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The 7,888grt Blue Funnel liner Polydorus leaving Durban in May 1975. She was built in 1952 by Vickers-Armstrongs at High Walker as the Alcinious, becoming Polydorus in 1966. She was broken up in 1978. See article on page 58.

NOTABLE INCIDENTS WORLD NEWS

On 26th March a fire broke out on a Russian-flagged refrigerated cargo ship, the 7,534gt/1993-built Crystal Asia, around 5 miles off Busan, South Korea. The fire was caused by engine failure and a subsequent explosion with the South Korean Coast Guard, Busan Marine Police and the Central Marine Rescue Group responding quickly, dispatching multiple rescue boats to the scene as the fire intensified. The crew of 23 were evacuated, with 6 having sustained injuries, including burns, whilst the emergency teams extinguished the fire within 50 minutes and a tug was deployed to tow the damaged ship back to Busan Port.

On 28th March the fire-ravaged 7,852gt/2005-built and 140m long Solong, owned by German shipping company Ernst Russ, arrived at Aberdeen for inspection following her violent collision with the 29,854gt/2017-built Stena Immaculate some 14 nautical miles north-east of Spurn Head off the Humber Estuary on 10th March. The Stena Bulk tanker was towed to Great Yarmouth on 11th April for inspection, having originally departed Agioi Theodoroi, Greece, on 27th February, with a cargo of 220,204.5 barrels of aviation fuel. She was en-route to Killingholme, where she was expected to berth on 11th March, anchoring beforehand to await the high tide. On the morning of 10th March visibility was ranging from 0.25 nautical miles to 2.0 nautical miles as the Solong, en-route from Grangemouth to Rotterdam with a mixed containerised cargo, including dangerous goods, crossed the anchorage area under the command of captain Vladimir Motin, 59. At approximately 09.47 the Solong struck the anchored tanker at speed, causing a breach of the Stena Immaculate's No. 7 cargo tank and resulting in a ferocious fire fuelled by the aviation fuel. The fire also ignited the contents of containers on board the Solong. Once the huge emergency response had extinguished all fires, and the ships had cooled, teams from the tanker’s management, Crowley, transferred the remaining 202,485 barrels of aviation fuel to the 12,763gt/2024-built tanker Fure Vyl for onward shipment to Killingholme for the U.S Military. Salvage and recovery operations continued, and it is quite incredible that both ships remained afloat. A total of 38 crewmembers were rescued from the blazing ships, but alas one Filipino crewman from the Solong was missing, presumed dead. What happens next with the two ships remained to be seen at the time of writing.

Portsmouth-based Hunt-Class mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) HMS Chiddingfold, which entered service in October 1984, was unceremoniously towed into her homeport on 5th April having been unloaded from the 15,382gt/2014-built semi-submersible ship Rolldock Storm the previous day at Southampton. The ship was sent home in this manner having been involved in

EDITOR’S LOG

an incident in Bahrain where it collided with HMS Bangor on 19th January 2024. The vessel had previously been involved in a similar collision with HMS Penzance in 2021, also off the coast of Bahrain. It was reported that HMS Chiddingfold had wiring issues etc so was not seaworthy, hence her unusual homecoming. The ship is due to be dry docked and recertified as her last refit was completed in February 2019.

On 9th April it was a case of “oh no, not again” following reports of an explosion and fire aboard a containership in the North Sea. The 15,636gt/2009-built and 142m long Victoria L was en-route from Hamburg to Rotterdam when an explosion in the engine room and subsequent fire stopped her in her tracks. A second explosion was also reported. The crew of 19 were all uninjured, with some reportedly jumping into the sea when the incident took place. A multitude of rescue vessels attended the scene including Lifeboats from the Scheveningen and Hoek van Holland KNRM stations, the emergency response tug Multraship Protector (1,767gt/built 2007), the 2,388gt/1998-built Arca (an oil spill response vessel) and the 447gt/2024-built Multratug 36. A specialist firefighting team also attended along with a Coastguard helicopter whilst a second one stood by on a nearby oil platform in case a full evacuation was necessary. Once the fire was extinguished, the ship was towed to Ijmuiden and then moved to a shipyard in Amsterdam on 11th April.

That same day, 111,249gt/2008-built, 350m long and 12,0853dwt container ship CMA CGM Pelleas ran aground along the waterfront at Marchwood, Southampton, as she was departing from her berth at the DP World container port, bound for Rotterdam. Tugs were able to quickly pull the ship free and assist her to a berth to permit a routine inspection.

On 10th April the 2,595gt/2001-built Scot Bay arrived at Teignmouth from Ijmuiden laden with animal feed and went aground in the Devonshire harbour at around 06.00. A falling tide meant that she was stuck until around 18.00 that evening when she was floated free and moored alongside the quay. There was a crew of 8 aboard the ship.

On the morning of 19th April, the 9,981gt/2005-built Mediterranean Shipping Company containership MSC Talia F broke down off the coast of Gran Canaria, around 8 nautical miles from Punta Melenara. The 140m long ship was attended to by the Salvamento Maritimo emergency response vessel Heroines of Salvora to assist. The container ship appeared to have suffered a problem with a fuel pump, and she was towed by the rescue vessel to Las Palmas. After repairs, the ship continued her passage on 21st April.

In these days of sanctions and blacklisting of vessels breaking them, a worrying trend is being undertaken by some shipowners to avoid arrest. Ships are changing names during voyages without the consent of International Maritime Organization (IMO). This often applies to Russian ships who get their crews to crudely obscure vessel identities by overpainting their names and erasing their IMO numbers from the stern. Many of these are done by crews that are not familiar with Latin characters resulting in botched efforts. It is reported that Russians did not care how the repainted names looked.

Recently, a Chinese ship was detained by Taiwan's coastguard accused of damaging the cable from Taiwan to the Penghu Islands. the Togo-flagged Hongtai 68 was able to change its name many times as the crews simply replaced three steel plates at its stern and on its bow whereby it has also recently traded as the Hongtai 58 and Shanmei 7. The captain of the vessel who was called in local media as the master of the ‘thousand faces ship’, had on an earlier occasion been caught entering Taiwan with false documents.

This behaviour must be stopped in order to observe international sanctions and to protect the crews of these rogue vessels. editor@shippingtandy.com

CONTAINER FLEETS

CMA CGM’s 59,052gt/2025-built CMA CGM Tiga, the last of ten 5,500 TEU capacity container ships built for CMA CGM at CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding was delivered on 3rd April. This marks the completion of a major project involving a new-generation of medium-sized container vessel, designed by CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding in collaboration with the Shanghai Ship Research & Design Institute (SDARI). Each ship is 255.5m long with a beam of 40m and a deadweight tonnage of 73,025.91t. The CMA CGM Tiga incorporates technologies such as the world’s first WinGD7X82-2.0 main engine, along with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Alternate Maritime Power (AMP) systems, reducing sulphur oxide (SOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

On 15th April the 237,742gt/2025-built CMA CGM Seine (above) was delivered from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding. She has 24,000 TEU capacity and is LNG dual-fuelled. This milestone marked the completion of the first vessel in a 4-ship series. The vessel integrates a dual-fuel propulsion system supported by GTT Mark III membrane-type LNG bunker tanks, with a total capacity of 18,600 m3. The new ship is 399.90m in length and 61.30m in beam and can accommodate 23,876 TEU. A WinGD W12X92DF-2.0 dual-fuel main engine is installed, incorporating the Intelligent Control by Exhaust Recycling (ICER) system.

Crowley Maritime Corporation has marked a significant milestone in sustainable shipping with the successful service debut of its newest LNG-powered containership, the 19,866gt/2025-built Quetzal, which began her maiden commercial voyage on 11th12th April at Port of Santo Tomás, Guatemala. The vessel represents the first of four innovative Avance Class ships designed for cargo transport between the U.S.A., Central America, and the Dominican Republic. The ship takes her name from the national bird of Guatemala. With a capacity of 1,400 TEUs, these vessels showcase Crowley’s commitment to combining enhanced cargo capabilities with environmental responsibility.

Evergreen Line announced the launch of its CIX7 service in April, which will expand the company's network by offering direct connections from Vietnam and Thailand to East India. The service complement’s the company’s existing East India services and will be jointly operated with Wan Hai Lines, RCL Feeder Pte Ltd., and Bengal Tiger Line, using four vessels with a nominal capacity of 2,200 TEU. Evergreen deployed one vessel to the service. The maiden voyage of CIX7 began from Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City on 20th April, arriving in Chennai on 4th May via a fixed 28-day round-trip schedule of Cat Lai-Laem ChabangSingapore-Port Kelang (North port)-Chennai-Vizag-SingaporePort Kelang (North port)-Singapore and returning Cat Lai port, Ho Chi Minh City.

