View source for British Tanker Company

{{Short description|British shipping company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use British English|date = January 2017}}
{{Infobox company
|name             = British Tanker Company Limited
| logo            = House flag of British Tanker Company (1915-1927).svg
| logo_caption    =  [[House flag]] (1915-1927)
|type             =
|foundation       = 1915
|defunct          = 1956
|parent          = [[Anglo-Persian Oil Company]]<br>Anglo Iranian Oil Company
|location_city    = [[London]]
|location_country = England
|key_people       = Charles Greenway
|industry         = [[Ship transport]]
|products         = Oil
|successor        = [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]]
|revenue          =
|net_income       =
|num_employees    = }}

'''British Tanker Company Limited''' was the maritime transport arm of the [[Anglo-Persian Oil Company]], the forerunner of [[BP]]. Formed in 1915 with an initial fleet of seven [[oil tanker]]s, the British Tanker Company became the [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]] in 1955.

== History==

===Early days===
From the moment oil was discovered in Persia (now [[Iran]]) in May 1908, the issue arose of how best to ship it back to Britain. The Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC) initially employed independent contractors; principally the Asiatic Petroleum Company, a subsidiary of [[Shell plc|Shell]], to carry the oil by sea.{{sfn|BP Shipping 100, Chp. 1}} In 1912 the company acquired its first ocean going ship, the SS ''Ferrara'', a conventional freighter that carried oil products in metal cases.<ref name=bp.com>
{{cite web
|url        = http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp-shipping/en/documents/bps100_chapter6.pdf
|title      = BP Shipping 100 Pt 6
|website    = [[BP]]
|access-date = 29 June 2015
}}</ref> Tankers were unable to berth in [[Abadan, Iran|Abadan]] owing to a natural sand bar off the coast known as the Shatt-al-Arab Bar, and often had to anchor up to 40 miles from the port.  This meant oil had to be [[Lighter (barge)|lighter]]<nowiki/>ed out to the ships.  Accordingly, APOC made two further shipping purchases, a [[barge]] ''Friesland'' and a [[tugboat|tug]] ''Sirdar-i-Naphte''.  This situation remained until the mid 1920s when the bar was eventually dredged to allow ships direct access to the port.<ref name=bp.com/>

=== 1915 to 1945 ===
[[File:British Emperor 1916.jpg|thumb|200px|''British Emperor'', launched in 1916]]
However, the directors of APOC soon decided it would be better for the company to possess its own fleet of [[oil tanker|tankers]]. It set up the British Tanker Company Limited (BTC) in April 1915, with an initial capital of £100,000.<ref>[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00140132 BP Shipping Limited] [[Companies House]]</ref> The BTC placed orders with two [[Tyneside]] based shipbuilders, [[Armstrong Whitworth]] and [[Swan Hunter]], for a total of seven steam-powered [[oil tanker]]s. The names of the first ships bore the prefix ''British'', and most future additions to the fleet followed the same naming convention. This acknowledged the fact that the British government had invested heavily in the fledgling company to ensure a supply of fuel oil for the [[Royal Navy]].{{sfn|BP Shipping 100, Chp. 1}}

BTC's first tanker was the 3,663 [[Gross register tonnage|grt]] ''British Emperor'', launched in 1916. She was employed to take oil from Abadan to the ports of [[Mumbai|Bombay]], [[Port of Karachi|Karachi]], [[Chennai|Madras]] and [[Kolkata|Calcutta]]. She was the only BTC vessel not to be chartered by the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] in [[World War I]].  Her career eventually ended in 1941, when she was sunk by the {{Ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Pinguin||2|up=yes}}, after evading all the ''Pinguin's'' attempts to capture her intact.

BTC's share capital was doubled to £200,000 in 1916, and further increased to £3,000,000 in November 1917.

In 1917 APOC made a successful offer to the British government for the assets of the former German-owned Benzin und Petroleum BP AG seized on the outbreak of war. This included the associate Petroleum Steamship Company (PSSC) whose 13 oil tankers passed into BTC ownership.  The same year BTC was chosen by the Royal Navy to manage seven [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary]] tankers, giving it management experience that proved valuable post-war.  The PSSC, now a subsidiary of BTC, took over ownership of the locally manned and managed fleet of small craft operating at Abadan.{{sfn|BP Shipping 100, Chp. 1}}

By 1919 the fleet had grown to 25 ships, a motley collection of new and second hand vessels including the ''Scandinavia'', the only sailing ship ever operated by BTC.{{sfn|BP Shipping 100, Chp. 1}}

Over the next decade, the demand for oil grew throughout the industrialised world, and BTC expanded its fleet accordingly. By 1924 the fleet numbered 60 vessels. The 60th ship was the new flagship, the 6,998 grt ''British Aviator''. She was the BTC's first diesel engined oil tanker, and was at that time the most powerful single-screw motor ship in the world.<ref name=bp.com/> A significant event was the signing of a contract with [[P&O (company)|P&O]] in 1923 to supply bunkering facilities for the latter's ships.{{sfn|BP Shipping 100, Chp. 1}}

The cargoes carried by BTC ships consisted of both [[crude oil]] and [[Oil refinery|refined oil products]]; the main refined products being [[fuel oil]], [[benzine]] and [[kerosine]]. During the 1920s the principal destination for BTC was the [[United Kingdom]], which accounted for around half of all cargoes discharged. Twice as much crude oil was delivered to the United Kingdom as refined products, with most of the crude oil being taken to the newly established refineries at [[Llandarcy]] and [[Grangemouth Refinery|Grangemouth]].  The next largest destination for BTC was [[India]], receiving 14% of the total cargoes carried. Cargoes discharged in [[Europe]] increased steadily, and by 1928 accounted for 13% of the total. In 1928 BTC's fleet consisted of 80 seagoing tankers, five coastal vessels and four government owned steamers, with a further 13 seagoing tankers being chartered by the BTC.

====The Depression====
With the onset of the [[Great Depression]] in the early 1930s, the merchant navies around the world faced increasing unemployment. However, through a number of strategic mergers, as well as the continuing support of the [[Reza Shah|Shah of Iran]], APOC managed to strengthen its position within the industry, and the BTC's fleet continued to grow until the launch of ''British Energy'' in 1931 marked the end of the post-war fleet renewal. In 1932, APOC reached an agreement with Royal Dutch Shell to combine their UK domestic marketing and distribution networks.  This involved the transfer of some ships to a jointly owned company, [[Shell-Mex & BP]].  With careful management BTC only laid up six ships for an average of six weeks between 1930 and 1935.  In 1935, with the Depression receding, the company started placing orders with British shipyards for a further 24 ships. The same year, at the Shah's request, the company was renamed the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.{{sfn|BP Shipping 100, Chp. 1}}

====Second World War====
With the outbreak of the [[Second World War]] in 1939, the British government chartered BTC's whole fleet of 93 vessels to transport fuel for its armed forces. In addition the company was made responsible for the management of requisitioned ships and American assistance tonnage.  By 1942 the company had 146 ships under its control.  The fleet lost 44 of its own ships and six managed ships sunk during the war, many during the [[Battle of the Atlantic]] and the [[Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)|Mediterranean U-Boat campaign]], with two others so badly damaged they could only be used as storage hulks.<ref name=Middlemiss>
{{cite book|last1=Middlemiss|first1=N L|title = The BritishTankers|year=1995 |publisher = Shield Publications|location  = Newcastle upon Tyne|isbn = 1-871128-03-X}}</ref> In addition two ex-BTC tankers operated by Italian companies were sunk by British submarines while a third was sunk by RAF [[Coastal Command]].

