Vishva Pankaj almost complete at North Sands on 23 March 1980.

One of a series of six ships built for the Shipping Corporation of India. As part of an overseas aid package to India from Britain, the aid was conditional on the Indians using it to buy ships, (and aeroplanes as well I think). The Indians were not in the least pleased about that, they just wanted money. In retaliation, they insisted on a lot of unnecessary work to be done on the ships. One such case was that of ladders.Normally all the ladders, made for every ship built at Thompsons, Laings or Doxfords were made at the then,Sunderland Shipbuilders Group Blacksmiths shop at J.L. Thompsons, just east of Palmers Hill, the former plumbers shop. Normal practice was for a completed ladder to be marked with ink bottle, (for example), “908 Ship, Ladder no 45, no 2 LWT Stbd.,” (Lower Wing Tank Starboard). Ladders would be sent to the respective ships to be fitted with appropriate lugs (bars) for fixing to the ships structure. The Indians insisted that all ladders must be galvanised. As such, the identification would be burned off during galvanising, so welders in the blacksmiths had to write on the identification in welding. The ladders then went to Teesside for galvanising, brought back, re-sorted and sent to the ships. The additional time and cost of welding were small compared to the disruption to the production schedule, ladders having to be made earlier than needed, handled, transported, galvanised, transported back, unloaded then sorted. It wouldn’t be surprising if there are still some of those ladders salvaged in Chittagong, Mumbai, Alang, Kaohsuing etc !! Another instance was that of the Indians insisting that inside of some oil tanks had to be ground with hand held grinding machines, despite having being shot blasted and primed as steel plates. The exercise was soon found to be futile when paint wouldn’t adhere to the abnormally smooth steel, so the surface of the tank then had to be roughened with pin guns to provide a key for the paint. There were dozens of other instances that cost the British, much more than they need have.
I have the contracts as:
Laings Yard no 908 Vishva Pankaj launched 21.09.79
Laings Yard no 909 Vishva Pallev launched 03.03.80
Laings Yard no 910 Vishva Parimal launched 11.07.80

Doxfords Yard no 14 Vishva Parijat floated out 16.03.80
Doxfords Yard no 15 Vishva Parag floated out 16.03.80
Doxfords Yard no 16 Vishva Prafulla floated out 16.03.80

25/04/1992 Berthed Mineral quay East, Immingham Dock.