KHASIELLA (5186316), Netherlands, 12119gt,
completed Amsterdam 4-1956
BU Kaohsiung 5.10.79 [Tai Shing Enterprise Co]
*****
M.S.C. SCIMITAR (8227214), Manchester Ship Canal Co Ltd., 147gt,
completed P.K. Harris, Appledore, 11-1956
1967 M.S.C. SCIMITAR - 1987 GOLIATH (Still in service - British flag)
*****
M.S.C. SOVEREIGN, Manchester Ship Canal Co Ltd., 147gt,
completed P.K. Harris, Appledore, 2-1957
1957 M.S.C. SOVEREIGN - 1993 SOVEREIGN - 1997 M.B.1
BU Howdon 4.06
*****
Albert Weller slides, Manchester Ship Canal, 12 July 1975: Ron

Puzzle time re M.S.C. SCIMITAR.

The detail I show above comes from Miramar, and is repeated on other shipping sites.
However, checking my own database, when I first sighted the GOLIATH in 1999 I extracted details from Lloyd's Register which recorded her as ex M.S.C. SCEPTRE. That still applied in the latest edition I have for 2005-6.

Does anyone know if the Register entry has since been amended and, if not, what is the true state of affairs?
If she was actually the SCIMITAR what eventually happened to the SCEPTRE, or vice-versa?

I suspect a clue is given in the shipspotting.com entry for GOLIATH which includes the comment:
wheelhouse of the M.S.C. SCEPTRE used as cabin on the after deck, called the 'Clip-On'

While awaiting clarification, I now present my view of the GOLIATH in dry-dock in Hull on 19 August 2001: Ron

Ron, I cannot comment on the current entry in Lloyds or the specific Shipspotting comment, but here is a photo of GOLIATH with her "clip on" cabin.


and a comment posted by George Robinson on TugTalk 16/05/2005:

Through putting a photo of GOLIATH on my website and referring to her as ex MSC SCEPTRE which is what LR says, have received following from Harold Appleyard ...

"I was interested to see the picture of the tug GOLIATH off Woolwich. Next Friday I am showing slides at the N.E. Tug Society meeting in South Shields and the GOLIATH is included in the presentation as she has been working from the Tyne recently.. There does however seem to be an error in Lloyd's Register where she is recorded as being the former MSC SCEPTRE. In April 1990 I photographed GOLIATH and SCEPTRE together at the shipbreaking yard at New Holland when demolition of SCEPTRE was well underway. Her wheelhouse had been transferred to the towing deck of GOLIATH which made an unusual photograph. I was told that it was to provide additional accommodation for a team of divers who were going to be working from the GOLIATH. It has of course long since been removed. It would seem that somewhere along the line there has been a mix up between the two tugs and that the SCEPTRE was formerly the MSC SCEPTRE and that the GOLIATH is in fact the former MSC SCIMITAR."

This confirms my feeling LR have got this one wrong.
However, it may be it has been corrected on their SeaWeb (a main source for Miramar), but not transferred into the printed book. Will try to check that out.

Ron

The Tugtalk experts still have her as ex MSC SCIMITAR, but based on Harold's report.

Sorry, I missed the clinching part of Harold's message.
The following photo was taken at the same time and shows SCEPTRE being scrapped in the foreground and GOLIATH in the background with the "clip on".

Can confirm that Sea-Web database (IHS-Fairplay) has GOLIATH as ex-M.S.C. SCIMITAR.
but do not know whether LR have corrected their's - they are two separate databases now.

Interesting re-visiting disussion from eight years ago!

GOLIATH now renamed SEVERN SCIMITAR since 01/01/2023 - UK flag, giving further credence to SCIMITAR origins.

Ron M

50 YEARS AGO

My own photos of KHASIELLA and M.S.C. SCIMITAR, Manchester Ship Canal - 12 July 1975:
MS.C. SOVEREIGN - see also: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=26913

Ron M