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M/T COLONIAL BEACON
Photo courtesy of: John Curdy

Built in 1927, by Sun Shipbuilding Incorporated of Chester, Pennsylvania (hull #105) as the Colonial Beacon for the Colonial-Beacon Oil Company Incorporated of Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1948, she was acquired by the Esso Shipping Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Where she was renamed as the Esso Delivery No. 12.

In 1955, the Esso Shipping Company renamed the unit as the Esso Potomac.

In 1963, she was acquired by the Interstate Oil Transportation Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Where she was renamed as the Potomac.

Acquired for $25,000.00, the transaction included two spare, stainless steel shafts, and two stainless steel propellers. These items alone, were worth the purchase price of $25,000.00. She was the first self-propelled barge, or "self-propellers" that were operated by the Interstate Oil Transportation Company.

Although she had been repowered, a survey showed that a number of sound plates, and internal structures. As well as, significant replacements of plating in the internal tanks. Twenty five percent of the deck, side, and bottom plating required replacement. She was also suffering from an exhaust leak in the engine room.

In 1968, the unit was acquired by the South American and Central American Petroleum and Chemical Corporation of Panama City, Panama. Where she retained her name.

In 1969, she was acquired by Hemisphere Associates Limited of Panama City, Panama. Where the unit retained her name.

In 1972, the unit was acquired by the Caribem Investment Company Limited of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Where she retained her name.

In 1972, she was acquired by Ernesto Escobar Pallares of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Where the unit retained her name.

In 1992, the unit was scrapped at Callao, Ecuador.
(John Curdy, Robert Silva, Auke Visser)


  • Vessel Name: M/T COLONIAL BEACON
  • USCG Doc. No.: 226701
  • Vessel Service: TANK SHIP
  • Trade Indicator: Coastwise Unrestricted, Registry
  • Hull Material: STEEL
  • Hull Number: 105
  • Ship Builder: Sun Shipbuilding Co. Inc.
  • Year Built: 1927
  • Length: 246.1
  • Hull Depth: 14.5
  • Hull Breadth: 40
  • Gross Tonnage: 1786
  • Net Tonnage: 1224
  • Previous Vessel Names:
    Colonial Beacon, Esso Delivery No. 12, Esso Potomac, Potomac
  • Previous Vessel Owners:
    Colonial-Beacon Oil Company Inc., Esso Shipping Co., Interstate Oil Transportation Co., South American and Central American Petroleum and Chemical Corp., Bergeron Machine Panama, Cabibem Investment Co. Ltd. Guayaquil Ecuador, Navipac S.A. Guayaquil Ecuador,