===1945 to 1955===
Within two years of peace in 1945, BTC had restored its fleet to its pre-war total of 93 ships. This included the purchase of 10 American wartime [[T2 tanker]]s<ref name=Middlemiss/> and three ex [[merchant aircraft carrier]]s.<ref name=bp.com/> The recovery was further bolstered by the building of 57 new tankers, each of 8,600 grt. These new ships increased the tonnage of oil transported from the Abadan refinery, but they remained within the limits imposed by the requirement to sail through the shallow waters of the [[Suez Canal]].  At this time the company decided that the old principle of owning 90% of its required tonnage was too onerous and that chartered vessels should be employed to make up the average 50% annual shortfall.<ref name=bp.com2>
{{cite web|url=http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp-shipping/en/documents/bps100_chapter1.pdf|title=BP Shipping 100 Pt 2|website= BP|access-date = 29 June 2015}}</ref> To ease the problems of managing this large fleet an associated shipping company, the [[Lowland Tanker Company]], was formed in association with Mathesons and Common Brothers of Newcastle to operate 10 time-chartered tankers exclusively for BTC.<ref name=bp.com2/>

In 1951 the situation changed dramatically, when Iran nationalised its oil industry. AIOC removed all its staff from the country, and for a while had no access to Iranian oil. AIOC set about forming new alliances with other oil producing countries, especially [[Kuwait]] and [[Bahrain]].  The crisis lead to a major emergency logistics operation being undertaken to reroute and repurpose the tanker fleet to cope with the loss of the refining capacity at Abadan. In addition the Petroleum Steamship Company's fleet of barges, tugs, lighters and ancillary craft was hastily evacuated to [[Basra]] and [[Kuwait]].<ref name=bp.com2/>

In the early 1950s BTC began increasing the size of its deep-sea ships by building 13 so-called 'supertankers', each of 18,000 grt. These larger ships were particularly useful during the [[Suez crisis]] of 1956, which closed the [[Suez Canal]] and forced ships to sail around the [[Cape Agulhas|Cape of South Africa]], adding {{convert|9000|nmi|km}} to their journey.

In November 1954 AIOC renamed itself the British Petroleum Company, and the BTC became the [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]] from 1 June 1956, ''British Soldier'' being the first ship turned out in the new company's colours.<ref name=bp.com2/>

