Esso Wandsworth 
- Name
- Esso Wandsworth
- Accident date
- 23/09/1965
- Location
- England
- Accident area
- Lower Hope Reach, Thames
- Spill area
- Inland waters
- Cause of spill
- Collision
- Nature of pollutant
- Light fuel oil
- Quantity spilled
- 5,000 tonnes
- Ship / structure type
- Oil tanker
- Built date
- 1943
- Shipyard
- Barnes, Duluth Ship Building Co
- Length
- 111.59 m
- Width
- 18.35 m
- Draught
- 4.6 m
- Flag
- British
- Owner
- Esso Petroleum Co. Ltd
The tanker the Esso Wandworth was sailing on the river Thames from Thames Haven, on the Essex Shore, to Littlebrook Power Station, Dartford, loaded with 5,000 tonnes of light fuel oil. On 23 September, she collided with the Dutch vessel Moerdyk in heavy fog, in Lower Hope Reach. The Esso Wandworth port side was holed. 5,000 tonnes of fuel oil spilled into the Thames.
The vessel was then beached upstream by a tug. A few days later, she was refloated and towed to Gravesend. However, on 12 October, an explosion occured during repair works. The vessel went on fire. The fire was rapidly extinguished, but the ship was badly damaged. She was later sold for demolition.
Sources :
- HOOKE, Norman, 1997, Maritime Casualties 1963-1996, second edition, LLP Limited, Londres
- IFP, Banques de données sur les accidents de navire ayant provoqué un déversement de pétrole en mer supérieur à 500 tonnes, 1955-1969, Réf. 26 693, Janvier 1979