A PERMANENT TEESSHIPS FEATURE

Last revised 03 February 2007
TEESSHIPS
BEREZINA

05.08.05: The BEREZINA at Constantza (purchased from modelism.com)

31.05.05: Further confirmation that my favourite veteran is still afloat, albeit in wrecked condition!
From Cristian Craciunoiu of modelism.com (http://www.modelism.ro/) which seems to be an international model enthusiasts site.
We do have in our collection the original general drawing of NR EFORIE and about 4 pictures as a wreck in 2001 on Macin Channel on the river Danube near Braila, plus 2 other very good bw pictures in 1982 in Constantza.
Later he added:
I have even a nice oak plate with the presence aboard from this ship.

(See EFORIE for photo)

01.08.04: Always good to come across another photo of a favourite ship. Richard Cox obliged with this view from his collection showing the BEREZINA at Shoreham. First shown on RIVERSEA INTERNATIONAL (George Robinson):

03.02.07: Steven Oakden suggests this view was actually taken at Preston and remembers: 

I was interested to see your site about Teesships and especially the bit about the BEREZINA. The photo you show of her purporting to be at Shoreham is I am positive of her visit to Preston. The siting of the grain silo,  the cranes and the 4 hydraulic cranes in the background suggest the south side of Preston Dock. I well remember her coming (probably 1962 - note in which year she was renamed EFORIE) although I was only about 7 at the time. She came with grain of some type and was the biggest vessel with that commodity that had visited for a considerable time. Normally loads came in coasters and short sea traders. Fully laden she would be about the 
biggest type of ship Preston could handle as the maximum draft was 21ft 6ins.
I well remember one Saturday morning going down to see the movements on the tide and due to high winds all movements were stopped. The BEREZINA had just swung round inn the dock with the aid of two of the tugs and was re-berthing. The next day Sunday morning the sun was out and we walked along the ship, loud music was playing the tannoy system.
There must have been a contract with the owners (NAVROM ) or else a lot of cheap grain going because shortly afterwards we got a slightly smaller vessel called FREDERICK ENGELS which I saw arrive on one of the tides with two tugs. This was an old ship (Counter stern)  re-engined with a modern raked  funnel. Later again a more modern Romanian vessel arrived with bridge amidships with another consignment. After that we went back to the 
grain ships being about the 1,500 ton size if that,  coming once in a blue moon.
I am sure in one of my dads albums there are some photos. I'll have a look in due course.

1.1.03: The new WSS publication RITSONS' BRANCH LINE was among my Christmas presents and, naturally, I was delighted to find a photo of my favourite ship in her original form as WAR HIGHWAY shown among ships managed by Ritsons. However, the vessel history does not accord with the full details I give at the bottom of this page, principally in omitting the transfer of the BERESINA/BEREZINA to Romania in 1950 and specifically to NAVROM from 1959. However, all in all another excellent book!

3.9.02: Amazing news! Almost a quarter of a century after I made the obvious assumption my favourite ship had been cut up for razor blades after 60 years afloat, it seems she may still exist.

Email message 27.8.02 from Cristi Gregoretti:
Hello! I am from Galati, Romania and I am wondering to discover "Eforie" ship on your site. I have an information, that, maybe interest you: the ship still exist; it is laid up on Macin channel on Danube (somewhere near Braila port). Actually, it is a wreak, but is still exist. The last time I saw this ship was in 1999, at TV: one romanian music band made a video onto this ship. Best regards, Cristi 

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In February 1961 I first sighted the veteran BEREZINA during a visit to the River Tyne, and nine years later I came across her again in Hull as the EFORIE. Ever since this has been one of my favourite ships, not least because she survived almost 60 years afloat.

On the first date above, I had no camera, so it was a great thrill when, many years after the event, my friend Joe Archer from Newcastle was able to provide me with some prints of the BEREZINA taken on 11 February 1961. One of these is reproduced below.

I am also pleased to depict this shot by Tony Taylor of the BEREZINA passing South Shields outward bound from the Tyne. The date is stated to be 18 April 1961 so this presupposes she was on a return visit to that river two months after my own sighting.

This additional shot is from a negative (from an unknown source) in my collection. This shows the vessel in Victoria Dock at Hull. Like her reflection?

Perhaps even better, I am able to go way back in time to show her as the BRACONDALE. This photo, taken by Capt W.J.L. Parker, shows her in Jersey City, N.J., on 9 April 1932.

For completeness, I now include two other views of the BEREZINA at Spillers Quay on the Tyne on 13 February 1961 sent to me by Joe Archer.

A nice friendly wave from a seaman.

For other photographs see EFORIE

ABOUT THE BEREZINA/EFORIE

The following general synopsis of her long career will be of interest.

March 1918: launched as WAR HIGHWAY, yard no. 246, by J. Blumer & Co. Ltd., Sunderland;

May 1918: completed and operated under ownership of The Shipping Controller, London, management with F. and W. Ritson, Sunderland;

1919: sold to The Hartlepool Seatonia S.S. Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool, and renamed SEATONIA;

1927: managing owners, Hessler & Co., became bankrupt; sold to J.E. Murrell S.S. Co. Ltd. (J.E. Murrell & Sons, managers), West Hartlepool, and renamed BRACONDALE;

1933: after loading timber from the Kara Sea area of Russia, for three days stood by another vessel severely holed by collision; shortly afterwards stopped by a Russian destroyer and searched for stowaways;

1934: sold to Sovtorgflot, Russia and renamed; new name transliterated as BERESINA;

1936: ownership recorded as U.S.S.R.;

1950: transferred to Sovromtransport, Romania;

1959: transferred to NAVROM Romanian Maritime and Fluvial Navigation, Romania; name re-translated as BEREZINA; the vessel was rebuilt around this time;

1962: renamed EFORIE by NAVROM;

6 June 1975: last reported movement, passing Istanbul; laid-up, presumably at Constantza, Romania;

April 1978: reported due to be broken up at Constantza.

Fuller details are given in my article SIXTY YEARS AFLOAT in SEA BREEZES of June 1978.