ABYOT, WOLWOL, QUEEN OF SHEBA and ABBAY WONZ

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ABYOT, WOLWOL, QUEEN OF SHEBA and ABBAY WONZ

Post by shipstamps » Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:25 pm

The written maritime activity of Ethiopia, which is now a republic goes back to the time of the Queen of Sheba, who is mentioned the Bible.

In March 1964 a national shipping company was founded, at that time Ethiopia was still an Empire.

In early 1966, the first ship of the Ethiopian Shipping Line (ESL) the LION OF JUDAH sailed from Rotterdam to the Red Sea. The LION OF JUDAH was built in the Netherlands and was the first ship delivered, as part of an order for three ships built on Dutch yards by the new company.

At that time the Ethiopian merchant marine did not have experienced officers, so for a short time the ships were manned by Dutch officers, until its own officers were trained and then take over.

The company is state owned, and after the outbreak of war with Eritrea, relocated to Djibouti, with the head office in Addis Ababa. They own (in 2003) 13 ships, six multi-purpose, two general cargo, one tanker, and three roll-on-roll-off vessel; the newest vessel is the TEKEZE.

The ships are used from the main ports in the Red Sea to North West Europe, the Gulf States, Mediterranean and India and the Far East.

On 27 March 1989, Ethiopia released 4 stamps depicting ships of the company to commemorate its 25th anniversary.

Built under yard No. 721 as a cargo-reefer vessel by Verolme Verenigde Scheepswerven of Rozenburg, near Rotterdam for the Ethiopian Shipping Lines in Assab.
11 October 1965 launched under the name QUEEN OF SHEEBA, she was named by the wife, of at that time Minister of Finance of Ethiopia.
Tonnage 5,182 gross, 2,812 net, 6,655 dwt., dim. 121.01 x 16.97 x 9.66m, length between pp. 110.30m. draught 7.60m.
Powered by a 6-cyl. MAN diesel, 5,400 bhp., speed 18 knots. One screw.
Passenger accommodation for 10, crew 42.
1st April 1966 delivered to owners.

Used in the liner service from Ethiopia to Europe.
1996: Sold to Edelweiss Maritime Co. Ltd., St Vincent, renamed BANADIR.
1997: Sold unspecified owners St. Vincent, renamed ZAINAB.
The same year sold by the owners to Indian ship-breakers, and the ZAINAB arrived at Sachana about 15 December 1997.

But according Mr. Blomberg, was it not the end of the ship, officially she ended her life in the Indian scrapyard in December 1997. But under cover she continued to work as an oil smuggler in the Persian Gulf.
The Iraqi captain sank her near Abu Dabi in April 2001.

The 30c depicts the WOLWOL, built as a cargo vessel under yard No. 91 by Orskovs Staalskibevarft of Frederickshavn, Denmark for Pepnautica A/S of Denmark.
Launched under the name PEP CORAL.
Tonnage 1,599 gross, 1,169 net, 4,300dwt., dim. 98.96 x 16.01 x 4.55m. (draught), length between pp. 89.50m.
One 16-cyl. Alpha diesel, 2,480 hp., speed 14 knots.
She was ice strengthened, one bowthruster.
Loading gear, one derrick of 70 tons, two cranes of each 10 tons.
Can carry 180 TEU’s containers.

1982: Sold to the Ethiopian Shipping Line, and renamed WOLWOL.
2001: Sold to Noble Marine Services, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, renamed ABDIL.
2002 :Renamed SIMON, and later in the same year renamed SALWA BELLE.
2003: Renamed ABLE I and owned by unspecified Panama Flag interests.
She was seriously damaged by her anchor 25 June 2003, and listed to port when south of Somalia in position 09 49N 52 53E.
She subsequently sank, nine crew members were rescued but six were missing.

The multi-purpose cargo vessel ABYOT is depicted on the 15c stamp. She was built under yard No. 1429 of Austin & Pickersgill at Sunderland, England. for the ESL.
24 October 1984: Launched under the name ABYOT.
Tonnage 10,830 gross, 6,059 net, 10,420 dwt., dim. 136.99 x 22.86 x 13.11m., draught 8.05m.
One Sulzer diesel, 7,674 bhp, speed 15.5 knots.
Cargo gear of 2 - 20 ton cranes, 4 - 12.5 ton, and 1 -5 ton.
Can carry 363 TEU’s containers, 205 in the holds, and 158 on deck.
Call sign ETAY, IMO No. 8303020.
February 1985: Delivered to owners.
2007 Still in service by ESL.


The last ship depicted on a stamp is the ABBAY WONZ, still seen on the yard of the builders. She was built under yard No. 1428 on the same yard as her sister ABYOT for the ESL.
14 May 1984: launched under the name MENGITSU H.M.
Before delivery renamed the ABBAY WONZ.
Call sign ETAW, IMO No. 8303018.
The details are the same as her sister.

2007: Still sailing for the ESL.


Marine News 1997/364, 1998/245, 607. Blauwe Wimpel 1966. Marine News 2001/755. Sea Breeze. Marine News 2003/555.
Attachments
SG1436
SG1436
SG1439
SG1439
Abbay Wonz
Abbay Wonz
Last edited by Anonymous on Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:25 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Reason: Improvemnet of wording

Arturo
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Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:11 pm

Re: ABYOT, WOLWOL, QUEEN OF SHEBA and ABBAY WONZ

Post by Arturo » Fri May 02, 2014 7:48 pm

Wolwol

Ethiopia, 1989, S.G.?, Scott; 1246.
Attachments
Wolwol.jpg

Arturo
Posts: 723
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:11 pm

Re: ABYOT, WOLWOL, QUEEN OF SHEBA and ABBAY WONZ

Post by Arturo » Sun May 04, 2014 1:22 pm

Queen of Sheeba

Ethiopia, 1989, S.G.?, Scott; 1247.
Attachments
Q of Sheeba.jpg

aukepalmhof
Posts: 7771
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

Re: ABYOT, WOLWOL, QUEEN OF SHEBA and ABBAY WONZ

Post by aukepalmhof » Sun Aug 28, 2016 4:13 am

ABYOT was renamed by owners on 01 June 2014 in HIDASSE.

25 November 2016 HIDASSE was sold for 230 US$ ton for demolition.
2017 Renamed in HIDE.
03 February 2017 stranded in position 25 23.1N 55 24.2E.
25 March 2017 shipbreaking commenced on Gadani Beach.

2016 ABBAY WONZ was sold in Sharjah UAE for 230 US$ ton for demolition.
Attachments
ABYOT.jpg

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