IRON ENDEAVOUR IN THE MERSEY
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:09 pm- Iron Endeavour in the Mersey
Completed 10 February 1969, and handed over at Palmers drydock for Nile Steam Ship Company, managers Denholms. Registered Newcastle (UK). Yard number 724 was powered by a 20,000 bhp Doxford 760 J8 engine (no 390). Speed 15 knots at 57 tons per day fuel consumption. 798' 5" OA inc bulbous bow. 120' 3" breadth, 56' 3" deep, 39' 3" draught. Was to have been called Iron King, but was changed to Endeavour in commemoration of bi centennial discovery by Cook in Endeavour. Taken immediately on ten year charter by Dampier mining Company a subsidiary of Broken Hill Propriety with the distinction, at that time, of being the ship that had carried the most iron ore by an Australia owned vessel. I have a company account that says in its 14 years with Nile Steamship company it carried 11, 722, 381 tonnes of ore in 137 but it may have been 173 voyages, but I cannot see even this as being correct as it was only 69,115 DWT. It grounded off port Headland and suffered extensive hull damage and was repaired at Singapore. It had a crew of 42. The company nicknamed it "Big E" and it was said to be one of the best ships they had owned. Sold in 1983 it became Andoromachi, then in 1990 Kaptan Ziya Sonmez, and in 1992 Ocean Blue. It was sold and sank off South Africa as Naga with all hands, as was Badagry Palm, Thompsons last cargo ship with the last Doxford engine built for a British shipping company. So some of it will still exist on the sea bed.
When Patrick Thomposon died his family asked for a picture of it to go on his funeral brochure.