A PERMANENT TEESSHIPS FEATURE

Last revised 18 January 2009
(2 photos added halfway down page)
TEESSHIPS
EFORIE

05.08.05: The following are the photos purchased from modelism.com

A nice view of the EFORIE in her home port of Constantza.

Apparently taken in 1991 this view shows her very rusty, but relatively still intact.

However, seemingly 1992, just a year later, found her surrounded by other derelict vessels. As far as I am aware it is here she remains to this day (2005).

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.

01.08.04: Always good to come across further photos of a favourite ship. Richard Cox obliged with these views from his collection showing the EFORIE at Shoreham. First shown on RIVERSEA INTERNATIONAL (George Robinson):

This second view, dated 15 August 1970, was exactly two weeks after my own exciting sighting of her at Hull!

24.03.08: Another fantastic shot from the Richard Cox collection! Absolutely beautiful!

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!

18.01.09:
It never ceases to amaze me the personal recollections that arise from featuring various ships on TEESSHIPS. I've heard from Jim Fenwick that his father sailed as an engineer on the WAR HIGHWAY during which time she was the first English (British?) ship to arrive in Aalborg, Denmark, after WW1. He sends me this view dated (somewhat quaintly!) 30 January 1919 ... we're reaching back only 90 years (to the month) into history, folks!

The view is identical to the print of the WAR HIGHWAY credited to A. Rodenby in the Ritson book, but distinguished by the captioning!

I was also pleased to hear recently from Gerhard Mueller-Debus who kindly sent me his view of the EFORIE in the River Weser in June 1969 during one of her regular calls at Bremen.

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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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.... and while I'm at it some memories (emailed to me 2.8.02) from John Baird:
Dear Ron. I am new to internet and although I am a Dutch Coaster lover and also a Marine Artist who specializes in pen drawings of that type of ship, I could not however fail to notice the old EFORIE from NAVROM on your website. I worked at her discharging a cargo of wheat at Derry Port in the 1960's. I mind she was in great shape for an old ship of her age and was very deep in the after holds - where the prop. tunnel ran. She made a few trips to Derry along with motorships TIMISOARA and I think GALATZ? from the same owners . The crew were always begging and skint! Anyway it was nice to see her again and good photos too. All the best John Baird

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In February 1961 I first sighted the veteran BEREZINA (which see) 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.

The EFORIE, screw thrashing, leaves Malta.

I have the second shot credited to Michael Lennon, so I assume the other view, which seems to be taken at the same time, is his also.

When I saw the EFORIE on 1 August 1970 I had only a fixed lens camera and, to my great disappointment, could not fit the full ship in my viewfinder. I was still determined to record her and I did - in various bits!! 

George, even 30 years ago, it seems my penchant for wanting to include a whole ship outweighed the better angle I would have got by moving left a bit!

Now, 30 years later I find another RM, Richard Myers, was on hand during what I would think would be the same visit, to bestow a full shot of her - and in glorious technicolor too! Thanks Richard. This first showed on George's Riversea.

I am also taking the liberty of including another view of her by Michael Drewery, first featured on Patrick Hill's Quaysides site.

However, back to my own efforts on 1 August 1970, I did not give up completely. After taking my bits and pieces I went round the far side of Alexandra Dock and, despite the lack of telephotography equipment (I had to wait another 10 years!) I did get a full shot of the EFORIE - well sort of!

This also shows the tug FOREMAN on the left and the BELOZERKSLES in the middle.

And now that I have found a print, rather than the negative, to scan, the EFORIE itself enlarges reasonably well:

....and a painting by my friend John Collins which hangs proudly on our study wall....

For other photographs see BEREZINA

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.