Document jVEZ1wg42DYaE63NYEM56Jv5

PU3LISHED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT - EXXON COMPANY. U.S.A. Volume 15, Number 25 December 31, 1973 New Year's Greetings: We can look back on 1973 as a year in which the steady and ener getic spirit of Marine employees helped us maintain our position of leadership in the industry. All of us in Marine Department Headquarters in Houston appreciate the teamwork and cooperative effort of all fleet personnel who helped meet the many operational challenges we faced during the year. With this kind of support, we are able to look forward to 1974 with assurance and confidence. On behalf of Marine management and shore staff, I want to extend to you and your families our sincere best wishes for a happy and en joyable New Year. Coast Guard Thanks 'Exxon Washington For Help In Rescue U.S. Coast Guard personnel last year answered some 6,300 search and rescue calls, saving more than 2,600 lives and nearly $215 million in property (boats, equipment, etc.). With this large number of rescues, many of them made in extremely bad weather and heavy seas, something on rare occasion is bound to go wrong in which a rescuing Coast Guard vessel itself must be helped. Such was the case on Novem ber 28 when the Exxon Washing ton, proceeding from Port Arthur to Boston, was contacted by a USCG airplane and requested to proceed to the USCG Cutter Point Martin in distress about 75 miles east-northeast of Frying Pan Light Tower. "We made radio contact with the vessel and learned that she had lost her tow, a sailboat with five people aboard--all in heavy seas and winds up to 70 knots," said Captain Roy H. Ewell, in (See RESCUE, page 5) An adjustment for fuel conservation Proper Fuel-Air Ratio Saves Fuel, Repairs Chief Engineer Walter W. Wer ner, above, adjusts the fuel-air air ratio control in the Exxon Baton Rouge engine room to improve boiler efficiency and reduce fuel consumption. Air in excess of that required for proper combustion escapes to the atmosphere via the Subsidy Approved For Two Exxon 400 MDWT Tankers Exxon has been informed by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) that its application for a subsidy to construct two U.S. flag, 400 MDWT tankers will be approved provided Exxon can negotiate a satisfactory contract with Todd Shipyard Corporation. MARAD in dicated that applications for six ships will be approved; two for Exxon and two each for two other companies. The subsidies would be paid directly to the shipyard. These ships will be the largest ever built in a U.S. shipyard, al though comparable size ships are currently under construction in foreign yards. They will be used primarily to import crude oil from the Middle East to planned deep water terminals on the U.S. Gulf and East Coasts. Each ship will be 1,200 feet long, have a speed of 15V2 knots, and will be pow ered by steam turbines totaling 45,000 shaft horsepower. Each tanker will carry nearly 3,000,000 barrels of crude oil per trip. If current plans materialize, the first ship could be in service as early as 1978. smokestack without producing energy. Maintaining the proper fuel-air ratio is one of many steps being taken by Engine Depart ment officers in the fleet to con serve fuel. The correct mixture also has an additional benefit: II helps reduce boiler repair work. Excess air increases the buildup of soot and slag on the firesides of boilers. POLLUTION COmOL IS FORTHEBMS... ANIMALS.. Two New Officers Hired For Fleet Mannion James Two new officers were hired in December for the ocean fleet. After several days of interviews and orientation in the Marine De partment Houston Office, both were assigned ships. Michael M. Mannion graduated from Kings Point in June, 1973, with dual licenses as 3rd mate and 3rd assistant engineer. On December 3, he was assigned to the Exxon Washington in a train ing capacity as extra 3rd assistant engineer. On December 12, he transferred to the Exxon Balti more as 3rd assistant engineer to fill a vacancy there. He is single and lives in Elmont, New York. Robert L. James, deck officer, also graduated from Kings Point this past June. He was hired on December 10 and two days later he joined the Exxon Houston as extra 3rd mate for training. He is single and lives in Cocoa, Florida. EQUITY UNIT $11.15 The Thrift Fund trustee has advised that the value of each unit in the Equity Portfolio as of the last business day in No vember 1973 was $11.15. John J. Stevenson Draws Anti-Pollution Posters Oiler John J. Stevenson is one of the fleet's most prolific and better-known artists. Although he usually specializes in safety post ers, Mr. Stevenson recently used his imagination and artistic talents to devise several anti-pollution posters which he sent to the Marine Department for possible use in the fleet. Two of the posters are shown here. in an effort to increase aware ness of potential pollution haz ards, the Marine department is sending commercially produced il lustrated