==The ships==

=== Fleet list 1915 to 1945 ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! width=90px|Ship ||  Built  ||  GRT || Photo || Built by || Notes
|-
|''Aras'' || 1893 || style="text-align:Center;"|3,210 || || [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]]  || Purchased 1918. Sold 1930 and renamed ''Lina Campanella''. Scrapped in 1950.
|-
| ''British Admiral'' || 1917 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,842 ||[[File:British Admiral 1917.jpg|50px]]|| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1937.
|-
| ''British Advocate''  || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,994 |||| Sir James Laing & Sons || Captured 20 February 1941 by the {{Ship|German pocket battleship|Admiral Scheer||2|up=yes}} and renamed ''Adolf'', later renamed ''Nordstern''.  Sank 1944 during an air raid.<ref>
{{cite web|title=British Advocate|url=http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?141706|website= [[Wrecksite|Wrecksite.EU]]|access-date = 5 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
| ''British Ambassador'' || 1924 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,940 |||| Sir James Laing & Sons || Scrapped in 1954.
|-
| ''British Architect'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,388 |||| Blythswood Shipbuilding || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British Ardour'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,124 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 5 April 1943 by torpedo from {{GS|U-706||2}}
|-
| ''British Aviator'' || 1924 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,998  |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || First diesel engined vessel.  Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British Baron'' || 1908 || style="text-align:Center;"|4,906 || || [[Armstrong Whitworth]] ||ex PSSC ''Roumanian'' acquired 1917.<ref name=Middlemiss/> Sold 1925 and renamed ''Norne''.  Resold 1928 and renamed ''Vincas''. Scrapped in 1936.
|-
| ''British Beacon'' || 1918 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,891 |||| Workman, Clark & Co || Operated first for the [[Shipping Controller]] then after 1919 for the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]].  1937 removed from management and renamed ''Olcades''.  Scrapped in 1948.
|-
| ''British Birch'' || 1916 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,882 |||| [[Short Brothers of Sunderland|Short Brothers]] || Launched as RFA ''Oldbury'', completed as RFA ''Birchleaf''. Purchased and renamed ''British Birch'' in 1919. Scrapped in 1931.
|-
| {{MV|British Bombardier||2}} || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8202 || ||[[Harland & Wolff]] || Laid down as ''Empire Fusilier'', launched as ''Empire Bombardier''.  Operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]].  Purchased 1946.  Scrapped 1960.<ref>{{cite web|last= Mullett|first= Chris|title= British Bombardier|url= http://www.gtzx.org.uk/index.php/bp-tankers/details/17/437|website= GTZX|access-date= 27 September 2015}}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|-
| [[MV Empire Arrow|''British Bugler'']] || 1945 || style="text-align:Center;"|3,766 || || JL Thompson & Sons || Ex ''Empire Arrow'' operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]].  Purchased 1946.  Sold 1957 and renamed ''Montmajour''. Resold 1963 and renamed ''Mantinia''.  Scrapped in 1981.
|-
| ''British Captain'' || 1923 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,968  |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 2 December 1941 by mine
|-
| [[MV British Cavalier|''British Cavalier'']] || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"|9,891 || || Sir James Laing & Sons || ex ''Empire Cavalier''  operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]].  Purchased 1945.  Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Chancellor'' || 1921 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,086 ||[[File:British Chancellor 1921.jpg|50px]]|| Sir James Laing & Sons || Sold 1952 and renamed ''Wanmas''. Then sold 1954 and renamed ''Viva''. Finally sold 1955 and renamed ''Gaaton''.  Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Character'' || 1941 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,453 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Chemist'' || 1925 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,997 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| {{SS|British Chivalry||2}} || 1929 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,118 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 22 February 1944 by torpedo from Japanese submarine ''I-37''
|-
| ''British Colonel'' || 1921 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,999 |||| Sir James Laing & Sons || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British Colony'' || 1927 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,917 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Sunk 13 May 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-162|1941|2}}
|-
| ''British Commander'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,896 ||[[File:British Commander 1922.jpg|50px]]|| [[Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company]] || Sunk 26 August 1940 by the {{Ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Pinguin||2|up=yes}}
|-
| [[MV Empire Chapman|''British Commando'']] || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,194 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Ex ''Empire Chapman''  operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]].  Purchased 1946, Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Commerce'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,205 |||| [[William Beardmore & Company]] || Scrapped in 1937.
|-
| ''British Commodore''  || 1923 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,865 |||| [[Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company]] || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British Confidence'' || 1936 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,494  |||| [[Cammell Laird]] || Renamed ''Anglian Confidence'' in 1957. Scrapped in 1958.
|-
| {{SS|British Consul||2}} || 1924 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,940 |||| Sir James Laing & Sons || Sunk 19 August 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-564||2}}
|-
| {{SS|British Corporal||2}} || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,972 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Requisitioned by the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]] in 1940 and renamed ''Empire Corporal''.  Sunk 18 August 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-598||2}}
|-
| ''British Councillor'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,045 |||| Sir James Laing & Sons || Sunk 3 February 1940 by mine
|-
| ''British Courage'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,952 |||| [[Lithgows]] || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British Destiny'' || 1937 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,470 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] || Renamed ''Gaelic Destiny'' in 1957.  Scrapped in 1958.
|-
| ''British Diligence'' || 1937 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,408 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Renamed ''Anglian Diligence'' in 1957.  Scrapped in 1958.
|-
| {{MV|British Diplomat|1926|2}} || 1926 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,484 |||| [[John Brown & Company]] || Requisitioned by the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]] in 1940 and renamed ''Empire Diplomat''. Laid up in 1944 and scrapped in 1946.
|-
| ''British Dominion'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,983 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Sunk 10 January 1943 by torpedo from {{GS|U-620||2}} while sailing in [[Convoy TM 1]]
|-
| [[MV British Dragoon|''British Dragoon'']] || 1943 || style="text-align:Center;"| 9,909 || || Sir James Laing & Sons || ex ''Empire Alliance'' operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]].  Purchased 1945.  Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| {{SS|British Drummer||2}} || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|3,758 || || JL Thompson & Sons || ex ''Empire Ensign'' operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]].  Purchased 1946. Sold 1957 and renamed ''Anella''.  Resold 1958 and renamed ''Norse Commander''. Scrapped in 1966.<ref>{{cite web|last= Mullett|first= Chris|title= British Drummer|url= http://www.gtzx.org.uk/index.php/bp-tankers/details/17/82|website= GTZX|access-date= 27 September 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160822051121/http://www.gtzx.org.uk/index.php/bp-tankers/details/17/82|archive-date= 22 August 2016|url-status= dead}}</ref>
|-
| ''British Duchess'' || 1924 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,973 ||[[File:StateLibQld 1 125191 British Duchess (ship).jpg|50px]]|| JL Thompson & Sons || Sold 1952 and renamed ''Duchess''. Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Duke'' || 1899 || style="text-align:Center;"| 3,645 |||| Sir James Laing & Sons || ex PSSC  ''Terek'' acquired 1917.  Sold to Italy 1930 and renamed ''Laura Corado''.  Sunk 30 March 1941 by torpedo from {{HMS|Rorqual}}<ref>
{{cite web|title= Terek|url= http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?154507|website= Wrecksite.EU|access-date = 27 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
| ''British Earl'' || 1901 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,288 |||| [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || ex PSSC ''Pinna'' acquired 1917.  Sold to Italy 1929.  Scuttled 1940 but refloated and taken over by the US Government.  Renamed ''Orissa'', scrapped in 1950.<ref name=Middlemiss/>
|-
| ''British Emperor'' || 1916 || style="text-align:Center;"| 3,637  ||[[File:British Emperor 1916.jpg|50px]]|| [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || First ship built for BTC.<ref name=bp.com/> Sunk 7 May 1941 by the {{Ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Pinguin||2|up=yes}}
|-
| ''British Empress'' || 1917 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,847 ||[[File:British Empress 1917.jpg|50px]]|| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1936.
