | 4,696 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Sunk 24 June 1943 by torpedo, from Japanese submarine I-27 | |
British Vigilance | 1942 | 8,093 | Harland & Wolff Ltd, Glasgow | Sunk 24 January 1943 by torpedo from German submarine U-105 | |
British Vigour | 1943 | 5,844 | Furness Shipbuilding Co, Haverton Hill-on-Tees | ||
British Virtue | 1945 | 8,500 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | ||
British Viscount | 1921 | 6,895 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 3 April 1941 by torpedo from German submarine U-73 | |
British Wisdom | 1945 | 8,130 | Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Glasgow | ||
British Workman | 1922 | 6,994 | Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | Sunk 3 May 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-455 | |
British Yeoman | 1923 | 6,990 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | Sunk 15 July 1942 by torpedo from German submarine U-201 | |
British Zeal | 1937 | 8,532 | Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | Damaged 31 December 1940 by torpedo from German submarine U-65, but survived | |
Shelbrit 1 | 1928 | 1,025 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Originally built as the British Pluck. Renamed Shelbrit 1 in 1936 | |
Shelbrit 2 | 1928 | 695 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Originally built as the British Thrift. Renamed Thriftie in 1935, then Shelbrit 2 in 1936 | |
Thriftie | 1928 | 695 | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle | Originally built as the British Thrift. Renamed Thriftie in 1935, then Shelbrit 2 in 1936 | |
War Nawab | 1919 | 5,586 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
War Nizam | 1918 | 5,605 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
War Sudra | 1920 | 5,599 | Palmers' Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Newcastle |
History post 1945
Within a year of peace in 1945, the BTC had restored its fleet to its pre-war total of 93 ships. The recovery was further bolstered by the building of 57 new tankers, each of 8,600 gross tonnage. These new ships increased the tonnage of oil transported from the Abadan refinery, but they remained light enough to sail through the shallow waters of the Suez Canal.
In 1951 the situation changed dramatically, when Iran nationalised its oil industry. The APOC removed all its staff from the country, and for the time being it had no access to Iranian oil. The APOC set about forming new alliances with other oil producing countries, especially Kuwait and Bahrain.
In the early 1950s the BTC began increasing the size of its deep-sea ships by building 13 so called 'super-tankers', each with a gross tonnage of 18,000. These larger ships were particularly useful during the Suez crisis of 1956, which closed the Suez Canal and forced ships to sail around the Cape of South Africa, adding 9,000 nautical miles to their journey.
In November 1954 the APOC renamed itself the British Petroleum Company, and in 1955 the BTC became the BP Tanker Company. By the end of the 1950s, the BP Tanker Company's fleet stood at 146 vessels, including super-tankers of 38,000 gross tonnage (67,000 deadweight tonnes), with plans to build tankers of 60,000 gross tonnage (100,000 deadweight tonnes), which would hold more than 25 million gallons of crude oil.
House flag
The first house flag consisted of the black letters BTC set in a white circle on a white horizontal band, the white bordered with black, all set against a red background.
In 1926 the flag was changed to include the Persian colours. This new house flag consisted of the red Cross of Saint George on a white background, with a large green lozenge imposed over the centre of the cross, the lozenge containing a golden lion 'passant guardant'; the lion being a symbol of Persia. This remained until 1954, when a red lion ‘rampant’ replaced the golden lion.
References
- National Archives, Kew
- BP Magazine: Issue 2, 2009: page 24
- Lloyd's shipping registers
- Harvey, W J & Dr. Solly, R J (2005). BP Tankers: A Group Fleet History. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1861762518.
- Ferrier, R W (1982). The History of the British Petroleum Company: Volume 1 The Developing Years, 1901-1932. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521246474. pages 292-294
External links
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- Anglo-Persian Oil Company
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- World War II merchant ships of the United Kingdom
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