Hapag-Lloyd has introduced a China-Philippines feeder service serving International Container Terminal Services Incorporated's (ICTSI) flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT). The inaugural China-Philippines Feeder (CPF) service was operated by the 4,890-TEU capacity 54,465gt/2000-built Tokyo Express, which arrived at the Port of Manila in mid-March. The CPF service rotates through the ports of Nansha in China, Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, Singapore, Batangas, Manila, and Subic Bay in the Philippines, before sailing back to Nansha. Aside from the Tokyo Express, Hapag-Lloyd has also deployed the 54,465gt/2000-built and 4,890-TEU capacity Seoul Express to the service. Hapag-Lloyd stated in late April that 30% of China’s U.S.A. bound shipments had been cancelled as a reaction to the trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies, the U.S.A. and China. Instead, there was a sizable increase in demand for consignments from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Tariffs on goods from China introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump triggered a trade conflict that resulted in 145% U.S. duties on Chinese goods and 125% Chinese duties on U.S. goods. The conflict, if it persists, looks set to have a potentially serious effect on container traffic for Hapag-Lloyd and other major operators.

HMM of South Korea took delivery of the 82,335gt/2025-built HMM Green (above) on 25th March, the first in a series of nine 9,000 TEU methanol-fuelled containerships being built at Korean yards. Ordered in 2023, 7 are being built by HD Hyundai Samho whilst the remaining duo are coming from HJ Shipbuilding & Construction. The HMM Green bunkers her bio-methanol at Shanghai where Shanghai International Port Group employs a 16,000m3 capacity methanol bunkering vessel, the 8,916gt/2021-built Hai Gang Zhi Yuan. Arriving in Busan the day after delivery, the HMM Green has been assigned to a rotation between the Far East, India, and the Mediterranean for the time being. The 100,902dwt ship is 274m long, making her and her sisters a versatile class of ship with the ability to dock in a variety of ports around the world.

MPC Containerships’ 17,932gt/2025-built NCL Vestland, the first of two-methanol dual-fuel and 1,300 TEU capacity newbuild vessels, was christened at Haugesund, Norway, on 1st April, marking the entry into service of the first ship powered by biomethanol in Norway. The container feeder vessel, which also features 250kWh battery packs and a shore power connection, will be operated between Western, Central and Northern Norway, and Rotterdam. Her sister vessel, the NCL Nordland, was expected to join the Norwegian service at the end of May. Both vessels are under 15-year time charters to North Sea Container Line (NCL).

MSC has introduced a new weekly container service with direct traffic between the Port of Gothenburg and Asia. Ships with a capacity of over 15,000 TEU are employed to operate between the Port of Gothenburg and ports in China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The first vessel on the service, the 149,525gt/2020-built MSC Auriga (above), with a capacity of over 15,000 TEU, made the initial call at the Port of Gothenburg. The rotation is GothenburgAarhus-Hamburg-Antwerp-Port Klang-Singapore-Laem Chabang-Vung Tau-Busan-Yokohama-Ningbo-ShanghaiXiamen-Yantian-Singapore-Sines- Le Havre-RotterdamGothenburg. These ports in Asia are all important for Swedish import and export businesses plus the service also reaches new and growing markets like Vietnam and Thailand. China's Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, located between Nanjing and Shanghai, has handed over the 155,104gt/2025-built LNG dualfuel and 16,000 TEU capacity MSC Germany. This is the Mediterranean Shipping Co's (MSC) fifth LNG dual-fuel containership in a series of 12 newbuilds ordered back in October 2022. This example is fitted with a wind deflector, which reduces wind resistance at the bow. The fourth vessel, the 155,104gt/2025-built MSC Anna Maria, also features a wind deflector, whilst the initial trio in the series do not. In April Mediterranean Shipping Company become the first global container carrier to operate a fleet of 900 vessels. This milestone was reached by the delivery of the aforementioned MSC Germany, a maxi-neo-panamax containership. The tally of 900 ships reportedly consisted of 609 owned vessels and 291 chartered ships operating across all subsidiaries of the group. The company’s total fleet capacity now reaches approximately 6.47 million TEU. The fleet could top 1,000 ships in the future as the newbuild orderbook featured 132 ships in April 2025. MSC has also returned to Hengli Heavy Industry for a new series of 6 LNG dual-fuel megamax containerships with a 22,000 TEU capacity, to be built at the yard formerly known as STX Dalian.

Pacific International Lines named their first ever 8,200 TEU capacity LNG dual-fuel containership, the 78,384gt/2025-built Kota Oasis (above), at a ceremony held on 25th April at the Yangzijiang Shipbuilding yard in China. The ship was named by Mrs Cindy Chang, wife of Mr. Peter Chang, PIL’s Deputy Chairman. The Kota Oasis is the first in a series of four “O” Class sisterships. The name Kota Oasis symbolises a haven of sustainability and innovation in the maritime industry, embodying PIL's vision to creating a greener and cleaner future for shipping.This series of ships follow on from the 14,000 TEU capacity “E” Class vessels recently delivered. The “O” Class vessels are capable of

using greener bio-methane fuels and are also equipped with Win-GD’s XDF engines with iCER (Intelligent Control by Exhaust Recycling) which significantly reduce methane emissions. In addition, the new ships are also equipped with ammonia intermediate-ready fuel tanks. The Kota Oasis is PIL’s fifth LNGpowered vessel to be delivered, joining four 14,000 TEU LNG vessels delivered since last year. The company has another 13 LNG dual-fuel vessels on order to be delivered over the next few years.

Peter Dohle Schiffahrts of Hamburg has expanded its contract with CSSC Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) to include five 8,400-TEU capacity LNG dual-fuel ships. This follows the exercise of options to build two ships in addition to the initial three firm orders announced in January. Delivery is scheduled between 2027 and 2028. The company operates a fleet of 307 container ships (300 to 14,000 TEU) and 38 bulk carriers.

Wan Hai Lines named the Wan Hai A18 alongside a charity event at Samsung Heavy Industries’ Geoje Shipyard on 27th March (above). Yung-Chen Huang, President of Mega International Commercial Bank, led the christening, wishing the vessel good fortune and safe travels. Since 2021, Wan Hai Lines has contracted Samsung Heavy Industries for 13 containerships, each with a capacity of 13,100 TEU containerships. The Wan Hai A18, the 11th vessel in the series, was set for delivery in early April before joining Wan Hai Lines’ Asia to West Coast of South America (ASA) service. This series of ships are each 335m long with a beam of 51m and are equipped with new engines and boast an eco-friendly, energy-saving design. Notably, Wan Hai A18 is the first to be equipped with a wind deflector and a shaft generator. The wind deflector, installed at the bow, reduces wind resistance and enhances fuel efficiency.

Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation announced in April the purchase of a trio of 8,000 TEU capacity methanol dual-fuelready containerships from Shoei Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. The vessels are being built by Imabari Shipbuilding and are scheduled for delivery in 2028- 2029. This acquisition is part of Yang Ming’s fleet optimisation plan, which aims to add up to 13 containerships with a capacity range of 8,000-15,000 TEU. As of March 2025, Yang Ming operated a fleet of 99 vessels with a total operating capacity of 723,000 TEUs, primarily consisting of container ships.

ZIM has signed agreements for ten 11,500 TEU capacity LNG dual-fuel containerships in a deal worth approximately $2.3 billion. The newbuilds will be constructed at China’s Zhoushan Changhong Shipyard with deliveries scheduled 2027-2028. A total of 7 vessels will be chartered from Containers Ventures Holdings Inc., while the remaining trio will come from a shipping company affiliated with former majority stakeholder Kenon Holdings. This latest fleet expansion follows ZIM’s successful integration of 46 newbuilds ordered in 2021 and 2022.

BULK AND TANKER NEWS

AtoB@C Shipping's 4,135gt/2025-built Terramar (above)was delivered in March, marking the halfway point in the newbuilding program. The company is a subsidiary of ESL Shipping with the ship handover taking place in Goa, India. The Terramar is the sixth vessel in the series of twelve 5,400dwt plug-in hybrid vessels with an ice class rating of 1A. The ships are engineered for efficient and sustainable year-round operations in the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe. The integration of cutting-edge battery technology enables emission-free and quiet port visits, significantly reducing CO2 emissions per cargo unit by nearly 50% compared to the current generation of vessels. The newbuilding program is progressing to schedule and one vessel is expected to be delivered every quarter until the autumn of 2026. The seventh vessel in the series, the Biomar, was launched on 2nd March and the steel-cutting ceremony for the eleventh vessel, the Megamar, was celebrated in February 2025. ESL Shipping Ltd. has been in business for over 75 years and is a subsidiary of Aspo Plc. The combined fleet of ESL Shipping and AtoB@C Shipping consists of over 40 vessels with cargo capacity ranging from 4,000 to 25,000 dwt. AtoB@C Shipping was founded in 2000 and has been part of ESL Shipping since 2018.

Costamare announced that it was planning to divest its dry bulk business into Costamare Bulkers Holdings Limited from 6th May 2025. With 51 years of history in the international shipping industry, Costamare operates a fleet of 68 owned containerships with a total capacity of approximately 513,000 TEU. Costamare Inc. also has a leasing business through Neptune Maritime Leasing Limited. Costamare Bulkers Holdings Limited is a newly formed entity set to become an independent, publicly traded company. This will operate as an international owner and operator of dry bulk vessels, managing a fleet of 38 vessels with a total carrying capacity of approximately 3,017,000dwt.

MOL has announced an agreement with Tokyo LNG Tanker Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. to install two Wind Challenger wind-assisted ship propulsion systems developed by MOL and Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. on a newbuilding LNG carrier that will be under a long-term charter to TLT. This is the world’s second Wind Challenger to be installed on an LNG carrier. Two bulk carriers equipped with the system have already been delivered and 7 more are scheduled for delivery. One of the features of the Wind Challenger is its telescopic sail, which helps reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The ship is 294.9m long with a 46.40m beam with a 174,000m3 cargo tank capacity and a ME-GA main engine. Construction is being undertaken at the Geoje Shipyard of Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd. and the Wind Challenger systems will be up to 49m high (3-tier), 15m wide and the sails will be fabricated from fibre reinforced plastic.

Stolt-Nielsen has completed acquisition in April of the remaining 50% stake in a chemical tanker joint venture it formed with Bergen-based JO Odfjell. The company revealed in its recent financial results that it bought the remaining stake in the Hassel Shipping 4 joint venture. The joint venture has a fleet of eight 32,800dwt vessels built 2016-2018, namely the 23,134gt Stolt Alm, Stolt Apal, Stolt Calluna, Stolt Ebony, Stolt Lerk, Stolt Lind, Stolt Maple, and Stolt Palm. In the same quarter, the company also acquired an additional 48.8% interest in Avenir LNG in which it now holds a 95.8% stake.

Terntank of Denmark has taken delivery of its first wind-assisted vessel, the 11,408gt/2025-built Tern Vik (above), the first in a series of five vessels equipped with wind-assisted propulsion, a methanol-ready engine, hybrid battery system and shore power connection. The 15,000dwt tanker was delivered on 22nd April from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) Dingheng. She is the first ship in Terntank’s Hybrid Solution Plus series. After loading in Southeast Asia and discharging in Northern Europe, the Tern Vik will begin a long-term charter with NEOT, a Finnish fuel supply and distribution company. The vessel was named alongside sister ship Tern Land in a ceremony at the shipyard on 21st March.

Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN) has secured 15-year employment contracts with Petrobras Transporte S.A.(Transpetro), the largest oil and gas transportation company in Brazil. This landmark deal involves the construction of 9 DP2 Suezmax Shuttle tankers, along with the employment contracts for Transpetro. The total gross revenue is expected to reach $2 billion. Shuttle tankers are specialised ships designed for loading from offshore facilities or larger ships unable to reach their destinations due to draft limitations. Each tanker is priced at $146.5 million with delivery scheduled for 2027 and 2028 from Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. shipyards in South Korea. The charter will be on a bareboat basis, with Transpetro assuming all operational and technical costs for the vessels during the pre-determined employment period.

Vertom and Strand Shipping of Norway have secured a 15year charter deal with aquaculture feeds producer Skretting for four diesel-electric newbuilds. The ships to be deployed for the import of raw materials have been designed to reduce the environmental footprint of Skretting’s supply chain.The new design of units each feature energy-efficient hulls and multi-fuel propulsion systems expected to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by about 30% compared to conventional vessels. Most of the new vessels are scheduled for completion in 2026. Strand Shipping will manage the vessels. Last November, Vertom ordered a quartet of geared tweendeckers at Chowgule Shipyards in India for delivery 2027-2028. The newbuilds will be deployed on the Europe Caribbean Line (ECL) liner service, operated in partnership with compatriot Vertraco Shipping.

CRUISE NEWS by Andrew & Donna Cooke

Albatros Expeditions has been acquired by Nordic Expedition Cruise & Travel (NCET), which sees it join forces with new sister brand Polar Latitudes. The two companies will co-ordinate and combine their Arctic and Antarctica expedition cruises, initially operating under their existing brands, before combining over time. They will also draw on the Latin America land product of Australian-founded, fellow NCET brand, Chimu Adventures to offer a full South America/Antarctica package.

The combined fleet for the 25/26 season will consist of the 8,181gt/2021-built Ocean Victory, 6,752gt/1990-built Seaventure, 2,183gt/1992-built Ocean Nova, and 8,181gt/2023built Ocean Albatros (above). The Ocean Albatros called at Portsmouth on 3rd May having completed her maiden calls at the end of April 2024.

AIDA is to receive two newbuild ships following an announcement on 7th April, in the form of a new class of mid-sized vessel. The agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri provides for the design, engineering, and construction of these multi-fuelcapable ships, which will be delivered in the first quarter of fiscal years 2030 and 2032, respectively. Each ship will have 2,100 cabins.

Aranui is to receive a new ship in the form of the 11,000gt/2026built Aranoa for the Austral Islands. Like the 11,468gt/2015-built Aranui 5, the 198-passenger/93 cabin capacity newbuild is designed as a mixed passenger-freighter vessel. The ship takes her name from Tahitian for a great awakening and will feature two restaurants, two bars, two whirlpools, one boutique, spa, fitness centre, and a tattoo parlour.

Carnival Cruise Line officially absorbed P&O Cruises Australia on 29th March, ending a history dating back to 1932 when the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company and Orient Line began cruising from Australia. They merged in 1960, and Carnival Corporation acquired P&O Australia in 2003. Carnival Cruise Line entered the Australian market in 2012. The remaining P&O Australia ships, built as the 108,865gt/2001-built Golden Princess and 108,977gt/2002-built Star Princess, are now the Carnival Adventure/Encounter having been the Pacific Adventure/Encounter before. On 6th April Carnival Cruise Line outlined its strategic plans over the next 5 years with the introduction of its “Innovation Itinerary,” focused on three pillars, sailing the most fun fleet at sea, creating compelling experiences and destinations and building more Carnival loyalists.

It was also revealed that the fourth ship in Carnival’s awardwinning Excel Class ships will be named Carnival Festivale, continuing the tradition of giving these ships the names of the first Carnival ships that popularised cruising in America from 1972 onwards. Debuting in spring 2027, the Carnival Festivale will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida. The ship will keep the Carnival tradition of bringing innovation and fun with each new ship and will debut three brand new zones, two of which on Decks 6, 7, and 8 will celebrate music with new music-themed venues and experiences. The ship will also offer new dining options including

a new dining outlet that will replace ChiBang! A new outdoor zone, Sunsation Point, will span the top 3 decks, offering family fun. The highlight is Carnival Waterworks Ultra, a family water park at sea, featuring 6 slides, 4 of which are new and include two family raft rides, two splash pads, and dedicated baby splash areas. Additional features include a treehouse-inspired elevated adventure trail, sports court, ropes course, miniature golf, and themed arcade spaces. Sunsation Point will also host evening events with extended water park hours, DJs, and activities, marking the first time that Carnival opens Waterworks at night.

The name of the fifth Excel class ship was also confirmed as Carnival Tropicale, another of the original names. Looking further ahead, Carnival’s exclusive new ship platform, currently called Project Ace, includes three ships at 230,000 gross tonnes each being built by Fincantieri that will be delivered in 2029, 2031 and 2033, respectively. With over 3,000 guest staterooms, the new ships will be the largest in the Carnival Corporation global fleet and will carry almost 8,000 guests at full capacity. The steel cutting ceremony for the Carnival Festivale took place at Meyer Werft, Papenburg, on 9th April, just days after Carnival Cruise Line announced this new ship.

Cordelia Cruises is taking the Sky Class ships the 77,104gt/built 1999 Norwegian Sky (above) and the 78,309gt/2001-built Norwegian Sun on charter from 2026 onwards. The cruise market in India is growing stronger and drawing more attention from various cruise operators to deploy their ships. The two ships will join the 48,563gt/1990-built Cordelia Empress (formally Royal Caribbean International's Empress of the Seas). The parent company of Cordelia Cruises, India's premium cruise line, is Waterways Leisure Tourism Limited. The Norwegian Sky will become the Cordelia Sky, and the Norwegian Sun will become the Cordelia Sun. Cruises on both ships for NCL are cancelled from August 2026 to permit handover in Dubai on 30th September.

Crescent Seas has announced the addition of a second ship to its portfolio, namely the 30,277gt/1998-built Insignia (above) on charter from Oceania Cruises. She will join the 28,803gt/1999-built Seven Seas Navigator in the new Crescent Seas residential cruising fleet. The Insignia will undergo a $50 million refit and will feature 290 residences priced from $650,000 to $10,000,000. Amenities will include private butler service, refined gourmet dining, bespoke on-deck experiences, Starlink internet connection and more. Upon purchase from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the ship will join Crescent Seas at the end of 2027 and depart on

her inaugural voyage for New Year 2027. Crescent Seas’ first ship, the Navigator, which will feature 210 residences, ranging from $750,000 to $8 million and will enter service in December 2026. Crescent Seas also plans to announce three more luxury residence ships over the next five years. The company has also released limited details of a newbuild ship to join the fleet, to be named The Ocean, with delivery in 2032. The disposal of the Seven Seas Navigator in October 2026 will mark the first occasion in 15 years that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has removed a ship from its fleet. This departure marks the first ship retirement since the Tahiti-based 19,170gt/1997-built Paul Gauguin (now part of Ponant) was withdrawn from the lineup in 2010.