|-
| ''British Endeavour'' || 1927 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,580 |||| [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || Sunk 22 February 1940 by torpedo from  {{GS|U-50|1939|2}}
|-
| ''British Endurance'' || 1936 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,406 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || 1959 sold and renamed ''Redwijs II''.  Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Energy'' || 1931 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,209 |||| [[Greenock Dockyard Company]] || Damaged in an air-raid at [[Birkenhead]] in 1940. Scrapped in 1955.
|-
| ''British Engineer'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,993 ||[[File:British Engineer 1922.jpg|50px]]|| Workman, Clark & Co || Sold 1952 and renamed ''Emily''.  Resold 1954 and renamed ''Yarkon''.  Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Ensign'' || 1917 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,048 |||| [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || Scrapped in 1937.
|-
| ''British Enterprise'' || 1921 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,204 ||[[File:British Enterprise 1921.jpg|50px]]|| [[William Beardmore & Company]] || Scrapped in 1936.
|-
| ''British Faith'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,950 ||[[File:StateLibQld 1 127259 British Faith (ship).jpg|50px]]|| [[Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company]] || Scrapped at Milford Haven in 1956
|-
| ''British Fame'' || 1936 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,303 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Represented the company at the 1937 Review of the Fleet off [[Spithead]].{{sfn|BP Shipping 100, Chp. 1}} Sunk 12 August 1940 by torpedo from Italian submarine ''Alessandro Malaspina''
|-
| ''British Fern'' || 1917 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,831 |||| [[Napier & Miller]] || Built as ''Fernleaf''. Purchased 1920. Scrapped in 1931.
|-
| ''British Fidelity'' || 1938 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,465 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] || 1957 renamed ''Gaelic Fidelity''.  Scrapped in 1958.
|-
| ''British Fortitude'' || 1937 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,482 |||| [[Cammell Laird]] || Damaged 23 February 1943 by torpedo from {{GS|U-202||2}}, but survived. 1957 renamed ''Anglian Fortitude''.  Scrapped in 1958.
|-
| ''British Fortune'' || 1930 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,696 |||| [[Lithgows]] || Sunk 31 October 1941 by German aircraft
|-
| ''British Freedom'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,985 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 14 January 1945 by torpedo from {{GS|U-1232||2}}
|-
| ''British Fusilier'' || 1923 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,943 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British General'' || 1893 || style="text-align:Center;"| 3.245 |||| [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || ex ''Georgian Prince'' acquired 1918. Sold to Spain 1922 and renamed ''Ebros''.  Scrapped 1940.<ref>{{cite web|title= Prince Line|url= http://www.red-duster.co.uk/PRINCE8.htm|website= Red Duster|access-date= 28 August 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102506/http://www.red-duster.co.uk/PRINCE8.htm|archive-date= 4 March 2016|url-status= dead}}</ref>
|-
| ''British General'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,985 ||[[File:British General 1922.jpg|50px]]|| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 7 October 1940 by torpedo from {{GS|U-37|1938|2}}
|-
| ''British Genius'' || 1939 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,553 |||| [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Glory'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,993 |||| Sir James Laing & Sons || Damaged 15 October 1940 by torpedo from {{GS|U-138|1940|2}}, but survived. Scrapped in 1954.
|-
| ''British Governor'' || 1926 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,840 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British Gratitude'' || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,463 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Grenadier'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,888 ||[[File:British Grenadier 1922.jpg|50px]]|| [[Swan Hunter]] || Sunk 22 May 1941 by torpedo from {{GS|U-103|1940|2}}
|-
| ''British Guardsman'' || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,128 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Ex ''Empire Garrick''  operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]].  Purchased 1945.  Sold 1951 and renamed ''Alan Evelyn''. Resold in 1955 and renamed ''Westbrook''.  Scrapped in 1960.
|-
| ''British Gunner'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,894 ||[[File:British Gunner 1922.jpg|50px]]|| [[Swan Hunter]] || Sunk 24 February 1941 by torpedo from {{GS|U-97|1940|2}}
|-
| ''British Harmony'' || 1941 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,453 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1960.
|-
| ''British Holly'' || 1917 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,162 |||| [[William Hamilton & Company]] || Scrapped in 1931
|-
| ''British Honour'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,991 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || 1953 sold and renamed ''Marisin M''.  1957 renamed ''Mario Martini''. Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Hope'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,951 |||| [[Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company]] || Scrapped in 1957.
|-
| ''British Hussar'' || 1923 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,944 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British Industry'' || 1927 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,297 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British Influence'' || 1939 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,431 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Sunk 14 September 1939 by torpedo and gunfire from {{GS|U-29|1936|2}}
|-
| ''British Integrity'' || 1937 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,412 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] || 1957 renamed ''Gaelic Integrity''. Scrapped in 1958.
|-
| ''British Inventor'' || 1926 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,101 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 13 June 1940 by mine
|-
| ''British Isles'' || 1917 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,108 ||[[File:British Isles 1917.jpg|50px]]|| [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || Scrapped in 1938
|-
| ''British Judge'' || 1921 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,735 ||[[File:British Judge 1921.jpg|50px]]|| Sir James Laing & Sons || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British Justice'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,982 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Scrapped in 1954.
|-
| ''British Knight'' || 1908 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,762 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || ex PSSC ''Danubian'' acquired 1917.<ref name=Middlemiss/> Sold 1929 and renamed ''Sanvik'' then sold again 1938 and renamed ''Arrivabene''.  Wrecked 1940.<ref>
{{cite web|title= British Knight|url= http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?218331|website= Wrecksite.EU|access-date = 28 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
| ''British Lady'' || 1923 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,098 |||| JL Thompson & Sons || Sold to the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] in 1939 and scrapped in 1946{{sfn|BP Shipping 100, Chp. 1}}
|-
| ''British Lancer'' || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"| 9,891 || ||  Sir James Laing & Sons || Ex ''Empire Wordsworth'' operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]]. Purchased 1945.  Scrapped 1960.
|-
| ''British Lantern'' || 1918 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,897 |||| Workman, Clark & Co || Taken over by the [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary]] in 1937 as RFA ''Oligarch''.  Survived the War but was scuttled in the Red Sea in 1945.<ref>
{{cite web|url= http://www.redseawreckproject.com/red-sea-shipwreck-database/o/oligarch/ |title= Oligarch |work = Red Sea Wreck Project |date= 21 August 2013 |publisher  = DiveMedia 
|access-date = 17 September 2014}}</ref>
|-
| ''British Liberty'' || 1939 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,435 |||| [[Furness Shipbuilding Company]] || Sunk 6 January 1940 by mine
|-
| ''British Light'' || 1917 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,470 ||[[File:British Light 1917.jpg|50px]]|| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Managed for the [[Shipping Controller]]. 1919 transferred to the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]].  1937 removed from management and renamed ''Olwen''. Sold 1949 and renamed ''Mushtari''. Scrapped in 1960.
|-
| ''British Lord'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,098 ||[[File:British Lord 1922.jpg|50px]]|| JL Thompson & Sons || Scrapped in 1953.
|-
| ''British Loyalty'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,993 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese [[midget submarine]] in [[Diego-Suarez]] on 30 May 1942.  Later refloated and repaired.<ref>Wilson, Michael; (2000), A Submariners War; Stroud, Tempus. {{ISBN|0-7524-3276-1}}</ref> Sunk 9 March 1944 by torpedo from {{GS|U-183||2}}, but salvaged as a hulk.  Scrapped in 1946.
|-
| ''British Major'' || 1913 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,147 |||| Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co, Newcastle || ex ''Roumanian Prince'' acquired 1918. Sold to Italy 1929 and renamed ''Riva Sicular''.  Scrapped in 1933.<ref name="Prince Line">{{cite web|title=Prince Line|url=http://www.red-duster.co.uk/PRINCE11.htm|website=Red Duster|access-date=28 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924085411/http://www.red-duster.co.uk/PRINCE11.htm|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| ''British Maple'' || 1898 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,747 ||[[File:StateLibQld 1 128590 British Maple (ship).jpg|50px]]|| [[Swan Hunter|CS Swan & Hunter, Wallsend]] || Built as ''Mount Royal'', renamed ''Mapleleaf'' in 1916. Acquired 1919 & renamed ''British Maple'' in 1920. Hulked in 1933 and scrapped in 1935.
|-
| ''British Mariner'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,996 ||[[File:British Mariner 1922.jpg|50px]]|| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Severely damaged 20 October 1941 by torpedo from {{GS|U-126|1940|2}}, but salvaged and used as a hulk. 1947 sold, repaired and renamed ''Tex-Africa''. Scrapped in 1951.
|-
| ''British Marquis'' || 1908 || style="text-align:Center;"|4,997 || || Sir James Laing & Sons  || ex PSSC ''Servian'' acquired 1917.<ref name=Middlemiss/> 1930 sold and renamed ''Conte di Misurata''. Sunk by gunfire in 1941.
|-
| ''British Marshall '' || 1912 ||  style="text-align:Center;"| 4,158 ||||  Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co, Newcastle || ex ''Russian Prince'' acquired 1918. Sold to Italy 1929 and renamed ''Tritone''.  Scrapped 1933.<ref name="Prince Line"/>
|-
| ''British Merchant'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,994 ||[[File:British Merchant 1922.jpg|50px]]|| [[William Beardmore & Company]] || Scrapped in 1949.
|-
| ''British Merit'' || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,093 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] || Damaged 25 July 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-552}}, but survived. Scrapped in 1960.
|-
| ''British Might'' || 1945 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,200 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| {{MV|British Motorist|1924|2}} || 1924 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,891 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Sunk 19 February 1942 by [[Bombing of Darwin|Japanese aircraft]]
|-
| ''British Officer'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,990 ||[[File:British Officer 1922.jpg|50px]]|| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 1 December 1940 by mine.
|-
| ''British Patience'' || 1943 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,097 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Peer'' || 1908 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,920 || || [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || ex PSSC ''Carpathian'' acquired 1917.<ref name=Middlemiss/> Sold to Italy 1930 and renamed ''Tampico''. Torpedoed 1941 and scuttled 1945.<ref>{{cite web|title=British Peer|url=http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?145104|website=Wrecksite.EU|access-date=28 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
| ''British Petrol'' || 1925 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,906 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Sunk 14 June 1940 by the [[German auxiliary cruiser Widder|German auxiliary cruiser ''Widder'']]
|-
| ''British Pluck'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 1,025 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Transferred to [[Shell-Mex & BP]] and renamed ''Shelbrit 1'' in 1936.  Sank after hiiting a mine 19 Sep 1940
|-
| ''British Power'' || 1936 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,451 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] || Scrapped in 1958.
|-
| {{SS|British Premier||2}} || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,872 ||[[File:British Premier 1922.jpg|50px]]|| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 24 December 1940 by torpedo from {{GS|U-65|1940|2}}
|-
| ''British Prestige'' || 1931 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,106 |||| [[Lithgows]] || Scrapped in 1956.
|-
| ''British Pride'' || 1931 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,106 |||| [[Lithgows]] || Scrapped in 1955.
|-
| ''British Princess'' || 1917 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,019 |||| [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || 1946 renamed ''British Veteran''. Scrapped in 1949.
|-
| ''British Progress'' || 1927 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,581 |||| [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || Scrapped 4 November 1943 after being severely damaged by torpedo from a German [[E-Boat]]
|-
| ''British Promise'' || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,443 |||| [[Cammell Laird]] || Damaged 21 November 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-518||2}}, but survived. Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| {{MV|British Prudence||2}} || 1939 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,620 |||| Sir James Laing & Sons || Sunk 23 March 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-754||2}}
|-
| ''British Purpose'' || 1943 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,845 |||| [[Furness Shipbuilding Company]] || Damaged 20 October 1943 by torpedo from {{GS|U-532||2}}, but survived. 1959 sold and renamed ''Annella''. Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Reliance'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,000 |||| [[Greenock Dockyard Company]] || Sunk 2 April 1941 by torpedo from {{GS|U-46|1938|2}}
|-
| ''British Renown'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,997 |||| Sir James Laing & Sons || Damaged 21 November 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-518||2}}, but survived. Scrapped in 1954.
|-
| ''British Resolution'' || 1937 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,408 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Resource'' || 1931 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,209 |||| [[Greenock Dockyard Company]] || Sunk 15 March 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-124|1940|2}}
|-
| ''British Respect'' || 1943 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,479 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Restraint'' || 1943 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,448 |||| [[Cammell Laird]] || Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Rose'' || 1916 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,572 || || Sir Raylton Dixon & Co || Ordered as the ''Rona'' but taken over on the stocks and launched as RFA ''Califol''.  Transferred to the [[Shipping Controller]] and renamed ''Roseleaf''.  Purchased 1920.  Sold 1930 and renamed ''Portofino''.  Bombed and sunk by [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] aircraft in 1942.
|-
| ''British Sailor'' || 1918 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,576 ||[[File:British Sailor 1918.jpg|50px]]|| [[Swan Hunter]] || Ex ''War Rajah'' purchased 1920.  1951 sold and renamed ''Viva''. Scrapped in 1954.
|-
| ''British Science'' || 1931 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,138 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 18 April 1941 by torpedo from Italian aircraft
|-
| ''British Scout'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 1,507 ||[[File:British Scout 1922.jpg|50px]]|| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1957.
|-
| ''British Security'' || 1937 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,470 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] || Sunk 23 May 1941 by torpedo from {{GS|U-566||2}}
|-
| ''[[SS British Sergeant|British Sergeant]]'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,868 ||[[File:British Sergeant 1922.jpg|50px]]|| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 9 April 1942 by Japanese aircraft
|-
| ''British Sincerity'' || 1939 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,533 |||| [[Cammell Laird]] || Scrapped in 1958.
|-
| ''British Soldier'' || 1918 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,564 ||[[File:British Soldier 1918.jpg|50px]]|| William Gray & Co || Ex ''War Sikh'', purchased 1919. Sold 1952 and renamed ''Marina''. 1954 resold and renamed ''Romano''. 1959 resold and renamed ''Menora''.  Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Sovereign'' || 1917 || style="text-align:Center;"| 3,657 ||[[File:British Sovereign 1917.jpg|50px]]|| [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || Scrapped in 1951.
|-
| [[British Splendour (ship)|''British Splendour'']] || 1931 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,138 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 7 April 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-552||2}}
|-
| ''British Star'' || 1918 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,888 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Managed for the [[Shipping Controller]] then transferred to the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] in 1919.  Removed from management in 1937 and renamed ''Olynthus''. Sold to Itakl 1949 and renamed ''Pensilvania''. Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Statesman'' || 1923 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,991 |||| Sir James Laing & Sons || Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Strength'' || 1931 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,139 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] ||The last ship built by Palmers.{{sfn|BP Shipping 100, Chp. 1}} Sunk 15 March 1941 by German battleship {{Ship|German battleship|Scharnhorst||2}} or {{Ship|German battleship|Gneisenau||2}} 
|-
| ''British Tenacity'' || 1939 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,439 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Thrift'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"| 707 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Renamed ''Thriftie'' in 1935, then ''Shelbrit 2'' in 1936.  1943 sold to [[Shell-Mex & BP]] and renamed ''Shell Loader''.  Sold 1961 and renamed ''Amphitrite''.  Scrapped 1984.<ref>
{{cite book|last1=Harvey & Soller|title=BP Tankers: A Group Fleet History}}</ref>
|-
| ''British Tommy'' || 1921 || style="text-align:Center;"| 1,411 |||| [[Lithgows]] || Scrapped in 1946.
|-
| ''British Trader'' || 1921 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,204 ||[[File:British Trader 1921.jpg|50px]]|| [[William Beardmore & Company]] || Sold in 1953 and renamed ''Flisvos''.  1954 resold and renamed ''Manco Capac''.  Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Tradition'' || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,443 |||| [[Cammell Laird]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Triumph'' || 1936 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,402 |||| [[Lithgows]] || Sunk 13 February 1940 by mine
|-
| ''British Trust'' || 1939 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,466 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] || Sunk 1 May 1943 by torpedo from German aircraft
|-
| ''British Union'' || 1927 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,987 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Sunk 18 January 1941 by the {{Ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Kormoran||2|up=yes}} 
|-
| ''British Unity'' || 1939 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,407 |||| [[Lithgows]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Valour''  || 1927 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,952 |||| [[Lithgows]] || Scrapped in 1954.
|-
| ''British Venture''  || 1930 || style="text-align:Center;"| 4,696 |||| [[Lithgows]] || Sunk 24 June 1943 by torpedo, from Japanese submarine ''I-27''
|-
| ''British Vigilance''  || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,093 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] || Sunk 24 January 1943 by torpedo from {{GS|U-105|1940|2}}
|-
| ''British Vigour''  || 1943 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,844 |||| [[Furness Shipbuilding Company]] || The first vessel with a welded hull.<ref name=bp.com/> Sold in 1959 and renamed ''Thoronet''. Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Vine'' || 1901 || style="text-align:Center;"| 7,474 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Launched as the ''Patrician''. In 1914 acquired by the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] and converted to the dummy battleship HMS ''Invincible''.  In 1915 she was fitted with oil tanks and transferred to the [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary|RFA]] as the RFA ''Tarakol''.  Transferred to the [[Shipping Controller]] in 1917 and renamed ''Vineleaf''.  Purchased 1919.  Sold in 1923 and renamed ''Busen''. Scrapped in 1935.
|-
| ''British Virtue''  || 1945 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,500 |||| [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1962
|-
| ''British Viscount'' || 1880 || style="text-align:Center;"| 3,287  || || Oswald, Mordaunt & Co, Southampton || Ex ''Rock Light'' acquired 1917. Sunk 23 February 1918 by torpedo from {{ship|SM|U-91||2}}<ref name=Middlemiss/>
|-
| ''British Viscount'' || 1921 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,895 ||[[File:British Viscount 1921.jpg|50px]]|| [[Swan Hunter]] || Sunk 3 April 1941 by torpedo from {{GS|U-73|1940|2}}
|-
| ''British Wisdom'' || 1945 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,130 |||| Blythswood Shipbuilding || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Workman'' || 1922 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,994 ||[[File:British Workman 1922.jpg|50px]]|| Workman, Clark & Co || Sunk 3 May 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-455||2}}
|-
| ''British Yeoman'' || 1923 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,990 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Sunk 15 July 1942 by torpedo from {{GS|U-201||2}}
|-
| ''British Zeal''  || 1937 || style="text-align:Center;"| 8,532 |||| [[Lithgows]] || Damaged 31 December 1940 by torpedo from {{GS|U-65|1940|2}}, but survived. Sold 1958 and renamed ''Redwijs I''.  Scrapped in 1959
|-
| ''Empire Gem'' || 1941 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,139 |||| [[Harland & Wolff]] ||  Operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]]. Torpedoed and sunk 24 January 1941 by {{GS|U-66|1940|2}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Empire Gem|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/1289.html|website=uboat.net|access-date=29 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
| ''Empire Metal'' || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,201 || ||  [[Harland & Wolff]] ||  Operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]].  Sunk 2 January 1943 by air attack.<ref>
{{cite web|title= Empire Metal|url= http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?153823|website= Wrecksite.EU|access-date = 29 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
|''Eupion'' || 1914 || style="text-align:Center;"|3575 || || Mackay Brothers || Sunk 3 Oct 1918 by torpedo from {{ship|SM|UB-90||2}}
|-
| ''Ferrara'' || 1880 || style="text-align:Center;"| 1,175 |||| Robert Steele & Company || Taken over from parent company in 1915.  Sold to India 1923 and gutted by fire later the same year.<ref>{{cite web|title=SS Ferrara|url=http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=21918 |publisher=Clydeships |access-date=7 November 2019}}</ref>
|-
| ''Josefina Thorden'' || 1932 || style="text-align:Center;"| 6,620 || || Eriksberg Mekaniske Verkstad || Operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]] 1941.  Mined and sunk 6 Apr 1943.<ref>{{cite web|title=Josefina Thorden tanker|url=http://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?149546|website=Wrecksite.EU|access-date=29 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
|''Kura'' || 1889 || style="text-align:Center;"|2,391 ||  || [[Armstrong Whitworth|Armstrong & Mitchell Co]] || Purchased 1918, sold 1924 to Italy and renamed ''Persiano''.  Sunk by torpedo from {{HMS|Tetrarch|N77|6}} in 1941<ref>{{cite web|title=Kura Tanker 1924–1941|url=http://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?167997|website=Wrecksite.EU|access-date=29 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
|''Kerman'' || 1907 || style="text-align:Center;"|4,397 || || Flensburger Schiffsbouw Ges., Flensburg || Ex ''Furth''. A second freighter acquired in 1915 after capture by the [[Royal Navy]] to carry cased oil.  1920 sold and renamed ''Sultania''.  Scrapped in 1933.
|-
|''Khuzistan'' || 1924 || style="text-align:Center;"|871 || || Amble Shipbuilding Company || Freighter adapted to carry cased oil. Sold 1953 and renamed ''Effigyny''.  Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''Melpomene'' || 1923 || style="text-align:Center;"|7,011 || || Ateliers & Chantiers De La Gironde, Bordeaux || Operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]]. Sunk 5 March 1942 by torpedo from the Italian submarine ''Giuseppe Finzi''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Melpomene tanker|url=http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?217136|website=Wrecksite.EU|access-date=29 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
|''Mexican Prince'' || 1893 || style="text-align:Center;"|3028 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Acquired 1918.  Sold 1919 and renamed ''Southern Isles''. Resold 1930 and renamed ''Silva Porto''.  Scrapped in 1937.<ref>{{cite web|title=Prince Line|url=http://www.red-duster.co.uk/PRINCE8.htm|website=Red Duster|access-date=3 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102506/http://www.red-duster.co.uk/PRINCE8.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| ''Oltania II'' || 1928 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,394 || || [[Armstrong Whitworth]] || Operated for the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]].  Sunk 8 January 1943 by torpedo from {{GS|U-436||2}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Oltenia II|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/2572.html|website=uboat.net|access-date=29 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
|''Rion'' || 1889 || style="text-align:Center;"|2,186 || || [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Purchased 1918, sold 1924 and renamed  ''Italiano''.  Resold 1925 and renamed  ''Federico Garolla'', sank after an explosion at sea in 1930<ref>{{cite web|title=Rion 1889|url=http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/R-Ships/rion1889.html|website=Tyne Built Ships|access-date=29 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
| ''Saint Patrice'' || || style="text-align:Center;"| || || || Acquired and disposed of in 1922.
|-
|''Suram'' || 1893 || style="text-align:Center;"|2,186 || || Sir James Laing & Sons || Purchased 1918, sold and renamed ''Bithnia'' 1920, scrapped in 1931.
|-
|''Scandinavia'' || 1905 || style="text-align:Center;"|456 || || N. V. Werf V. Rijkee & Company, Rotterdam || Schooner, the only sailing vessel in the BTC fleet.  Acquired 1917. Scrapped in 1923 after being wrecked at [[Isle of Portland|Portland]]<ref name=bp.com/>
|-
|''Taraqqi'' || 1930 || style="text-align:Center;"|388 || || G. Brown & Company, Greenock || Coaster adapted to carry cased oil.  Sold in 1955.  Resold in 1967 and again in 1973 and renamed ''Tara Q''. Deleted from [[Lloyd's Register]] in 1998.
|-
| ''War Nawab''  || 1919 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,586 ||[[File:War Nawab 1919.jpg|50px]]|| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Operated for the [[Shipping Controller]].  Transferred to Admiralty in 1921, then to [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary|RFA]] in 1936, scrapped 1958.<ref>{{cite web|title=Forces War Records|url=http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/unit-info/2408/|access-date=2014-04-07}}</ref> 
|-
| ''War Nizam''  || 1918 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,605 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Operated for the [[Shipping Controller]].  Transferred to Admiralty in 1921, then to [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary|RFA]] in 1937, scrapped 1949.<ref>{{cite web|title=Forces War Records|url=http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/unit-info/2407/rfa-war-nizam/|access-date=2014-04-07}}</ref> 
|-
| ''War Sudra'' || 1920 || style="text-align:Center;"| 5,599 |||| [[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]] || Operated for the [[Shipping Controller]].  Transferred to Admiralty in 1921. Sold 1948, renamed ''Germaine'' in 1951, scrapped 1954.<ref>{{cite web|title=Forces War Records|url=http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/unit-info/2402/rfa-war-sudra/|access-date=2014-04-07}}</ref> 
|}

