Noël Mostert was a South African historian and author of several books, including the best seller Supership which examined the oil shipping trade prior to 1974 when it was published.[1][2] Among a variety of topics covered, Supership includes critique of mechanical problems associated with VLCC (very large crude carriers)[3] and discussion of the impact of oil pollution at sea. Mostert's later works include Frontiers: The Epic of South Africa's Creation and the Tragedy of the Xhosa People (1992)[4] and The Line upon a Wind: The Greatest War Fought at Sea Under Sail, 1793–1815 (2007).[5]