Cunard Line’s 114,188gt/2025-built Queen Anne and 90,901gt/2010-built Queen Elizabeth met for the very first time as the iconic ships docked together at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, north of Hong Kong Island, on 19th March (above). The Queen Anne arrived the day before and was later joined by the Queen Elizabeth. The Queen Anne was on her maiden 107-night world voyage from Southampton whilst the Queen Elizabeth, which had completed a makeover in Singapore ahead of her inaugural Miami-Caribbean and Alaska seasons, was on a 9night voyage to Yokohama in Japan.

Disney Cruise Line’s biggest ship yet, the 208,000gt/2025-built Disney Adventure, was finally floated out under the watchful eye of Captains Mickey and Minnie on 19th April at Meyer Werft’s shipyard in Wismar, Germany, in a traditional ceremony complete with fireworks (above). The cruise ship, which has had a troubled existence due to her original owners, Genting Hong Kong, who also owned the shipyard, filing for bankruptcy in 2022 when the ship was around 80% complete and a sistership was already being built. The Disney Adventure will be based yearround Singapore for the Asia market. Disney has entered into a 5-year agreement with the Singapore Tourism Board to base the ship there, operating short cruises. She is due to enter service on 15th December 2025, offering cruises to nowhere ranging between 3, 4, and 5 nights. This one-off ship is the fourth largest in the world by class following Royal Caribbean International’s Icon and Oasis classes, and MSC Cruises’ World Class.

Both Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line recently ordered similarly sized cruise ships to be built at Fincantieri for delivery in the late 2020s and 2030s. Disney Cruise Line acquired the incomplete cruise ship in November

NCL LATEST

Norwegian Cruise Line’s 154,140gt/2025-built Norwegian Aqua’s transatlantic crossing from Southampton was diverted to New York instead of Boston due to an overall delay of 3 days due to bad weather. The ship then relocated to Miami (above) for her christening ceremony on 15th April with the event taking place at NCL’s LEED® Gold Certified terminal at Port Miami. The Norwegian Aqua’s godfather and two-time Emmy® Awardwinning actor, Eric Stonestreet, named the ship. The ceremony also featured the Norwegian Aqua’s Captain, Robert Lundberg, Pastor Pete Pera of Rise Community Church who made the official blessing of the ship wishing safe travels for all who sail aboard; and John Chernesky, NCL’s Senior Vice President of North America Sales. The occasion concluded with the ceremonial bottle break across the ship’s hull, which was initiated by Eric Stonestreet. Following her christening voyage, the Norwegian Aqua arrived at Port Canaveral, Florida, for a season of 7-day Eastern Caribbean sailings.

The 145,655gt/2013-built Norwegian Breakaway (above) has received the all-new Silver Screen Bistro, a movie and dining venue for guests of all ages to enjoy. Replacing the Spiegel Tent, the industry-first concept offers oversized recliners and retractable tables for shareable handheld menu items including select dishes from the global fusion specialty restaurant, Food Republic. Like the 168,028gt/2018-built Norwegian Bliss, the ‘Breakaway will also offer the brand-new Horizon Park, an outdoor recreation area on top of the ship. Following its popularity on the Prima Class ships, the Norwegian Breakaway will debut The Stadium, the complimentary outdoor activities concept offering family-friendly games.

The 91,740gt/2001-built Norwegian Star (above) arrived back in Europe in April following NCL’s farewell season in South America. After cancelling all sailings in the region for the 2025/26 season, and with no itineraries for 2026/27, NCL is not set to return to South America for at least two years.

2022 for an estimated €40 million from the bankrupt MV Werften Shipyard, with an agreement to complete the construction in Germany. Construction of the ship had begun in 2018 with steel cutting at yards in both Wismar and Rostock and assembly starting later that year in Rostock. The 216m long midship section was built in Rostock and became the largest such section of ship to be floated and transferred by sea when it was moved to Wismar in November 2019. The ship was originally destined for Dream Cruise Line, to be named Global Dream, with a guest capacity of 9,500 passengers and 2,000 crew. The incomplete blocks for the sistership were sold for scrap after the bankruptcy. Meyer Werft was enlisted to oversee the completion of the ship in Wismar. The shipyard itself was sold to ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Whilst some parts of the original ship were retained, a dramatic internal rebuild ensued for rebranding to Disney Cruise Line and to reduce the passenger capacity to nearer 6,700.

Emerald Cruises, part of the acclaimed Scenic Group portfolio, unveiled a major multi-ship expansion for 2027 on 7th April, building on the momentum of the 5,315gt Emerald Kaia and river vessel Emerald Astra, both set to launch in April 2026. Following the debut of the Emerald Kaia in 2026, Emerald Cruises will introduce two additional next-generation superyachts in 2027. The new vessels, Emerald Raiya and Emerald Xara, will reflect the same sleek design and elevated guest experience as their sister ship, with enhancements shaped by direct guest feedback. Each will offer spacious all-suite accommodations, an expansive Sky Deck with private cabanas and panoramic views, and a swim-up marina platform designed for effortless access to the sea. Signature touches include an open-air fitness area, the Elements Spa, multiple dining venues serving regionally inspired cuisine, and a curated collection of water toys, such as paddleboards and SeaBobs. Each yacht will accommodate 128 guests and offer allsuite accommodations. The Emerald Raiya will debut in the Seychelles in Winter 2026/27, then sail the Eastern Mediterranean in Summer 2027, before returning to the Seychelles in Winter 2027/28. The Emerald Xara will launch in the Mediterranean in Summer 2027, then head to the Caribbean in Winter 2027/28. The Emerald Kaia will be redeployed to the Caribbean beginning Winter 2026/27, joining the Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara. In Winter 2027/28, the Emerald Kaia and Emerald Xara will join Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara in the Caribbean.

Explora Journeys announced the successful launch of the troncone (the forward lower section) of the Explora IV on 2nd April, the fourth of six luxury ships to enter service by 2028. The traditional launch ceremony was held at Fincantieri’s Palermo shipyard in Sicily and was attended by over 350 guests. The Explora IV is set for delivery in 2027. Once the outfitting phase of the bow section is completed, it will be moved to the Fincantieri shipyard in Sestri Ponente, to join the remainder of the ship for completion. Four of the upcoming vessels, the Explora III/IV/V/VI, will be powered by LNG.

after a showcase call to Portsmouth. The second ship, the 63,621gt Explora II, was delivered on 12th September 2024 whilst the Explora III and Explora IV will enter service in 2026 and 2027 respectively. The Explora V/VI will follow in 2027/28.

MSC Cruises held the naming ceremony of the new flagship, 216,638gt/2025-built MSC World America (above), at the company’s new state-of-the-art MSC Miami Cruise Terminal, the most advanced cruise terminal in the world. The event culminated with the MSC World America’s Godmother, Drew Barrymore, naming the ship in the traditional manner. She was joined by Orlando Bloom, who co-stars with Drew in MSC Cruises’ “Lets Holiday” campaign that debuted during the Big Game earlier this year. The MSC World America will also be the first ship in MSC Cruises’ fleet to feature seven onboard districts, each having its own atmosphere, facilities and experiences, designed to help guests choose their own holiday experience and maximise their time onboard. After the Naming Ceremony, guests set sail on a two-night celebratory voyage to the cruise line’s private island in The Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. The MSC World America departed for her first cruise on 12th April 2025 and spent her inaugural season sailing from PortMiami, offering alternating 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. MSC Cruises cancelled a cruise to the Bahamas onboard the 170,412gt/2021-built MSC Seashore due to routine drydock maintenance work. The sailing was scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral on 5th April 2026 but now coincides with the ship undergoing the maintenance during the first two weeks of April 2026.

NYK Cruises took delivery of the 52,265gt/2025-built Asuka III (above) from Meyer Werft on 10th April 2025. Onboard the ship, Mr. Hiroyuki Endo, President of NYK Cruises celebrated the official handover with Bernd Eikens, CEO of the Meyer Werft Group, executives of Meyer Werft and NYK Cruises employees as well as the ship's captain, Hisashai Kogue. The 740-guest ship, which sails alongside the 50,444gt/1990-built Asuka II, will offer cruises from various ports in Japan. The ship’s design combines open spaces with traditional Japanese aesthetics. Japanese artists will also be exhibited on the ship, including Hiroshi Senju's fresco in the Gallery Café (Deck 6) and Reiji Hiramatsu's paintings in the Noblesse Restaurant (Deck 6). In early August the ship will undertake the Japan Circumnavigation Cruise from Yokohama, a 12-night voyage. The delivery of the Asuka III was on schedule and many of the interior elements were only brought onboard

once the ship had arrived in Yokohama, her home port. After the River Ems conveyance, the Asuka III had completed sea trials from Emden back on 18th March under the supervision of Captain Wolfgang Thos, the shipyard's captain. The Asuka III’s maiden passenger voyage is set for 20th July on a roundtrip from Yokohama and visiting destinations in Hokkaido. Predecessor, the Asuka II, departed on her final world cruise in late March, a 103-day itinerary featuring visits to 18 destinations in 12 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and the Pacific.

Oceania Cruises’ older Regatta Class ships, the 30,277gt/1998built Regatta (above) and Insignia, will both be leaving the fleet on charter to Ignite Travel Group and and Crescent Seas. Sister vessels Nautica (30,277gt/built 2000) and Sirena (30,277gt/built 1999) also look set to be chartered out in the future as they don’t quite match the Oceania Class ships as the Regatta Class examples were not purpose-built for the Oceania brand and are not purpose-built for luxury cruising.

P&O Cruises’ 76,152gt/2000-built Aurora was delayed leaving her 2025 refit, which should have seen her back in Southampton ready for a 3-night cruise on 21st April (Easter Monday). The Zeebrugge-bound trip was cancelled 24 hours in advance. This refit, which began on 6th April, was announced by P&O Cruises in March 2023 and included updates to guest areas and cabins, similar to the work completed aboard the 84,342gt/2005-built Arcadia in late 2024. The Aurora also received new chairs in cabins and new balcony furniture, as well as a general update to her open-deck areas. The ship arrived back at Southampton from her refit in Rotterdam in the early hours of 24th April, departing that afternoon on a 12-night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords.

Princess Cruises’ 144,216gt/2017-built Majestic Princess (above) emerged from dry dock in time for her 2025 Mediterranean season, with new and revamped passenger spaces, and introducing a number of popular guest favourites. The two-week refit in Palermo, Italy, saw the addition of

O’Malley’s Irish Pub, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, Alfredo’s Slice, Salty Dog Cafe, Ocean Terrace Sushi Bar and Bellini’s. After her April-July Mediterranean season, the Majestic Princess sails to Canada and New England, where she will be based from August to September before proceeding to the Caribbean October–December 2025. Princess Cruises announced in April that it had dropped all cruises departing from Galveston that were scheduled for the 2026-27 season as part of a deployment strategy change. The Majestic Princess was set to make her debut at the port and offer a series of 17 cruises from Texas over a four-month season. The operator had only returned to the Texan port in 2022 after a 6-year absence, but the 2025-26 season will go ahead using the 142,714gt/2014-built Regal Princess after her summer season in the UK.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has unveiled multi-million-dollar transformation plans for its fleet, with extensive renovations for the 48,075gt/2001-built Seven Seas Mariner and 42,363gt/2003built Seven Seas Voyager (above) scheduled for completion by May 2026. The investment will transform the two ships’ suites and public spaces, including the Pool Grill, which will feature a new wood fired al fresco pizzeria concept.

The refit for the Seven Seas Mariner (above) will begin on 3rd November 2025 when she enters dry dock for 3 weeks. The Seven Seas Voyager will follow with her own 4-week refresh, beginning 26th April 2026.

Viking and Fincantieri have announced the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ships, with the 54,300gt/2026-built, 239m long and 998-guest/499 stateroom capacity Viking Libra, to debut next year after delivery from Fincantieri’s Ancona Shipyard. The vessel will be capable of operating with zero emissions, once she is delivered in late 2026, a milestone that is set to eclipse other cruise lines that are working towards the same goal. Also currently under construction is the hydrogen powered Viking Astrea, which is scheduled for delivery in 2027. Both ships will host 998 guests, like all future Viking ships, and will be powered by liquefied hydrogen and fuel cells. This hybrid propulsion system will make them capable of navigating with zero emissions, which could allow them to access the most environmentally sensitive areas, such as Norway’s fjords, which are set to be restricted to non-zero-emission ships starting from 2026. Viking and Fincantieri also announced that contracts have been signed for two additional ocean ships for delivery in 2031, and an option for two additional ocean ships for delivery in 2033. The cruise line expects to take delivery of 26 more river ships by 2028 and 11 additional ocean ships by 2031.

FERRY NEWS by Andrew Cooke

AS Tallink Grupp announced on 2nd April that it had sold the recently reinstated Tallink ferry Star I (36,249gt/built 2007) from the Paldiski-Kapellskär and that the 30,285gt/2002-built Superfast IX would continue that route. AS Tallink Grupp had signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Irish Continental Group plc (Irish Ferries) to sell the Star I with the Superfast IX replacing her. The latter joined the Paldiski-Kapellskär route on 12th April. The sale transaction will not have a significant impact on Tallink’s financial results but will help optimize the company's operations. The Superfast IX was purchased by Tallink in 2006, and she initially operated under the Estonian flag on the RostockPaldiski-Hanko-route, later serving the Helsinki-Rostock-route.

In recent years, the vessel had been operating in Canadian waters under a charter agreement with Marine Atlantic as the Atlantic Vision (above).

The Star 1 departed for the Odense Shipyard at Lindoe, Denmark, on 19th April in preparation for her welcome return to the Irish Sea as the James Joyce (above), operating Holyhead to Dublin.

Baleària is enhancing its summer ferry services between Spain and Algeria 15th June-15th September. The expanded schedule includes three weekly departures from Valencia to Mostaganem and two from Barcelona, one to Algiers and a newly launched route to Oran, using the 18,345gt/1980-built Regina Baltica (above) and another fleet member.

The 5,517gt/1997-built Avemar Dos (above) has been deployed on the Algeciras-Tanger Ville service. She is perhaps better known as P&O European Ferries’ Superstar Express.

At the end of April the former Brittany Ferries Bretagne, now the 24,534gt/1989-built Rosalind Franklin (their second ship to carry that name, the first being the 33,958gt/1999-built ex-Finnclipper 2018-2021, now the Ciudad de Sóller) was being totally transformed during refit in Cadiz and looks great in her new Balearia livery (above). Meanwhile, Balearia, Boluda and Grimaldi are also in the bidding process for the Naviera ARMAS ferry operation.

BC Ferries announced in April that the BC Ferry Commission had approved the procurement of four new vessels, not the five that BC Ferries had proposed. Another example of accountants/politicians running a ferry service unfortunately. The five ships were proposed so as to provide an improved service. BC Ferries was very disappointed, and delaying the fifth vessel will likely cost more both financially and in service reliability. Commissioner Eva Hage authorised the replacement of BC Ferries’ four oldest major vessels, namely the Queen of Alberni, Queen of New Westminster (above), Queen of Coquitlam and Queen of Cowichan.

Brittany Ferries’ 27,541gt/1992-built Normandie (above) operated her final departures from Portsmouth and Ouistreham on 17th April. The 08.00 departure from Portsmouth saw her escorted by the resident Boluda Towage tugs, the final service departure from Ouistreham was that afternoon and the curtain came down on her career with the 23.00 sailing that night from Portsmouth, berthing at Ouistreham after sunrise on 18th April. The final day was very low key compared to the Bretagne’s farewell in November 2024, with a speech by the captain, Nicolas Bohn, upon departure from Portsmouth that night, goody bags for the passengers and the ship was decorated with balloons in the reception area. The ship had carried almost 49 million passen-

gers in her 33-year career and finally departed Ouistreham overnight 18th/19th April after de-storing, arriving Cherbourg on the morning of the 19th. Here she had her Brittany Ferries markings removed, shifting to the Quai d’Atlantique for the port side work, and was renamed Massalia (the ancient name for Marseilles, from where she will operate). As we closed for press, the Massalia departed Cherbourg for Marseille on the evening of 28th April for the next chapter in her career.