{{clear}}

=== Fleet list 1945 to 1956 ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! width=90px|Ship ||  Built  ||  GRT || Photo || Built by || Notes
|-
| ''Beecher Island'' || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,668 || || [[Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company]] || [[T2 tanker]] purchased 1947, scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Admiral'' || 1947 ||  style="text-align:Center;"|8,378 || || [[Furness Shipbuilding Company]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| '' British Adventure'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|18,573 || || [[Vickers Armstrong]] || The first "Supertanker". Sold 1973 and renamed ''Vrahos''. Scrapped 1975.
|-
| ''British Advocate'' || 1948 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,573 || || Lithgows || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Ardour'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,616 || ||  [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Baron'' || 1947 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,556 || ||  [[Cammell Laird]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Birch'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,688 || || Sir James Laing & Sons || Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Builder'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,699 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Bulldog'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|18,593 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Captain'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,700 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Caution'' || 1945 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,552 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Chancellor'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,356 || || Blythswood Shipbuilding || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1961 and renamed ''Clyde Chancellor''.  In 1964 reverted to [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]] and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Chivalry'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,217  || || Blythswood Shipbuilding || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed ''Clyde Chivalry''.  In 1963 reverted to [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]] and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Commander'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,655 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Commerce'' || 1946 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,092 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Consul'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,655 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Corporal'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,071 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1957 and renamed ''Clyde Corporal''.   In 1964 reverted to [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]] and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Councillor'' || 1948 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,573 || || Lithgows || Scrapped in 1967.
|-
| ''British Craftsman'' ||1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,697 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Crown'' || 1952 || style="text-align:Center;"|18,570 || || [[Cammell Laird]] || Scrapped in 1966 after an explosion and fire.
|-
| ''British Crusader'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,346 || || [[Cammell Laird]] ||  Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1957 and renamed ''Clyde Crusader''.   In 1964 reverted to [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]] and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Defender'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,138 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Sold 1965 and renamed ''El Flamingo''. 1969 rebuilt as a suction dredger.  Scrapped in 1982.
|-
| ''British Diplomat'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,155 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Duke'' || 1948 ||  style="text-align:Center;"|8,562 || ||  [[Cammell Laird]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Earl'' || 1946 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,745 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Hit a mine off Denmark in 1947 which required major repairs.<ref>{{cite web|title=British Earl|url=http://www.gtzx.org.uk/index.php/bp-tankers/details/17/87|website=gtzx.org|access-date=11 October 2015}}</ref> Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Empress'' || 1947 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,745 || || [[Furness Shipbuilding Company]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Endeavour'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,589 || || [[Hawthorn Leslie & Company|R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Engineer'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|21,077 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || 1972 sold and renamed ''Petrola V''. Scrapped in 1976.
|-
| ''British Ensign'' || 1947 ||  style="text-align:Center;"|8,738 || || [[Furness Shipbuilding Company]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Enterprise'' || 1946 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,095 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Envoy'' || 1953 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,349 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed ''Clyde Envoy''.   In 1963 reverted to [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]] and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1970.
|-
| ''British Escort'' || 1943 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,908 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Laid down as ''British Virtue'' but taken over by the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]] and launched as the [[merchant aircraft carrier]] {{MV|Empire MacCabe||2}}.  Purchased and renamed in 1946.<ref name=bp.com/> Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Explorer'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,644 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed ''Clyde Explorer''. Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Fame'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,203 || ||  [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1971.
|-
| ''British Fern'' || 1947 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,582 || || Sir James Laing & Sons || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Flag'' || 1953 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,327 || || [[Hawthorn Leslie & Company|R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company]] || Scrapped in 1971.
|-
| ''British Fortune'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,108 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Freedom'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,207 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British General'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,775 || || [[Furness Shipbuilding Company]] || Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Guardian'' || 1953 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,359 || || Lithgows || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed ''Clyde Guardian''.   In 1963 reverted to [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]] and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Guide'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,778 || || [[Furness Shipbuilding Company]] || Scrapped in 1963 after being in collision with ''Ocean Enterprise''.
|-
| ''British Gunner'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,076 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1961 and renamed ''Clyde Gunner''.   In 1964 reverted to [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]] and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Hero'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,358 || || Lithgows || Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Holly'' || 1946 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,582 || || Sir James Laing & Sons || Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Isles'' || 1947 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,738 || || [[Furness Shipbuilding Company]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Knight'' || 1946 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,629 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Lady'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,140 || || Smiths Dock Company. || Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Liberty'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,589 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Loyalty'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,592 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1967.
|-
| ''British Major'' || 1946 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,564 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Maple'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,686 || || Sir James Laing & Sons || Scrapped in 1965.
|-
| ''British Mariner'' || 1948 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,576 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Scrapped in 1962 after colliding with and sinking the ''Palmyra'' off [[Ushant]].<ref>{{cite web|title=British Mariner|url=http://www.gtzx.org.uk/index.php/bp-tankers/details/17/215|website=gtzx.org|access-date=16 October 2015}}{{dead link|date=May 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
|-
| ''British Marquis'' || 1946 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,563 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Marshall'' || 1946 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,582 || || [[William Doxford & Sons]] || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Merchant'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|21,064 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || 1973 sold and renamed ''Petrola VII''.  1976 resold and renamed ''Petrola 7''.  Scrapped in 1978.
|-
| ''British Navigator'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,135 || || JL Thompson & Sons || Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Oak'' || 1953 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,307 || || Smiths Dock Company || Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Officer'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,362 || || [[William Hamilton and Company|William Hamilton and Company, Glasgow]] || Scrapped in 1973.
|-
| ''British Patriot'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,661 || || Lithgows || Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Patrol'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,380 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || 1973 sold and renamed ''Maripatrol''.  1980 resold and renamed ''Nona Maro''. Suffered a fire and explosion at [[Vlissingen|Flushing]] in 1980.<ref>{{cite web|title=British Patrol|url=http://www.gtzx.org.uk/index.php/bp-tankers/details/17/236|website=gtzx.org|access-date=18 October 2015}}{{dead link|date=May 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Scrapped in 1981
|-
| ''British Peer'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,661 || || Lithgows || Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Pilot'' || 1943 || style="text-align:Center;"|9,133 || [[File:Mv empire maccoll.jpg|50px]] || [[Cammell Laird|Laird, Son & Co., Birkenhead]] || Laid down as ''British Caution'' but taken over by the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]] and launched as the [[merchant aircraft carrier]] {{MV|Empire MacColl||2}}.  Purchased and renamed in 1946.<ref name=bp.com/> Scrapped in 1962
|-
| ''British Pioneer'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,651 || || Blythswood Shipbuilding Company, Glasgow || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed ''Clyde Pioneer''. Scrapped in 1965. 
|-
| ''British Piper'' || 1945 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,238 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Laid down as ''Empire Grenada'' but completed for BTC in 1946. Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Pluck'' || 1945 || style="text-align:Center;"|930 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Ex ''Empire Tesella''.  Managed for [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]].  Purchased 1951 and scrapped in 1954.
|-
| ''British Premier'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,661 || || Lithgows || Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Princess'' || 1946 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,582 || || Sir James Laing & Sons || The ship was launched by [[Elizabeth II]].<ref name="MarinersMirror">{{cite journal |last1=Bellamy |first1=Martin |date=2022 |title=Editorial |journal=The Mariner's Mirror |volume=108 |issue=4 |pages=387 |publisher=[[Society for Nautical Research]]|doi=10.1080/00253359.2022.2117453 |s2cid=253161552 }}</ref> Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Progress'' || 1948 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,577 || || Blythswood Shipbuilding Company, Glasgow || Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Prospector'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,655 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1958 and renamed ''Clyde Prospector''. Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Prudence'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,577 || || Blythswood Shipbuilding Company, Glasgow || Scrapped in 1966.
|-
| ''British Ranger'' || 1948 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,575 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1957 and renamed ''Clyde Ranger''.  Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Realm'' || 1952 || style="text-align:Center;"|18,571 || || Fairfield Compan || Scrapped in 1970.
|-
| ''British Reliance'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,201 || || Sir James Laing & Sons || 1973 sold and renamed ''Bangor Bay''. 1974 resold and renamed ''Ocean Princess''. Scrapped in 1975.
|-
| ''British Resource'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,200 || ||  [[Hawthorn Leslie & Company|R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company]] || Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Rover'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,137 || || JL Thompson & Sons || 1961 sold and renamed ''[[Palm Line#The Fleet|Makeni Palm]]''. 1967 resold and renamed ''Kerkennah''.  1971 renamed ''Palau''. Scrapped in 1976.
|-
| ''British Rose'' || 1946 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,101 || || JL Thompson & Sons || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Sailor'' || 1953 || style="text-align:Center;"|20.961 || || [[John Brown & Company|John Brown & Company, Clydebank]] || 1972 sold and renamed ''Marisira''. 1974 resold and renamed ''Fagr''.  Scrapped in 1980.
|-
| ''British Scientist'' || 1948 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,545 || || [[Cammell Laird]] || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1957 and renamed ''Clyde Scientist''. Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Seafarer'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,220 || || [[Hawthorn Leslie & Company|R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company]] || Scrapped in 1973.
|-
| ''British Sergeant'' ||1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,073 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1960 and renamed ''Clyde Sergeant''.   In 1963 reverted to [[BP Shipping|BP Tanker Company]] and resumed original name. Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Security'' || 1948 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,583 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Sold 1966 and renamed ''Mana''.  Resold 1967 and renamed ''Ypatia''.  Wrecked off [[Mozambique]] in 1968 and scrapped in 1969.<ref>{{cite web|title=British Security|url=http://www.gtzx.org.uk/index.php/bp-tankers/details/17/452|website=gtzx.com|access-date=11 October 2015}}{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|-
| ''British Skill'' || 1952 || style="text-align:Center;"|18,550 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Soldier'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|21,082 || || [[John Brown & Company|John Brown & Company, Clydebank]] || 1972 Sold and renamed ''Maribruna''. Scrapped in 1976.
|-
| ''British Sovereign'' || 1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|21,138 || || [[Vickers-Armstrong]] || 1972 sold and renamed ''Petrola VI''. 1976 renamed ''Petrola 6''. Scrapped in 1977.
|-
| ''British Splendour'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,233 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Sportsman'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,231 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Strength'' || 1948 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,580 || || [[Harland & Wolff]]  || Scrapped in 1966.
|-
| ''British Success'' || 1945 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,215 || || Blythswood Shipbuilding || Laid up 1957.  Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Supremacy'' || 1945 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,242 || ||  [[Harland & Wolff]] || The first of the post-war ships.  Scrapped 1962.
|-
| ''British Surveyor'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,655 || ||  [[Harland & Wolff]] || Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1961 and renamed ''Clyde Surveyor''. Scrapped in 1964.
|-
| ''British Swordfish'' || 1943 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,908 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || Laid down as ''British Wisdom'' but taken over by the [[Ministry of War Transport|MoWT]] and launched as the [[merchant aircraft carrier]] {{MV|Empire MacKay||2}}.  Purchased and renamed in 1946.<ref name=bp.com/> Scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''British Talent'' || 1952 || style="text-align:Center;"|18,593 || || [[Hawthorn Leslie & Company|R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company]] || Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Triumph'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,640 || || [[Cammell Laird]] || Scrapped in 1956.
|-
| ''British Trust'' || 1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,640 || || [[Cammell Laird]] ||  Transferred to BP Clyde Tanker Co in 1957 and renamed ''Clyde Inventor''. Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''British Union'' ||1950 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,663 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1962.
|-
| ''British Venture'' || 1948 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,119 || ||  JL Thompson & Sons || Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''British Victory'' || 1955 || style="text-align:Center;"|21,153 || || [[Vickers-Armstrong]] || 1973 sold and renamed ''Marivic''. Scrapped in 1977.
|-
| ''British Viscount'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,664 || || [[Swan Hunter]] || Scrapped in 1965.
|-
| ''British Vision'' ||1954 || style="text-align:Center;"|11,349 || ||  JL Thompson & Sons || Scrapped in 1972.
|-
| ''British Warrior'' || 1951 || style="text-align:Center;"|6,143 || || JL Thompson & Sons || 1961 sold and renamed ''Anne''. 1964 resold and renamed ''LSCO Pandacan''. scrapped in 1977.
|-
| ''British Workman'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,575 || || [[Harland & Wolff]] || In 1960 collided with and sank the ''Mongabara'' in fog off the German coast. Scrapped in 1967.<ref>{{cite web|title=British Workman|url=http://www.gtzx.org.uk/index.php/bp-tankers/details/17/378|website=gtzx.org|access-date=16 October 2015}}{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|-
| ''British Yeoman'' || 1949 || style="text-align:Center;"|8,741 || || [[Furness Shipbuilding Company]] || Scrapped in 1963.
|-
| ''Chisholm Trail'' || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,660 || || [[Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company]] || [[T2 tanker]] purchased 1947, sold 1955 and renamed ''Montsoreau''. Scrapped after collision in 1961.
|-
| ''Cottonwood Creek'' || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,647 || || [[Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company]] || [[T2 tanker]] purchased 1947, sold 1955 and renamed ''Brissac''. Sold 1959 and renamed ''Bulk Mariner'' but reverted to original name in 1960.  Sold 1965, wrecked and abandoned 1970.
|-
| ''El Morro'' || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,673 || || [[Kaiser Company]] || [[T2 tanker]] purchased 1947, scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''Fort Frederika'' || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,672 || || [[Kaiser Company]] || [[T2 tanker]] purchased 1947, scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''Fort Stevens'' || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,639 || || [[Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company]] || [[T2 tanker]] purchased 1947, scrapped in 1959.
|-
| ''Iran'' || 1943 || style="text-align:Center;"|798 || || Grangemouth Dockyard Company || Ex ''Empire Settler'' purchased 1947. Renamed ''Widad'' in 1958. Sold in 1962 and renamed ''Motol VII''. Scrapped in 1968.
|-
| ''Mesa Verde'' || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,660 || || [[Kaiser Company]] || [[T2 tanker]] purchased 1947, sold 1955 and renamed ''Villandry''. Scrapped in 1961.
|-
| ''Pazan'' || 1942 || style="text-align:Center;"|438 || || Greifenwerft G.m.b.H., Stettin  || Ex [[Luftwaffe]] ''August''. Acquired by AIOC in 1948, renamed ''Angliran 20'' and transferred to PSSC. Transferred to BTC in 1949.  Sold in 1956 and renamed ''Southern Pioneer''. Scrapped after an explosion and fire at [[Mombasa]] in 1964.
|-
| ''Red Bank'' || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,639 || || [[Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company]] || [[T2 tanker]] purchased 1947, sold 1959 and renamed ''Bank''. Scrapped in 1960.
|-
| ''Rogue River'' || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,647 || || [[Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company]] || [[T2 tanker]] purchased 1947, sold 1959 and renamed ''Hunsfors''.  Renamed ''Apache'' in 1960. Sold 1968 and renamed ''Pacmerchant''.  Scrapped in 1977.
|-
| ''Smoky Hill'' || 1944 || style="text-align:Center;"|10,448 || || [[Kaiser Company]] || [[T2 tanker]] purchased 1947, sold 1957.  Scrapped in 1967.
|-
|}

