The P&O-Orient liner Oriana leaving Southampton on 4th February 1972. To her left getting ready to sail is Shaw Savill’s Ocean Monarch. Passing the Oriana is the bunkering tanker Northernstan of Southern Tankers & Bunkering.

Photo: Don Smith/photo-transport.com

The 41,923grt Oriana was built in 1960 by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness. In 1986 after a period of lay-up in Sydney she was sold to Japanese interests and converted to a floating hotel at Osaka. She then served as a floating museum at Beppu, Oita but this venture failed and she became a floating hotel in Shanghai. In 2002 she was moved to Dalian and on 16th June 2004 she was wrecked during a typhoon. She was subsequently broken up at Zhangjiagang during May 2005.

The 25,585grt Ocean Monarch was built in 1957 by Vickers-Armstrong at High Walker as the Empress of England for Canadian Pacific Railway Co. She joined Shaw Savill in 1970 and on 17th July 1975 she arrived at Kaohsiung to be broken up by Chi Shun Hwa Steel.

The 105grt tanker Northernstan was built by and for John Harker of Knottingley in 1950 as the Northdale H before joining Southern Tankers & Bunkering of Southampton in 1971. In 1975 she became the Botley of Bowker & King. In 1987 Bowker & King lost the bunkering contract to Whitakers.

Photo: Don Smith/photo-transport.com