Book Review of
The Development of Crude Oil Tankers
A Historical Miscellany
Author: Dr. Ray Solly
Pen & Swords Books Ltd.
ISBN: 9781526792419
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $60.00
ISBN: 9781526792419
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $60.00
In this engaging book, Dr. Ray Solly examines the history of crude oil tankers from early days when this vital commodity was carried aboard ordinary wood-sailing-vessels, that were never originally intended to be tankers. The innovative-designs that resulted in significant breakthroughs leading to early single-hulled VLCCs, and the later stronger, hence safer, double-hulled vessels.
The professional reader will identify with much of the author’s thinking, especially his handling of the enormous advances in shipboard techniques, and examination of excellent contributions made by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) from its conception in 1948, to its penetrating effective work of today.
Special attention is paid to their profound influence on the industry through MARPOL and SOLAS innovations, including arguably the greatest contributions made to tanker safety and environmental protection by Inert Gas Systems (IGS) and Crude Oil Washing (COW).
Non-seagoing readers in allied shipping professions, and that huge army of ship enthusiasts , will learn a great deal about the ins-and-outs of an industry which, for the immediate future, underpins virtually every aspect of practical 21st Century living.
Ray Solly’s authoritative story is lavishly supported by 187 images. 107 are black and white photos and 80 are color ones. There are 29 line drawings (many of which have never been previously published), plus accounts of two recent voyages aboard a Norwegian North Sea shuttle tanker, and a product carrier. Both passenger trips not only updated his professional knowledge, but provided penetrating insight into current maritime practices.
Each confirmed his convincing observation that today’s crude oil carriers present the safest and most regulated form of transportation in the world.
The book is hard-bound of 194 pages (10 pages are blank) in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format. It has a paper jacket with flaps that hold it to the book and is packaged in a tightly sealed clear cello bag,
The cover art is on the paper jacket. It shows the British tanker “GLOBTIK LONDON” at full speed at sea. Its name is in white on the sides of the bow and halfway down the sides of the hull.
The book contains 11 chapters, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, TIMELINE, INTRODUCTION, CONCLUSION, SHIP INDEX and GENERAL INDEX.
In the 1st chapter there is a black and white illustration of a oil tank mounted on a wood horse-drawn cart. These carts were used to haul oil to various Philadelphia jetties. The capacity of the cart, while restricted, was surprisingly adequate enough for the task. The cart in the illustration has “500 GALLONS PETROLEUM TANK WAGON” on its sides. It is carrying a metal barrel of oil slung on its rear. The barrel says “42 GALLONS” on its side.
Illustrations of wood ship Elizabeth Watts, Atlantic, the Norwegian Lindesnes, Vaderland and Zoraster are shown, with cutaway illustrations that show the arrangement of oil tanks in their hulls.
The photos of tankers all have captions giving the names of the ships, what company they belong to and what country the company is based in, also the tankage carried by them on some.
The photos are mostly of tankers at sea, a few at docks. There are some walk-around color photos of various parts of tanker’s-anatomy and inside of a tankers' wheelhouse.
This book will be of interest to naval enthusiasts and modelers alike.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The professional reader will identify with much of the author’s thinking, especially his handling of the enormous advances in shipboard techniques, and examination of excellent contributions made by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) from its conception in 1948, to its penetrating effective work of today.
Special attention is paid to their profound influence on the industry through MARPOL and SOLAS innovations, including arguably the greatest contributions made to tanker safety and environmental protection by Inert Gas Systems (IGS) and Crude Oil Washing (COW).
Non-seagoing readers in allied shipping professions, and that huge army of ship enthusiasts , will learn a great deal about the ins-and-outs of an industry which, for the immediate future, underpins virtually every aspect of practical 21st Century living.
Ray Solly’s authoritative story is lavishly supported by 187 images. 107 are black and white photos and 80 are color ones. There are 29 line drawings (many of which have never been previously published), plus accounts of two recent voyages aboard a Norwegian North Sea shuttle tanker, and a product carrier. Both passenger trips not only updated his professional knowledge, but provided penetrating insight into current maritime practices.
Each confirmed his convincing observation that today’s crude oil carriers present the safest and most regulated form of transportation in the world.
The book is hard-bound of 194 pages (10 pages are blank) in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format. It has a paper jacket with flaps that hold it to the book and is packaged in a tightly sealed clear cello bag,
The cover art is on the paper jacket. It shows the British tanker “GLOBTIK LONDON” at full speed at sea. Its name is in white on the sides of the bow and halfway down the sides of the hull.
The book contains 11 chapters, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, TIMELINE, INTRODUCTION, CONCLUSION, SHIP INDEX and GENERAL INDEX.
In the 1st chapter there is a black and white illustration of a oil tank mounted on a wood horse-drawn cart. These carts were used to haul oil to various Philadelphia jetties. The capacity of the cart, while restricted, was surprisingly adequate enough for the task. The cart in the illustration has “500 GALLONS PETROLEUM TANK WAGON” on its sides. It is carrying a metal barrel of oil slung on its rear. The barrel says “42 GALLONS” on its side.
Illustrations of wood ship Elizabeth Watts, Atlantic, the Norwegian Lindesnes, Vaderland and Zoraster are shown, with cutaway illustrations that show the arrangement of oil tanks in their hulls.
The photos of tankers all have captions giving the names of the ships, what company they belong to and what country the company is based in, also the tankage carried by them on some.
The photos are mostly of tankers at sea, a few at docks. There are some walk-around color photos of various parts of tanker’s-anatomy and inside of a tankers' wheelhouse.
This book will be of interest to naval enthusiasts and modelers alike.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.