RFA Cherryleaf (A82)

RFA Cherryleaf (A82) was a Leaf-class small fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, in service from 1973 to 1980.

Cherryleaf in August 1975
History
Name:
  • Overseas Adventurer (1963–73; 1980–81)[1]
  • RFA Cherryleaf (1973–80)[1]
  • Petrostar XVI[2]
Owner:

London and Overseas Bulk Carriers (1963–81)[1]

Petrostar Co Ltd (1981–86)[2]
Operator:
  • London and Overseas Freighters (1963–73; 1980–81)[1]
  • Royal Fleet Auxiliary (1973–80)[1]
Port of registry:
  • London (1963–73; 1980–81)
  • (1973–80)
  • (1981–87)
Builder: Nordseewerke[1]
Yard number: 321[1]
Launched: 16 October 1962[1]
Completed: 21 February 1963[1]
Decommissioned: 1980 (RFA)[2]
Renamed:
  • Overseas Adventurer (1962–73; 1980–81)[1]
  • Petrostar XVI (1981–87)[2]
Identification: IMO number: 5407681
Fate: Constructive total loss 1986[3] scrapped 1987[1]
General characteristics
Class and type: Leaf-class tanker
Tonnage:
Length: 559 ft 4 in (170.48 m)[1]
Beam: 72 ft (22 m)[1]
Draught: 29 ft 6 in (8.99 m)[1]
Installed power: 8,400 bhp[1]
Propulsion: 7–cylinder[4] MAN diesel[1]
Speed: 14.5 knots (26.9 km/h)[1]

History

She was built by Nordseewerke in Emden, Germany and launched in 1962 as Overseas Adventurer for London and Overseas Bulk Carriers,[1] a subsidiary of London & Overseas Freighters (LOF). She was bareboat chartered for the RFA in February 1973 and renamed RFA Cherryleaf.[5]

In 1980 she was returned to LOF and her name reverted to Overseas Adventurer.[2] In 1981 LOF sold her to Petrostar Co Ltd of Saudi Arabia who renamed her Petrostar XVI.[2]

On 5 April 1986 during the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War she was off Halul Island[2] en route from Bahrain to Sharjah when Iranian helicopters[2] hit her with AGM-65 Maverick missiles.[3] Her accommodation was gutted by fire and four crewmembers were killed.[2] She was towed to Sharjah where she was declared a constructive total loss on 9 April 1986[2] and laid up for disposal.[4] She was sold to National Ship Demolition Co Ltd of Taiwan, arrived Kaohsiung on 24 January 1987 and her demolition began on 19 February 1987.[2]

References
  1. Sedgwick et al., p. 101
  2. Sedgwick et al., p. 102
  3. ACIG 2004, p. 26
  4. "London & Overseas Freighters 1941–97". LOF–News. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  5. Sedgwick, Kinnaird & O'Donoghue1993, pp. 101–102.

Sources and further reading
  • ACIG team (2004). "Tanker War, 1980-88". Arabian Peninsula & Persian Gulf Database. ACIG: 26.
  • Sedgwick, Stanley; Kinnaird, Mark; O'Donoghue, K.J. (1993) [1992]. London & Overseas Freighters, 1948-92: A Short History. World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-68-1.
  • Sedgwick, Stanley; Sprake, R.F. (1977). London & Overseas Freighters Limited 1949-1977. World Ship Society. ISBN 0905617037.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.