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Built as a tanker by N.V. Boelwerf S.A.-Tamise/Temse, Belgium for British Petroleum Shipping Ltd., London.
06 March 1973 launched under the name BRITISH ESK.
Tonnage 15.644 gross, 9.664 net, 25.905 dwt., dim. 171.46 x 25.05 x 12.58m., draught 9.583m.
Powered by a B&W oil-engine 2 SA 6 cyl. 9.000 bhp., speed 14.75 knots.
September 1973 completed.


During the Falkland War was she chartered by the British Government on 05 April 1982, while berthed at Hamburg.
She had to be converted as a RAS vessel (Replenishment at Sea) by the Royal Navy.
Arrived at Portland, U.K for conversion two days later.

She was fitted out with RAS gear for both astern and abeam methods, and given Royal Navy communications equipment, as well as a small sickbay.
Loaded with furnace fuel oil, diesel oil and aviation fuel, she received orders to proceed to the Falklands on 11 April, under command of Capt. Gil Barber. A small party of naval men were put on board for communications and to help with the fueling gear.
Her orders were amended when she met up with the task group consisting of HMS ANTRIM, PLYMOUTH and RFA TIDESPRING, which returned from the recapture of the South Georgia Islands.
She received orders to transport prisoners of war (POW’s) to Ascension and then to return to the total exclusion zone (TEZ), being the first merchant ship to sail with the task force.
After the loss of the HMS SHEFFIELD, she took the 262 survivors back to Ascension Island, arriving 26 May. On this voyage, she had a total of 311 men on board, compared with her normal crew of 31. There were six sittings for meals every day. Fresh drinking-water was not plentiful, and they had to use buckets of salt water to flush the toilets. After she disembarked the passengers at Ascension, she went to the U.K to reload for the Falklands, and was the first vessel returning from the war-zone. Thereafter she supplied fuel for ships going to and from Ascension from the south, before charter was ended.

On 7 Nov 1991, she collided with the bulk carrier IPANAMA off Vlissingen (Flushing), Netherlands. The BRITISH ESK was then on a voyage from Ponte do Ubi for Gent. The IPANAMA was beached but the BRITISH ESK arrived safely at Gent with little damage.

Sold in 2001 by BP Amoco Shipping Ltd., Bermuda, to Chinese shipbreakers and arrived Xinhui 29 March 2001.

On Ascension 1994 30p sg 631, scott 592.

Source: Merchant ships at War by Capt. R. Villar. Marine News 1992/51. 2001/435. Watercraft Philately Vol. 47 page 62.