© Handels – og Søfartsmuseet, Danmark

Previous name:
Subsequent name:                Shelfoil

Official Number:                      168340                                                       

Class:                                       Oil Fuel Hulk

Pennant No:                            X128

Laid down:
Builder:                                     Burmeister & Wain, Denmark
Launched:                               15 August 1931
Into Service:                             October 1942
Out of service:
Fate:                                          Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:   In her day, at 10,517 grt, this ship had been one of the largest tankers afloat, her owners being a subsidiary of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. For a time during WW2, the RFA were operators of half a ship , this fuelling hulk based at Scapa Flow until the base there was closed at the end of the War, when she was sold for commercial bunkering purposes

15 August 1931 launched by Burmeister & Wain Maskin Og Skipsbyggeri Aktieselskabet, Copenhagen as Yard Nr 348 named DANMARK for D/S A/S “Myren” (Holm &  Wonsild, Managers) Copenhagen

October 1931 completed

2 December 1931 while on passage from Baton Rouge to Nyborg loaded with 16,000 tons of oil grounded at Knudshead. Reported in Lloyds casualty reports

1934 purchased by Det Danske Petroleum A/S (C.F. Holm, Managers) Copenhagen name unchanged

1935 managers became F.W. Kraft, Copenhagen

19 August 1939 while on passage from Dairen for Rotterdam and Copenhagen arrived at Suez with defective machinery, cylinder cover broken. Reported in Lloyds casualty reports

25 December 1939 sailed Aruba independently

12 January 1940 while on passage from Aruba to Nyborg with a cargo of 8200 t of refined petrol and 5760 t of kerosene, she was ordered to divert to Kirkwall for clearance by Contraband Control. She anchored in Inganess Bay just to the east of Kirkwall. Here she was torpedoed by the German Submarine U-23 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Kretschmer)  in position 58.59 N 02.53 W and a huge hole was blown in her side. Her crew of 40 escaped safely but the 14,000 tons of fuel destined for the Allied war effort were lost

22 January 1940 back broken, after part sank, foward section beached. 

6 February 1940. The after part's position was given as 58 58 48N, 002 53 05W, or bearing 164.5 degrees, 2.34 miles from Hellier light.  - Report by Naval Officer in Charge, Kirkwall. Notice to Mariners 329/40 issued.

July 1940 1924 tons of her cargo of kerosene was salvaged

March 1941 Forward section broke off allowing it to be refloated and beached nearby where it lay  for some months before being refloated and towed to Inverkeithing, probably originally for demolition

7 June 1941 forward section towed to Grangemouth for conversation into stationary fuel hulk by Grangemouth Dockyard Co Ltd.

5 September 1941 sailed under tow from Kirwall to Scapa Flow arriving 13 September 1941

17 September 1941 sailed under tow from Scapa Flow to Inverkeithing arriving 25 September 1941

September 1942 conversion completed

RFA Danmark

© Handels – og Søfartsmuseet, Danmark

22 October 1942 Mr F Clarke RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

27 October 1942 towed to Scapa Flow where she was used  to bunker light cruisers and destroyers, being herself refilled by other tankers as  required. She had an RFA Chief Officer, Third Officer, Chief Engineer and Third Engineer as part of her crew

18 December 1942 Chief Officer B Smith RFA appointed as Chief Officer-in-Charge

14 December 1943 Chief Officer A J McKenzie RFA appointed as Chief Officer-in-Charge

28 June 1945. A buoy was laid on a bearing 043.5 degrees and 121 metres from the wrecked after part  Report by Northern Lighthouse Board, Notice to Mariners 10/46 issued.

3 October 1945 towed to the Clyde and laid up off Kilcreggan

July 1947 moved to lay-up in Loch Long

1948 purchased by Shell-Mex & B.P. Ltd, London who proposed to return her to service as an oil storage depot at Dublin

February 1948 arrived Dublin in tow of  the tug METINDA 1V and was subsequently renamed SHELFOIL and remained here for a number of years

Shelfoil at Dublin

© Handels – og Søfartsmuseet, Danmark

25 March 1953 hulk arrived Faslane to be broken up after completion of new oil installations at Dublin.

2 December 1957. The after part wreck dries to reveal 1 metre. Report taken from Diver Report 1957 Docket 28 Augst 1957

18 August 1961. The wreck has been totally dispersed to seabed level and the buoy has been removed. The position is considered to be foul.  Report by Northern Lighthouse Board.

Notes: