View source for SS Gripfast

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
| Ship country = 
 | Ship flag =
|Ship class=
|Ship name=*''Empire Brook'' (1941-46)
*''Stancliffe'' (1946-48)
*''Gripfast'' (1948-60)
*''Capetan Costas P'' (1960-66)
*''Karine M'' (1966)
*''Pitsa'' (1966-67)
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[William Gray & Company|William Gray & Co Ltd]], West Hartlepool
|Ship yard number=1115
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=10 April 1941
|Ship completed=May 1941
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship registry=*{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} West Hartlepool (1941-46)
*{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} London (1946-48)
*{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Newcastle upon Tyne (1948-60)
*{{flagicon|Panama}} Panama City (1960-67)
|Ship identification=*UK [[Official Number]] 160793 (1941-60)
*Lloyd's Register Number 506219 (1960-67)
*Code Letters BCKF (1941-48)
*{{ICS|Bravo}}{{ICS|Charlie}}{{ICS|Kilo}}{{ICS|Foxtrot}}
|Ship owner=*Ministry of War Transport (1941-46)
*Stanhope Steamship Co Ltd (1946-48)
*Newbigin Steamship Co Ltd (1948-60)
*Saints Anargyroi Compagnia Ltda (1960-66)
*Compagnia di Navigazione Patricio (1966)
*Siconen Shipping SA (1966-67)
|Ship operator=*I Williams & Co Ltd (1941-42)
*W Fraser, Fenwick & Co Ltd (1942-43)
*Stanhope Steamship Co Ltd (1942-45)
*J A Billmeir & Co Ltd (1945-48)
*E R Newbigin Ltd (1948-60)
*Ezkos Maritime Technical Co (1960-66)
*Mooringwell Steamship Co (1966)
*Kalamotusis Shipbroking Ltd (1966-67)
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=6 December 1967
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship captured=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate= Sank
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship tonnage=*{{GRT|2,852}}
*{{NRT|1,580}}<!--
*xxxxx [[Deadweight tonnage|DWT]]-->
|Ship length={{convert|310|ft|6|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|44|ft|4|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught=
|Ship depth={{convert|19|ft|4|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=1 x triple expansion steam engine
|Ship speed={{convert|9.5|kn|km/h}}
|Ship range= 
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship complement=
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship badge=
|Ship honours=
|Ship notes=
|Ship crew = 
}}
|}
{{location map|Indian Ocean|width=304
|lat=13.533
|long=55
|caption=Location of the sinking of ''Pitsa''.
}}

'''''Gripfast''''' was a {{GRT|2852|link=off}} [[coastal trading vessel|coaster]] which was built in 1941 as '''''Empire Brook''''' for the [[Ministry of War Transport]] (MoWT). She was sold into civil service in 1946 and renamed '''''Stancliffe'''''. She ran aground in 1948 and was declared a constructive total loss, having broken her back. Despite this, she was repaired and saw further service as ''Gripfast'', '''''Capetan Costas P''''', '''''Karine M''''' and '''''Pitsa''''' before sinking when under tow on 6 December 1967.

==Description==
''Empire Brook'' was built by [[William Gray & Company|William Gray & Co Ltd]], [[West Hartlepool]].<ref name=Ships>{{cite book | first = and Sawyer, L A| last = Mitchell, W H | year = 1995| title = The Empire Ships| publisher = Lloyd's of London Press Ltd| location = London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong|isbn=1-85044-275-4}}</ref> Her yard number was 1115.<ref name=Miramar>{{csr|register=MSI|id=1160793|access-date=24 December 2009}}</ref> Launched on 10 April 1941, she was completed in May 1941.<ref name=Ships/>

The ship was {{convert|310|ft|6|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|44|ft|4|in|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|19|ft|4|in|m|2}}. She was propelled by a [[triple expansion steam engine]] which had cylinders of {{convert|20|in|cm}}, {{convert|33|in|cm}} and {{convert|55|in|cm}} bore by {{convert|39|in|cm}} stroke. The engine was built by the Central Marine Engine Works, West Hartlepool. She had a [[Gross Register Tonnage|GRT]] of 2,852 with an [[Net Register Tonnage|NRT]] of 1,580.<ref name=Brook>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/40/40a1064.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=24 December 2009}}</ref>

==Career==

===Wartime===
''Empire Brook's'' port of registry was [[South Shields]]. She was initially operated under the management of I Williams & Co Ltd.<ref name=Brook/> Management was then transferred to W France, Fenwick & Co Ltd.<ref name=Brook2>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/41/41b0270.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=24 December 2009}}</ref> In 1942, management was transferred to Stanhope Steamship Co Ltd.<ref name=Brook3>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/42/42b0272.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=24 December 2009}}</ref>

''Empire Brook'' was a member of a number of convoys during the [[Second World War]].

;MKS 33
Convoy MKS 33 departed [[Alexandria]], [[Egypt]] on 2 December 1943 and arrived at [[Gibraltar]] on 13 December. ''Empire Brook'' was bound for [[Augusta, Sicily|Augusta]].<ref name=MKS33>{{cite web|url=http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/mks33.html |title=CONVOY MKS 33 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=24 December 2009}}</ref>

;MKS 40
Convoy MKS 40 departed Augusta on 14 April 1944 bound for the United Kingdom. ''Empire Brook'' joined the convoy at [[Bizerta]], [[Tunisia]] and left it at [[Algiers]], [[Algeria]].
<ref name=MKS>{{cite web|url=http://warsailors.com/convoys/mksconvoys2.html |title=MKS Convoys – Nov. 1942-1945, MKS 31 through MKS 45 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=24 December 2009}}</ref>

;MKS 47
Convoy MKS 47 departed [[Port Said]], Egypt on 19 April 1944 bound for the United Kingdom. ''Empire Brook'' joined the convoy at Alexandria and left it at Augusta.<ref name=MKS2>{{cite web|url=http://warsailors.com/convoys/mksconvoys2.html |title=MKS Convoys – Nov. 1942-1945, MKS 46 through MKS 60 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=24 December 2009}}</ref>

===Postwar===
In 1946, ''Empire Brook'' was sold to Stanhope Steamship Co Ltd, and was renamed ''Stancliffe'',<ref name=Ships/> the third ship of that name for the company.<ref name=Billmeir>{{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/stanhope.htm |title=J. A. Billmeir / Stanhope Steamship Co. |publisher=The Ships List |access-date=24 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505133711/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/stanhope.htm |archive-date=5 May 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> She was operated under the management of J A Billmeir & Co Ltd, [[London]].<ref name=Ships/> Her port of registry was changed to London.<ref name=Stancliffe/>

On 3 April 1947, ''Stancliffe'' ran aground at the entrance to [[Sharpness, Gloucestershire|Sharpness]] Docks, [[Gloucestershire]].<ref name=Ships/> Her cargo of 3,000 tons of [[timber]] was salvaged,<ref name=Repair>{{cite journal |title=Stancliffe |journal=Stinchcombe Spirit |publisher=Stinchcombe Parish Council |issue=16 |page=11 |url=http://www.stinchcombepc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=35&Itemid=50&mode=view }}</ref> but ''Stancliffe'' had broken her back and was declared a constructive total loss.<ref name=Ships/> ''Stancliffe'' was cut into two pieces, and each was sailed down the [[River Severn]] to [[Cardiff]] where the ship was repaired.<ref name=Repair/> She was sold to Newbigin Steamship Co Ltd, [[Newcastle upon Tyne]] and renamed ''Gripfast''. She was operated under the management of E R Newbigin Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.<ref name=Ships/> Her port of registry was changed to Newcastle upon Tyne.<ref name=Miramar/>

On 22 October 1951, ''Gripfast'' answered a distress call from the {{SS|Pandora||2}}. There was a collision in which ''Gripfast's'' propeller was damaged and ''Pandora'' was holed. ''Pandora'' foundered with the loss of all six crew. The Court of Inquiry found that ''Pandora'' would probably have remained afloat longer had she not been in collision with ''Gripfast''.<ref name=Pandora>{{cite web|url=http://www.plimsoll.org/images/14222_tcm4-55924.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721100926/http://www.plimsoll.org/images/14222_tcm4-55924.pdf |url-status=usurped |archive-date=21 July 2011 |title=THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT, 1894, REPORT OF COURT (No 7977), SS "Pandora" O.N. 90948 |publisher=Plimsoll |access-date=24 December 2009}}</ref>

In 1960, ''Gripfast'' was sold to Saints Anargyroi Compagnia Ltda, [[Panama]] and renamed ''Capetan Costas P''.<ref name=Ships/> She was reflagged to Panama.<ref name=Miramar/> ''Capetan Costas P'' was operated under the management of Ezkos Maritime Technical Co, [[Greece]]. In 1966, ''Capetan Costas P'' was sold to Compagnia di Navigazione Patricio, [[Liberia]] and renamed ''Karine M''. She was operated under the management of Mooringwell Steamship Co, Cardiff. Later that year, she was sold to Siconen Shipping SA, Panama and renamed ''Pitsa''. She was operated under the management of Kalamotusis Shipbroking Ltd, London.<ref name=Ships/>

On 10 October 1967, ''Pitsa'' put into [[Djibouti (city)|Djibouti]] with boiler defects. She was also found to be leaking. On 1 December 1967,<ref name=Ships/> ''Pitsa'' left [[Aqaba]], [[Jordan]],<ref name=Miramar/> bound for [[Colombo]], [[Ceylon]] under tow from [[tugboat|tug]] ''Nisos Kerkyra''. On 6 December 1967, she sank off [[Socotra Island]], [[Yemen]] ({{coord|13|32|N|55|00|E}}).<ref name=Ships/>

==Official Numbers and Code Letters==

Official Numbers were a forerunner to [[IMO ship identification number|IMO Numbers]]. ''Empire Brook'', ''Stancliffe'' and ''Gripfast'' had the UK [[Official Number]] 168646.  ''Capetan Costas P'', ''Karine M'' and ''Pitsa'' had the Lloyd's Register number 506219.<ref name=Miramar/> ''Empire Brook'' and ''Stancliffe'' used the [[Code Letters]] BCKF.<ref name=Brook/><ref name=Stancliffe>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/45/45a1294.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=24 December 2009}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.wrecksite.eu/imgBrowser.aspx?6381 Photo of SS ''Gripfast'']

{{Empire ships}}
{{1947 shipwrecks}}
{{1951 shipwrecks}}
{{1967 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gripfast}}
[[Category:1941 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tees]]
[[Category:Empire ships]]
[[Category:Ministry of War Transport ships]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1947]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1951]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Panama]]
[[Category:Steamships of Panama]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1967]]