posters to ships each month for posting on bulletin boards. The one for January, titled '`Let The Engine Room Know," is a reminder to keep a watchful eye on smoke stack emissions. A COLD BIRD flew aboard the Exxon Baton Rouge at Boston recently and headed straight for the engine room where it perched near a boiler. The Engine Department crew quickly made the visitor welcome by equipping a cardboard box with rags and cutting out the side of a large coffee can for use as a bird feeder. "On the voyage to Baytown, the bird became pretty friendly with us," said A/Oiler Theodore R. Moweli, above. "Soon after arrival at Baytown, however, we missed the little hitch hiker. We thought that he/she jumped ship for a vacation in the warm weather, but just before sailing, our little feathered friend returned and seems perfectly happy to keep us company as we sail along." Mr. Moweli pointed out that the bird, believed to be an English sparrow, often flies to the hatch in the aft end of the engine room for a quick look outside, but it always returns to the cage and feeder on top of a locker. The bird gave our photographer "the bird" by refusing to pose for this picture. Page 2 Exxon Fleet News 7 Always Tried To Give Other Fellow A Break/ Says Bennett Guy L. Bennett, 88 years old, retired from the Esso fleet in De cember 1949, but he is still affec tionately remembered by those who worked with him when he was port engineer and later as sistant manager of the Port of New York office. During his years with the fleet, he gained a welldeserved reputation of being a colorful and able administrator. He was widely recognized as an expert in the fields of engineering, tanker operations, ship salvage, and labor relations. Port Engineer Tom J. McTaggart, who for many years served with Mr. Bennett, recalls that he was a man who pulled no punches and was scrupulously fair. "I scrapped with all of them," Mr. Bennett admits with a chuckle, "but I always tried to give the other fellow the same break that I would want him to give me." Prior to joining the Esso fleet, Mr. Bennett served as oiler and later as chief engineer with sev eral freight and passenger lines from 1904 to 1917, at which time he joined the U.S. Shipping Board as a chief repair inspector. Four months after joining the Esso fleet in 1921, he became a port engineer. "The biggest mis take I ever made was coming ashore," he laments. "At sea, I had to worry about only one ship at a time." Former associates remember that Mr. Bennett was instrumental in introducing lasting improve ments to the fleet. He helped de velop the system that enables officers to move up according to their qualifications and seniority. Mr. McTaggart credits him with replacing the traditional "bath in a bucket" with hot and cold show ers on ships. During the dismal years of the Depression, when other companies were laying off employees, Mr. Bennett arranged for seamen to be kept on in re pair and maintenance capacities in tied-up fleets. At the huge retirement party given in his honor, he announced that he was going to take things easy. Shortly after, he became a salesman with a firm that installed brickwork in boilers. Simulta neously, he co-founded a plastics distributorship which soon devel- oped worldwide outlets. He is still associated with the latter enter prise, although he now spends much of his time at his Jamesport, Long Island, home gazing out at the ever-changing scenes of Great Peconic Bay. A couple of strokes have not dampened his cheerful outlook. "After all," he says, "I didn't do a thing but feel good all my life." Mr. Bennett was recently visited by two fellow annuitants, Captain Charles F. Stober, left, who retired from the fleet in 1968, and Martin M. Wolfe, right, who was head of the Marine A&B and Claims Section when he retired in 1959. Holmberg Joins Marine western University in 1964 with a BS degree in Marketing, Mr. Holm berg joined the company's Mar keting Department in Chicago as a sales trainee, later becoming a sales representative. In 1967, he joined the Marketing staff at Mem phis as retail school instructor, moving to Marketing's Milwaukee District in 1968 as sales super visor of Car Care Centers. In 1970, Mr. Holmberg transferred to the Headquarters Office in Houston as Marketing education instructor, and two years later, he was named administrative specialist, the posi tion he held prior to transferring to the Marine Department. ',ss=y Richard L. Holmberg joined the Marine Department administrative staff on November 15 as employee relations specialist in labor rela tions. After graduating from North- Disabling Injury Box Score Total For Nov. Total Since Jan. 1 Oceangoing 2 Inland Waterways 0 21 24 December 31. 