DFDS’ 5,537gt/2015-built Levante Jet (above) departed from Algeciras on 5th April bound for Portland, Dorset. No leisurely plod like the Tarifa Jet’s transfer, the Levante Jet reached her destination two days later for preparation to enter service PooleJersey. Initially, the 18,951gt/2005-built Cote D’Albatre was covering the Portsmouth-Jersey route for the 14,551gt/2005-built Stena Vinga 3rd-7th April whilst the latter deputised for the 4,995gt/1997-built Tarifa Jet on the St. Malo-St. Helier service. However, the Cote D’Albatre had an extended time at Portsmouth before being noted at anchor in the eastern Solent on 13th April before sailing back to Dieppe that night. At 142m long, the ship was 12m over the routine maximum length of 130m for St. Helier, but she managed a limited relief service, using only her bow access in Jersey, with reduced clearance depending on the tidal state. Plus, the weather was kind. The use of the Stena Vinga to St. Malo did create some 6-hour crossings from St. Malo as the ferry terminal and immigration control is routinely closed 22.00-06.00 so the ship could not enter port beforehand. The Tarifa Jet should have entered service on 28th March, but technical issues and an MCA inspection prolonged her preparation time. The 86m Incat left Portland for St. Helier on 11th April for berthing trials and entered service St. Malo-Jersey the next day, having originally been due to start 28th March. The Levante Jet then departed Portland on 16th April for berthing trials at Poole and she entered scheduled service to St. Helier the following morning. Inter-island services were still unconfirmed toward the end of April, but it seemed likely that a Mondays only St. Malo-Jersey-Guernsey-Jersey-St. Malo run would operate using the Tarifa Jet. Brittany Ferries/Condor began a Wednesdays only Jersey-Guernsey-Jersey link in April. But two days a week for the vehicle ferries instead of daily in the season? Not exactly progress, with too much reliance placed on the passenger-only alternatives by Manche Iles Express and Ferries Unlimited, who’s craft are likely to be more affected by bad weather.

News surfaced on social media on 26th April that the 11,116gt/1996-built Commodore Goodwill was in the process of being acquired by DFDS for the Portsmouth-Jersey route. This was then confirmed to STandY by reliable sources and is good news for the ship. She was expected to enter service in late May/early June, replacing the 7,606gt/1998-built Arrow. The latter will remain on charter to DFDS until March 2026 as agreed but will surely find work elsewhere for DFDS or a third-party operator. Despite having been at least partly responsible for much of the issue with timescales to start a ferry service from nothing,

THE GUILLAUME DE NORMANDIE

Brittany Ferries’ 36,965gt/2024-built Guillaume de Normandie was named at Ouistreham on 28th March. Whilst the ship was in port the 27,451gt/1992-built Normandie and 35,891gt/2002built Mont St. Michel were both diverted to Le Havre. During her stay, the new ship was blessed by Monsignor Dominique Lebrun, Archbishop of Rouen and christened by her godmother, the British Sailor Miranda Merron. The Guillaume de Normandie then departed Ouistreham lunchtime on 29th March for Cherbourg and made her Portsmouth debut on 1st April 2025. When the Guillaume de Normandie made her maiden service arrival at Portsmouth on 18th April, she was escorted by the port’s Boluda tugs. The arrival had been retimed to an hour later than normal to allow for the ship swap at Ouistreham that morning. The maiden departure from Portsmouth at 15.45 was delayed by around 25 minutes but was again escorted by the tugs. The initial round trip featured displays of Normandy culture, dress and cuisine plus performances from popular French Pop Rock Electro Band “For the Hackers” on the performance stage in Les Planches lounge bar. A Guillaume de Normandie goody bag was also available for passengers. The new Portsmouth-Ouistreham ship is identical to the 36,965gt/2024built Saint-Malo in terms of dimensions, technology and machinery but she does not have a Commodore Class lounge aft on Deck 8 (Les 8 Tresors on Saint-Malo) nor La Plage lounge aft on Deck 7. These areas are all cabins. On Decks 7/8/9, on either side of the outside deck areas, are small private terraces adjoined to the corresponding deluxe cabins. These are not screened off from the open deck but are enclosed by railings. The waiter service restaurant on Deck 7 is the Riva Bella, the C Club is the same on Deck 8 forward but the area of Le Jardin behind C Club on Deck 8, aboard Saint-Malo, is the Café du Port onboard the Guillaume de Normandie, a coffee shop style venue. The new ship also has accommodation on a Deck 6 level, but this is limited to a suspended mezzanine pod above the Deck 5 vehicle garage on the starboard side. This contains 39 couchette berths at each end (fore and aft) and between these is a 100-seater Pod Lounge. The “super couchette” pod is accessible via additional stairs from Deck 7 via key access doors and is mainly for coach parties that would have used a reclining seat lounge before.

The bronze horse and foal that graced the reception area aboard the Normandie have been transferred to the reception area on the Guillaume de Normandie (above). The décor along this deck reflects a theme of countryside with even one design of seat resembling a rustic outdoor type. The colour schemes are varied from her near-sister and reflect the Normandy region.

Jersey’s Deputy Kirsten Morel remarked that, “3 months is a very ambitious timescale to achieve such a service, and that the delay highlighted the importance of open and continuous communication between government and DFDS, which is exactly what too place". Oddly enough, many of the battle drums that would beat very loudly if Condor Ferries hit problems appeared somewhat muted during the tempestuous start to the DFDS tenure.

Proof that snags can and do strike any operator at the worst moment. Balearia’s Jaume 1 (above) and the former FRS Poniente Jet covered for the departed Levante/Tarifa Jet on the Algeciras-Ceuta route. The 3,989gt/1994-built and 78m Incat Jaume 1 began life as the Stena Sea Lynx II on Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire, later being renamed Stena Lynx II and saw use from Fishguard and Dover before moving overseas with Buquebus in 1998. The 5,191gt/1999-built and 96m Poniente Jet was delivered as the Bonanza Express to Fred. Olsen Express. She went to Ponte Ferries for a failed operation from Malta in 2020 and went to FRS Iberia in 2023.

GNV’s 52,912gt/2025-built GNV Orion (above) was delivered and christened on 16th April, along with MSC cousin, the MSC Gioia Tauro, during a joint ceremony at Guangzhou Shipyard International. The GNV Orion is the second vessel in a series of four new Ro-Pax newbuilds and is owned by MSC and bareboat chartered to GNV. The ship was expected to enter service by the end of June on the Genoa to Palermo route. The GNV Orion is 218m long, has a beam of 29.60m, is capable of a maximum speed of 25 knots, can accommodate 1,700 passengers in 433 cabins and carry 3,080 lanemetres of cargo. After an absence of almost 10 months following a fire onboard whilst sailing to Ibiza, the 26,005gt/2008-built RoPax ship Tenacia (owned by Grimaldi Investments but operated under a bareboat charter by GNV) returned to service this summer.

when a fire erupted in the engine room whilst the ship was underway with vehicles and 400 passengers and crew aboard from Valencia to Palma de Mallorca. GNV had recently exercised its options for number 5 and 6 in this series of ships from GSI, with options for two more.

Interislander looks set to welcome two new state-of-the-art ferries by Christmas 2029 for the Wellington-Picton service, offering a crucial upgrade to KiwiRail’s Cook Strait route, for both passengers and freight. This politically sensitive project follows the cancellation of the iReX programme an order for two new ferries from the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. The new RoPax train ferries will be 200m long with a 28m beam and capacity for 1,500 passengers, 2,400 lanemetres of Ro-Ro traffic and 40 rail wagons. A cost-effective approach to infrastructure will see the existing terminals reused wherever possible, with upgrades in Picton and Wellington. The terminal buildings in both Wellington and Picton will remain as they are.

Islands Unlimited confirmed in April that it was "on track" to launch a Guernsey-Jersey passenger service in May 2025. The company had secured the 390gt/1991-built surface effect ship (SES) San Pawl (above) for the operation. Built by Brodrene Aa Baatbyggeri in Norway, the vessel is 35m long with an 11.30m beam, capacity for 316, a speed of 36 knots and is propelled by twin Deutz 604B V16 engines driving Rolls Royce KaMeWa water jets. Following overhaul in Malta, where she had served Virtu Ferries, the craft would get a piggyback ride to Guernsey in early May with a service debut of 30th May. A standard adult return fare is set to cost around £67. The schedule offers services 07.00-19.45 on weekdays (to 16.45 on Tuesdays) and 07.0021.45 at weekends.

Stena Line’s 24,263gt/2000-built Stena Nordica (above) returned to service on Fishguard-Rosslare on 10th April after being off for 5 days due to technical issues. The 27,522gt/2006built Stena Horizon was noted in the Dover Straits on 21st April bound for Travemunde from Dublin and a new chapter in her career, replacing the 26,904gt/2008-built Stena Livia (ex-Norman Voyager/Etretat) for a period of time. The latter has been sold for use in New Zealand.

Western Ferries announced on 25th April an order with APCL Cammell Laird for 2 new vehicle and passenger vessels for the Gourock-Dunoon Route for delivery in autumn 2026. This announcement builds on the successful relationship established in 2013, when the shipyard designed, built, and delivered the 497gt sisters Sound of Seil and Sound of Soay.

BYD

BYD (Build Your Dreams) officially announced another major milestone in its maritime journey on 2nd April when the 88,000gt/2025-built BYD XI’AN, the sixth vessel in its growing car carrier fleet, was launched. Shortly after this, the 219.9m long, 37.70m beam and 9,200 vehicle capacity sistership, the BYD Shenzhen (described as the largest and most environmentally advanced PCTC to date) departed on her maiden voyage. Powered by dual-fuel LNG engines and equipped with BYD's own battery cells, shaft generators, and energy-saving technologies, this vessel reflects BYD’s deep commitment to smart, green shipping. From the delivery of the BYD Explorer No.1 early in 2024 to this latest ship, BYD continues to showcase new energy vehicles and sustainable shipping. The vessels (above) were delivered from China Merchants, and have a speed of 19 knots and 16 decks. The second newbuild in the series was the BYD Changzhou in December 2024, while the third ship, BYD Hefei, was launched in January 2025 as the company’s first owned PCTC. The BYD Shenzhen was launched in January 2025 while the next vessel, the BYD Changsha, was unveiled in March 2025.