==Subsidiary companies==
A number of second-hand ships weren't integrated into the main fleet but were operated by subsidiary companies, often a single ship per company.  These vessels were not renamed into the ''British'' sequence.<ref name=Middlemiss/> The principal subsidiary companies were The Petroleum Steam Ship Company, The [[Lowland Tanker Company]] and the jointly owned Shell-Mex & BP.

== House flag ==

The first house flag consisted of the black letters BTC set in a white circle on a white horizontal band, the white bordered with black, all set against a red background.

In 1926/7 the flag was changed to include the Persian colours. This new house flag consisted of the red Cross of Saint George on a white background, with a large green lozenge imposed over the centre of the cross, the lozenge containing a golden lion 'passant guardant'; the lion being a symbol of Persia.
This remained until 1954, when a red lion 'rampant' replaced the golden lion.
<gallery>
House flag of British Tanker Company (1915-1927).svg|1915-1927
House flag of British Tanker Company (1927-1955).png|1927-1955
House flag of British Tanker Company (1955-1968 and 1984-1989).png|1955-1968 and 1984-1989
House flag of BP Shipping (1968-1984).png|1968-1984
</gallery>
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

*{{cite web
|url        = http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp-shipping/en/documents/bps100_chapter1.pdf
|title      = BP Shipping 100 Pt 1
|website    = [[BP]]
|access-date = 29 June 2015
|ref        = {{harvid|BP Shipping 100, Chp. 1}}
}}

==Sources==
* National Archives, Kew
* ''BP Magazine'' Issue 2, 2009: page 24
* Lloyd's shipping registers
* {{cite book |last1=Harvey |first1=WJ |last2=Solly |first2=Dr RJ |year=2005 |title=BP Tankers: A Group Fleet History |place=London |publisher=[[Chatham Publishing]]|isbn=978-1-86176-251-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Ferrier |first=RW |year=1982 |title=The History of the British Petroleum Company |volume=1 The Developing Years, 1901–1932 |place=Cambridge |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=978-0-521-24647-7 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofbritish0001ferr/page/292 292–294] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofbritish0001ferr/page/292 }}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171016153742/http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/index.php Plimsoll Ship Data website – Lloyd's shipping registers 1930 to 1945]
* [http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/search.php/ Allied ships hit by U-Boats during the Second World War]
* [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/bt389.asp/ National Archives, Kew – Second World War Merchant shipping movement cards]
* [http://www.wrecksite.eu/ownerBuilderView.aspx?3697/ The position of ship wrecks – vessels of the British Tanker Company]
*[http://www.gtzx.org.uk/index.php/ GTZX – Fleet details]
* {{PM20|FID=co/050483|TEXT=Documents and clippings about|NAME=}}
{{BP}}

[[Category:Anglo-Persian Oil Company]]
[[Category:Former BP subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Defunct shipping companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ships of BP Shipping]]
[[Category:Tanker shipping companies]]
[[Category:World War II merchant ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1915 establishments in England]]
[[Category:1956 disestablishments in England]]