Why Amastra?

We thought long and hard about a company name which represents what we stand for: Inspiration, courage, determination, longevity, self-belief, passion and drive.  Eileen came up with her idea.  We loved it, Here's her story.

 

"I started my working career by joining the Merchant Navy as a Deck Cadet working for Shell Tankers. At the time, Shell hadn't employed females at sea and were breaking new ground by granting me a cadetship. 

My apprenticeship lasted 4 years, combining shore based theory work with time at sea gaining confidence and practical knowledge of how ships operated.  I sailed on  oil tankers, from Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCC's), Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) tankers, product tankers and Oil / Bulk / Ore vessels (OBO's) carrying liquids such as petrol, diesel, benzene, lubrication oils and a variety of vegetable oils.

After returning to the Cardiff College of Nautical Science to take my Officer exams, I returned to sea to complete the rest of my time as a cadet before being promoted to 3rd Officer and gaining my stripes. The ship I was assigned to was the Amastra. 

The Amastra, the second Shell Tanker of that name, was built in 1958 in Smiths dock, Teesside UK (the first Amastra having been built in 1935).   She generally carried lubricating oil, fuel oil and molasses with each tank on board often having a different parcel of cargo.  After a lifetime of work, she was eventually scrapped in Chittagong, India in 1985. The Amastra had a long and eventful history including being holed by a mine in 1967, running aground on sandbanks on more than one occasion and spending several weeks in Dry-Dock for planned maintenance and repair work.

I sailed on the Amastra for 7 months, finishing my sea time as an apprentice and being promoted to 3rd Officer.  I took the watch on the bridge on my own, and held the cargo watch whilst the vessel was in port.  Shell Tankers had the courage to employ a 17 year old girl.  The guidance and motivation I received on my journey gave me strength and self belief and inspired me to become an Officer. 

 Amastra gave me the confidence to believe that absolutely anything is possible if you believe in yourself enough..."

Eileen Brown

 

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