CLdN announced in early April a major investment plan for its terminal at Killingholme on the river Humber. The project will be completed in the second half of 2026 and will lead to a significant enhancement of cargo handling capabilities at the terminal whilst also catering for projected volume growth on CLdN’s North Sea connections between Killingholme and CLdN’s terminals in Rotterdam and Zeebrugge. The Humberside port covers 100 hectares and has 6 deep-sea Ro-Ro berths from which CLdN offers 12 return sailings a week between Killingholme and its terminals in Zeebrugge and Rotterdam. On 16th April 2025, a fire broke out aboard the 74,273gt/2018-built Ro-Ro cargo vessel Delphine whilst she was moored at the CLdN terminal in the Brittanniadok, Zeebrugge, Belgium. The incident occurred midafternoon on Deck 3, which loaded with 60 electric vehicles and 40 conventional cars. Firefighting teams, supported by three tugs, responded promptly. The ship’s carbon dioxide-based extinguishing system was activated, cutting off the oxygen supply and containing the fire. Four firefighting tugs provided cooling water on the starboard side. The Port Authority of Zeebrugge confirmed that the internal fire suppression system had successfully controlled the fire and that the 26 crew members aboard were evacuated safely. The captain remained with the ship to co-ordinate with firefighters and first responders. To prevent reignition when fresh air entered the deck, nitrogen was blown into the deck, with supplies being transported from Antwerp. The fire department indicated that 60-70 vehicles out of 100 had burned out.

Grimaldi Lines announced on 8th April that it had commissioned the construction of 9 Ro-Pax vessels from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai) for a total order price of $1.3 billion. The ships will be delivered between 2028 and 2030. All nine will be equipped with engines capable of running on methanol, making them ready to achieve the "Net Zero Emission" goal. The Next Generation Med class ferries consist of 4 ships for Grimaldi Lines

and 2 for Minoan Lines. The ships are 229m long with a 3,300 lanemetre capacity plus 300+ cars, capacity for 2,500 passengers, 300 cabins (for over 1,200 guests) and 700 reclining seats. Amenities will include 3 bars, a shopping area, a conference hall, 2 self-service restaurants, a panoramic à la carte restaurant, an indoor/outdoor lounge with a sun deck featuring two pools, and a rooftop disco bar. Finnlines will receive a trio of Hansa Superstar Class ships (an evolution of the Superstar series) that will be 240m long with a 5,100 lanemetre capacity plus 90 cars and 320 cabins for up to 1,100 passengers. The vessels will be adapted for the long Finland to Germany route and onboard facilities will include 5 bars and restaurants, a spa with a wide range of services, a Finnish sauna, shops, 2 age-specific children’s play areas plus a main bar located at the bow on deck 12, offering panoramic views of the Baltic Sea. Grimaldi’s fire-damaged 56,660gt/2000-built Con-Ro Grande Brasile was towed from the Port of Antwerp on 19th April, where she had been for two months after a serious fire in the English Channel. The hulk was being taken to the beaches of Aliaga, Türkiye, for recycling. The fire had broken out on the ship on 18th February shortly after departing Antwerp. The crew of 28 were all safe but a second fire ignited, and the ship was left to burn for several days. The tug Eraclea towed the dead ship and was due at Aliaga on 16th May. In a final act of defiance, the ship’s horn somehow activated overnight at Antwerp whilst being prepared before she departed. Many complaints ensued before it could be silenced!

Stena Line switched its Hoek van Holland to Killingholme service to a new route between Hoek van Holland and Immingham on 1st May. Following a successful trial in March 2025, the 33,690gt/2011-built Stena Transporter and Stena Transit will relocate to Stena Line’s dedicated terminal at the Port of Immingham. The Stena Transit actually sailed to Immingham from Holland on 28th April, ahead of the official date. Peel Ports Group is set to invest £10 million in Heysham Port, to enhance facilities and terminal areas for the benefit of Stena Line’s forthcoming NewMax Ro-Ro ships plus the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and CLdN. The 39,191gt/1987-built Stena Vision returned to the Rosslare-Cherbourg route from 17th April, sailing three times a week, but not all onboard facilities were fully operational until 1st June. Since finishing on the route when her season concluded in 2024, the ship has been largely laid up at Holyhead and Belfast.

Wallenius SOL’s 25,800gt/2025-built Ro-Ro newbuild South Enabler (for Mann Lines/Wallenius SOL) went to sea for the first time on 12th April from the Cantieri Navale Visentini shipyard. The vessel is based on a concept by NAOS Ship and Boat Design. She joined the Wallenius SOL fleet in May and was originally ordered by Mann Lines before the latter company was acquired by Wallenius SOL in February 2025. The ship (above) will primarily serve the port rotation of Turku-PaldiskiBremerhaven-Zeebrugge-Tilbury-Cuxhaven-Turku. Beginning life as Newbuild C.236, the ship is a lengthened version of the Ro-Ro vessel ML Freyja, completed by the same shipyard for the same operator in 2017. The 3,000 lanemetre capacity vessel can also carry 200 cars, is 2023m long, is powered by two 7,200kW Wärtsilä engines, has a 22-knot service speed, is Ice Class 1A, methanol ready and is chartered to Mann Lines/Wallenius SOL.

by Andrew Cooke

TOR BOREAS

OBoreas was announced as completed by Macduff Ship Design and Tor Group. This newbuild represents both a new class of vessel for Tor Group and a new way of building, utilising modular assembly to enable more time off the slipway in a purpose-built facility. The Tor Boreas is an innovative vessel with an ability to support multiple industries but with specific ability to conduct a large range of tasks within the offshore wind sector. The 26.95m long and 11m beam vessel has a maximum draught of 3.25m and an air draught of 18m. She was designed by Macduff Ship Design in Macduff, Scotland, which was founded in 1993. It was established by Donald Cameron, formerly of the James N Miller shipyard, and a group of local Macduff businessmen. Macduff Ship Design has worked with Tor Group for over 12 years, and they have now completed 22 vessels in that partnership with additional examples currently in build.

Macduff Ship Design is prominent in the design of working vessels such as those use by the aquaculture industry, standard and ASD tugs, general workboats, small Ro-Ro craft, pilot vessels, fishing vessels, small dredgers and more besides. One of the larger designs is the MultiMac workboat and one such example is the 36.50m London Titan that can be found at work on the River Thames for the Port of London Authority. Two further examples of recent products from Macduff Ship Design are the sister vessels Fruitful Harvest and Fruitful Bough, delivered to their owners Blueshell Mussels of Shetland earlier in 2025.

These 20m Mussel Harvest Vessels are now operating at the numerous mussel farm sites around the Shetland Islands. The vessels’ construction was contracted to Skagen Ship Consulting, who worked with their chosen shipyard, Etkin Marin of Turkey. Following completion and shipping to the UK, the vessels completed commissioning at Macduff Shipyards before their delivery. They are designed to meet low water and air draught requirements for operation around the Islands. Alongside their harvesting duties, the vessels can perform multi-role tasks such as mooring work, crane operations and towing.

The vessels are arranged with four specialist double harvest davits to starboard and a Guerra M230.20A marine crane supplied by Thistle Group. With a beam of 7.20m and depth of 2.30m, the vessels have ample space for the state-of-the-art harvesting system and carriage of the harvested mussels.

The Tor Boreas is designed below a 24m registered length (23.35m long between perpendiculars) to allow her to operate under UK MCA workboat code edition III regulations but has also been built to Bureau Veritas regulations and approval to allow for international operation. The size of the vessel also allows her to access areas where the larger examples from the multi-purpose windfarm sector of shipping cannot venture.

The origins of the newbuild’s Owners, Tor Group, date back to the 1880s when Mustafa “the Carpenter” Torlak started his small business manufacturing wooden boats in the Rize Provence of the Eastern Black Sea region. Every generation of the Torlak family has contributed to the evolution of the family business by increasing manufacturing capabilities. This approach enabled the company to be part of the newly established Republic of Türkiye in the 1920s after which it began developing new areas of expertise in shipbuilding. By 1968 the third generation of Torlaks successfully delivered Türkiye’s first steel hull vessel, which put the company at the forefront of Turkish shipbuilding. In 1983 the shipyard moved to Tuzla. In 2011 Tor Marine was officially created as the ship building arm of the Tor Group and the group’s 10th vessel was delivered in 2013.