1973 Page 3 VLCC Features Described By Earle, McTaggart Captain Leonard H. Earle, Ocean Operations Manager, and T. J. McTaggart, Port Engineer, recently made separate voyages aboard VLCC's operated by Exxon International Inc. Their missions were to gather information that would be useful to Exxon Com pany, U.S.A. in the planned con struction of two 400,000-dwt U.S. flag tankers. Mr. McTaggart traveled between Le Havre and Tenerife in the 256,715-dwt Esso Singapore launched earlier this year, Captain Earle sailed in the Esso Rotterdam, a similar vessel built in 1972. From the deck officer's stand point, Captain Earle was im pressed by the Rotterdam's spa cious bridge area which contains a combined wheelhouse and chartroom and the latest equip ment to provide the master and watch officer with about any in formation they could ask for in navigating the vessel. "I was par ticularly pleased by her maneuver ability," he said. "She reacts quickly to changes of helm and her response to rudder cycling to reduce speed was surprising. I also noted the way deck officers "backstop" each other to help avoid one-man errors, particularly when operating in congested areas or when meeting other traffic on the open sea." In describing engineering fea tures in the Esso Singapore, which is 1,142 feet long, has a beam of 170 feet, a draft of 65 feet, and is driven by a 31,500-hp geared turbine, Mr. McTaggart said: "She can discharge 80,000 barrels of light cargo per hour and load up to 140,000 barrels per hour. Her No. 4 tank alone holds 223,150 barrels of product, and the main cargo line inside the tank is 28 inches in diameter. I Central operation station, Engine Department, in Esso Singapore is one of largest, most modern such installations in the Exxon Corporation fleet. Lav jet tank cleaning machine permits fully automatic, remote controlled tank cleaning in Esso Singapore. was especially interested in the lav jets used to clean tanks. Each jet has a range of 150 feet and can be programmed by means of a preselected cam which changes the pitch of the impeller blades to provide automatic variation of nozzle speeds and attitudes. The technique makes possible great savings in washing time and the amount of water used." Other engineering features in the Singapore include a scoop in jection system, driven by the ship's forward speed, that pro vides circulation for the main con denser; single main boiler that is top-fired and employs a rotary regenerative-type air heater; and an engine control room that is air conditioned, sound proof, and contains an electrical switch Special hydraulic crane is used for placing gangway into position. Crane runs on 150-foot track. board and a handy technical library. Both vessels use the Load-OnTop method to prevent pollution. Ballast water discharge is moni tored by a meter which sounds an alarm if ballast discharge contains any oil. Crew amenities in both vessels include a swimming pool, a gym nasium, and color TV on which one can watch cassette-recorded full-length movies. "Such facilities are common in the long-haul trade where a round trip between the Persian Gulf and northern Europe may take two months," Captain Earle said. In addition to their voyages, Captain Earle and Mr. McTaggart discussed VLCC operations with Esso officials in Europe. Page 4 Exxon Flee? News Isaac D. Jones, Raymon D. Barajas Retire without his ties to the fleet. He leaves behind a son, Isaac D. Jones, Jr., who was hired as utilityman in the Exxon Lexington on November 14, 1973. Last visit to wheelhouse After 39 years in the fleet, Chief Engineer Isaac D. Jones, above, rang up "Finished With Engines" in the wheelhouse of the Exxon Chester, his last ship before re tiring on December 1. Mr. Jones began his career in November, 1933, as wiper in the /. C. White. He was promoted to fireman in January, 1934, and to oiler the following June, all in this same ship. He didn't leave the /. C. White until December, 1934, when he took seven days vacation ("There were no paid leaves in those days," he said). Mr. Jones obtained his 2nd as sistant engineer's license in Feb ruary, 1942, and his first assign ment in this capacity_was in the Esso Little Rock. He later earned his 1st assistant engineer's license and sailed in this capacity in the Esso Providence. In 1949, Mr. Jones worked as maintenance engineer in the Baltimore and James River tied up fleets, after which he joined the Esso Brook lyn as chief engineer. He sailed in various vessels in this capacity until his retirement. Officers and crew members in the Chester pre sented the retiring chief engineer with a TV set. Mr. Jones, who lives in Charles ton, South Carolina, is still not 'Best Fleet/ Says Barajas "I have served for 22 years in the best fleet in the world, and now I'm retir ing," said Ray mon D. Barajas. "I want to thank Paul McEwan and his staff in the Houston SS5J. Office and W. A. Iji Scott and others MUMil! in the Baytown Branch for the help they have given me during my years at sea. I'll miss my association with the engine room group and my many friends on deck and in the Stew ard's Department." Mr. Barajas retired on December 1 as A/Oiier in the Exxon Bangor. Mr. Barajas resigned employ ment at Baytown Refinery