Sources suggest that the two halves of the vessel were either towed away for breaking or towed away to be scuttled in Whitemore Bay. As a consequence, archaeological remains associated with the loss of this vessel are not confirmed as present at this location.
Event and Historical Information:
The VALSESIA was a steel-hulled cargo vessel whivh has been built as the PIOMBINO II by the Soc. Anon. Ilva, Piombino, in 1926. Technical and configuration specifications are given as 6606gt, 4723nt; 397ft length x 53ft breadth x 35ft depth; screw propulsion powered by steam turbines; machinery aft made by F Tosi, Legnano. At time of loss the ship was owned by Soc. Commerciale di Nav and registered at Genoa. The ship was bringing a cargo of 7,700 tons coal from America to Barry as a result of shortages caused by the miner's strike. As it approached Barry Island on 25 August 1926, the ship encountered thick fog. Recognising that the ship was to close to the island, the captain let go the anchor but the VALSESIA drifted onto Friar's Point. Two tugs were unable to refloat her on a falling tide. That evening a second attempt was made to get her off and the Cardiff tugs PRAIRIE FLOWER and BANTAMCOCK managed to pull the ship into the centre of Whitmore Bay, but unfortunately without power it was impossible to release the VALSESIA's anchor chain, and the weight of the cable pulled the ship back to where she started. The VALSESIA broke its back on the ebb tide and split in two. The cargo was discharged into lighters over the following month. During this time wehenteh VALSESIA's cargo was exposed and several persons with horses and carts took away some 100 tons for which they later were fined from 5 -10 shillings by the local magistrate. Throughout September attempts were made to move the two sections. The wreck sold eventually sold to T W Ward's, the ship breakers at Briton Ferry, who salvaged both halves of the wreck.
Sources include:
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Lloyd's Register Casualty Returns, 1 July - 30 September 1926, p.8 (g)
Smith, G, 1991, Shipwrecks of the Bristol Channel, pp.92-5
SS Valsesia, Wreck Site EU
Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, May 2009.
This record was enhanced in 2020 with funding from Lloyd's Register Foundation as part of the project ‘Making the Link: Lloyd's Register and the National Monuments Record of Wales’. Visit Lloyd’s Register Foundation Heritage and Education Centre for more resources.