in No vember, 1951, to join the Marine Department as messman in the SS Pine Ridge. He served as wiper and fireman/watertender in the Esso Newark in 1957, and ad vanced to oiler in 1965 in the Esso Washington. He was a mem ber of the Esso Seamen's Asso ciation and sailed as ship's rep resentative in the Esso Gloucester. Mr. Barajas said that he has no special retirement plans. | RESCUE, continued from page 1 ] command, with Chief Mate Joseph M. von Stultz and Chief Engineer Clifford E. Lindsey in charge of the Deck and Engine departments. "At 2200, we sighted the Point Martin close to our starboard bow," Captain Ewell said, "and as we came alongside, the skipper requested us to search for the sailboat. We couldn't locate it because of sea return on our radar, but another tanker, the Hill Springs about seven miles away, was contacted and gave us radar range and bearings to the vessel. At 2352, we located the boat and kept it in sight with our search light until the cutter Tallulah ar rived and took it in tow. At 0125, we were released by the cutter and proceeded to Boston." The U.S. Coast Guard at Nor folk radiogrammed the Washing ton the next day expressing thanks and appreciation to the ship's crew for their part in the rescue operation. IWW Crew Helps In Tug, Barge Rescue At about 1510 hours on Novem ber 12, a Delta Mud and Chemical Company tug and barge capsized in the Mississippi River abreast the Exxon Terminal at Chalmette, Louisiana. The unit was attempt ing to round to for the approach to Algiers Lock when it over turned. The Motor Vessel Exxon Louisi ana, which was standing by at the terminal, immediately rushed to the scene and maneuvered alongside the barge to pick up the tug's captain and a deckhand. The Louisiana then beached the barge. Another boat in the area picked up a survivor and attempted to beach the capsized tug, but the tug sank. The following crew members as sisted in the rescue: Captain Dan J. Moore, Pilot Duffy J. Dupre, and Bargemen Alcee J. Daigle, Caulson J. Primes, Lester J. Travasos, Jr., and Sims P. Elisar, Jr. Captain R. J. Lynch, assistant port captain, Baton Rouge Branch, who was aboard the Exxon Louisiana mak ing a regular inspection, also as sisted in rescue operations. EXXON FLEET NEWS is published every other Monday for active and retired em ployees of the Marine Department, Exxon Company, U.S.A. (a division of Exxon Cor poration); O. R. Menton, General Manager. GENE LEGLER..............................................Editor Contributions and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to the Editor EXXON FLEET NEWS, Exxon Company, U.S.A., P. O. Box 2180, Room 4193, Hous ton, Texas 77001. December 31. 1973 Page 5 I 1 Officers, crew members, and other Marine Department per Eugene B. Stubblefield, Frank J. Vieira, T. J. McTaggart, sonnel who attended Jones F. Devlin award ceremonies in Sidney Schmidt, Jr., Gene Crawford, Carl W. Thenemann, the Exxon Baton Rouge and Exxon San Francisco, during and Captain George Beck, Jr. Upper right photo: Joao D. which National Safety Council Green Cross flags were pre Costa (kneeling), Servando T. Trujillo, Paul R. Robert, James sented, are as follows: Picture at left: Operations Manager R. Libby, Keith V. Wintenburg, Captain Jack H. Morrell. Ames Smith, who presented the awards to both ships; Cap Thomas J. Donovan, Marshall G. Price, Bobby M. Pouncey, tain Leonard H. Earle, Joaquim Correia, W. A. Scott, Jesse W. A. Scott, T. J. McTaggart, Captain Leonard H. Earle, E. Campbell, Jr., Walter W. Werner, Isaac D. Jones, Jr., Gene Crawford, and John E. Rhem. Devlin Awards Presented To Two Vessels The last two Jones F. Devlin awards received this year were presented to two ships in Baytown recently. Operations Manager Ames Smith presented the awards to the Exxon Baton Rouge and Exxon San Francisco. Officers and crew members in each vessel had earlier completed two consecutive years without a lost-time injury reportable to the National Safety Council. Personnel in the Baton Rouge worked 733 days without a disabling injury and at the time of the awards presentation, the crew in the San Francisco had worked 1,365 days, or over 800,000 manhours, without a re portable injury. 30-Year Service Awards CAPTAIN HOWARD G. McCARTNEY receives watch, emblem, and con gratulations from General Manager O. R. Menton. To Four In Fleet CAPTAIN JACK H. MORRELL chose a clock to go along with his service emblem. Mr. Menton made the pres entation. I Obituary I HENRY THOMAS, 45, died at Baltimore, Maryland, on Novem ber 14. Mr. Thomas joined the company as messman in the Esso Newark in 1953, was promoted to 2nd cook in 1967, and sailed in that capacity until his retirement from the Esso Dallas in August. 1971. He is survived by his mother. Page 6 CAPTAIN HERBERT J. SWIFT, in spects clock presented by Operations Manager Ames Smith. PUMPMAN RAY T. MAUPIN, holding service emblem, was given watch which he selected earlier. Exxon Fleet Mews EXX-MOR-006534