From its origins as a small family business in Türkiye, Tor Group is now headquartered in Enfield, reflecting the nature of its international clientele. It remains, at its heart, a shipbuilder, endeavouring to remain at the forefront of cutting-edge and sustainable technologies and has diversified its suite of services to help meet this aim. These services include innovative finance solutions and the remote management of the shipbuilding process, allowing vessels to be constructed or finished across multiple yards throughout the globe. The group is divided into three primary operations. Tor Marine, the heart of the Tor Group providing the engineering and build management expertise. Located in Tuzla, Türkiye, on the Asiatic shore of Istanbul, Tor Marine has remained at the forefront of shipbuilding technology over the past four decades and Tor International, established in the UK in 2019 as the commercial headquarters of the Tor Group.

Building on the strength and tradition that is at the heart of the group in Turkiye, Tor Group International is leading the diversification of the group’s product and service offering beyond shipbuilding. This

includes the facilitation of alternative forms of vessel financing and chartering opportunities. It is now the focal point for business development and commercial activity, harnessing the strengths of the group and building the group’s network. Tor Boreas is the sector that the newbuild takes her name from, made a successful debut into vessel operations in 2022, with the tug Hope. Tor Group is looking to build a fleet of workboats to serve the UK market with the multi-role vessel of the same name spearheading that development.

COMPACT BY DESIGN

The Tor Boreas takes her name, rather appropriately, from one of the Anemoi, or wind gods, of Greek mythology. The four main Anemoi are Boreas (North wind), Zephyrus (West wind), Notus (South wind) and Eurus (East wind). Their Roman equivalents, the Venti, are, respectively, Aquilo (or Aquilon), Favonius, Auster and Vulturnus. Being named after the North Wind spells out her purpose as a wind farm vessel perfectly.

This compact vessel consists of four decks and has many innovative features which, combined into a vessel of this size, offers a groundbreaking workhorse. The Below Decks level is where the machinery spaces, tanks and some accommodation can be found. In the bow are the 35m3 capacity fresh water tanks plus the 99kW Veth VT90 transverse tunnel bow thruster and two twin berth cabins.

Beyond a bulkhead is an accommodation area with three twin ensuite cabins along each side. Aft of here, past another bulkhead, are the divided machinery spaces. The Tor Boreas is driven by a diesel electric power train to ensure optimal efficiency and this combined with the tier III engine exhaust system gives reduced emissions during operation compared to a conventional diesel driven vessel. A trio of MAN D2676 main generators, each rated at 340ekw/400V/50Hz supply electricity to the main control systems. The four stroke, 6-cylinder generators operate at 2,100rpm, have a bore of 126mm, a stroke of 166mm and a displacement of 12.42 litres.

The D2676 unit has an overall width of 986mm, an overall height 1,096mm, an overall length of 1,795mm and a dry engine weight of 1,215kg. The twin 500kW, VEM Permanent Magnet e-drive motors are connected to twin Schottel SRP 210 FP azimuth drives at the stern, which when combined with the Veth VT-90 bow thruster give high levels of manoeuvrability with full Dynamic Positioning capability. As an addition to this the vessel also has a 4-point mooring anchoring arrangement onboard to allow for longer term station keeping. The Schottel SRP 210 FP units feature a 1.45m diameter fixed pitch propeller and are azimuth rudder propeller stern drive units with 360degree operation. The service speed is 9.60 knots, and the maximum speed is 11.00 knots.

The aforementioned 4-point anchor mooring system consists of two 825kg Delta Flipper Anchors located forward and two 750kg Delta Flipper Anchors located aft. In conjunction with the station keeping abilities, the vessel is also fitted with a VG140SD Gyro Stabilisation system supplied by Veem. This system significantly reduces vessel motions for crew comfort and allows service operations to be conducted in higher sea states than would normally be possible. Such a unit is 2,040mm long, 2,100mm wide and 1,568mm deep. The mass of the equipment is 6,540kg, the operational speed is 3,000rpm, the unit is water cooled (70-120 litres per minute) and offers up to a 95% reduction in vessel motion. Beneath this level can be found some tank storage including 75m3 fuel capacity tanks that permits an endurance of 21 days (at service speed).

This time at sea is also made possible by the installed sewage treatment system that is configured for up to 20 persons. In total, the Below Deck area is split into no less than 6 compartments to allow compliance with single compartment flooding requirements. These consist of the Fore peak Crew accommodation space, passenger accommodation space, generator room with the 3 main generators, gyrostabilisation unit and sewage plant, switchboard room and the propulsion room. At Main Deck level the accommodation is again located forward and consists of a lounge in the port side bow and a 15-seat Mess Room on the starboard

side. The Galley and Provision spaces are beyond on the starboard side with a dry locker, changing facilities, laundry and toilets on the port side. In the aft area of the deckhouse at this level is a workshop (starboard side) and the Service Air Compressor room, containing two 1.5kW 10 bar Air Compressors.

Above is the Fo’c’s’le (Forecastle) Deck which has a full-width casing that houses an embarkation lobby in the bow, leading to an access platform on the bow for crew transfers to wind turbines and installations, plus two Officer’s single cabins and a Technical Room (Diver’s Control Station etc), HVAC Room, central companionway between wheelhouse and below decks plus the Electronics Room and Harbour Generator Room containing a Baudouin 4W105 ES 76eKW/400V, 50Hz generator.

To the aft of this level, portside, is where the 3.92m long RHIB Rescue Boat (for 6 Persons with a 40hp outboard) is stowed on a cradle. This is launched/recovered using the deck crane. The upper most level is of course the Bridge Deck with the 360-degree visibility wheelhouse with full height windows aft to oversee the work deck. The wheelhouse has a main forward command position and an auxiliary station aft for Dynamic Positioning operations, plus a communal area to port with small pantry area plus a chart table.

MULTIPLE CAPABILITIES

The aft working zone at Main Deck level features a clear deck area of 75m2 and offers a deck load of 5t/m2. The vessel is arranged with a multitude of deck equipment to allow for multiple operations. The main deck has the ability to carry up to 60 tonnes of deck cargo or three 20foot containers (TEU) and is arranged with modular installation for dive and survey support units.

At the stern is a Melcal 5 tonne and 4 metre long hydraulically driven ‘A’ Frame. This has the following safe working load limits at Sea State 3, onboard 1,000kg at a 4m outreach, 5,000kg (5 tonnes) at a 3m outreach when outboard. MelCal is a specialist in handling solutions with headquarters in Calatafimi-Segesta, Italy. On the starboard side of the working deck is a Melcal KT 120T3 offshore crane, mounted on a pedestal that can cover the entire working deck as well as working over the starboard side.

There is also an optional boulder grappling attachment. The crane is hydraulically driven and can be controlled both locally and remotely. The maximum outreach is 12.70m whilst the lifting capacity (safe working load) at Sea State 3 is 13,000kg (13 tonnes) at 4.0m outreach and 4,400kg (4.40 tonnes) at the 12.70m maximum outreach. For other performance figures, see the specifications list. Midships on the main deck against the deckhouse is a 25-tonne electric towing winch that can be used for towage or working over the stern, utilising the 500mm diameter, 3m long and 30 tonne stern roller. The winch can be controlled from the deck and wheelhouse and is of the single drum type with a storage capacity of 600m for 34mm diameter steel wire. The Tor Boreas has a bollard pull of 15.70 tonnes for towing duties. To give additional flexibility to underwater operations, a 1,500mm x 1,500mm moonpool is incorporated into the aft deck which can work with either the ‘A’ Frame or the crane.

The Tor Boreas (Yard No. NB78) had her keel laid on 8th May 2023, she was launched by Tor Marine in Tuzla on 29th June 2024 (lowered into the water via a straddle carrier) and was delivered on 15th April 2025. The latter event was originally planned for 2024, but supply chain issues have affected this build and many others in Türkiye, such as the new CalMac ferries.

The after effects of the Covid-19 disruption coupled with the earthquakes in the country are the primary factors. At the time of writing there were no deployment details for the Tor Boreas, and she was shown on the website as for charter or sale. This cutting-edge Swiss Army Knife style of vessel departed from Tuzla after handover and was in transit to the U.K, calling first at Penzance around 7th May having departed from Valletta, Malta on 22nd April after a brief stopover.

There is an NB79, which indicates that a sister vessel is in build in Tuzla.

NEWBUILD OF THE MONTH

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Ship Design: Macduff Ship Design Ltd.

Vessel Type: Dive support and offshore services, lifting, utility, berthing, towing.

IMO Number: 9986489

Ex- Names: Tor NB.78 (2023)

Owner: Tor Denizcilik San.VE TIC. A.S Istanbul

Flag: United Kingdom

Port of Registry: Hartlepool

Class Notation: BV I HULL • MACH, Wind Farm Service Ship M2 Tug standardised, bollard pull 15 tons, Unrestricted Navigation, • AUT-UMS, • DYNAPOS AM/AT

Yard No.: NB78

Keel Laying: 8th May 2023

Launch: 29th June 2024

Delivery: 15th April 2025

Ordered By: Tor Marine, a subsidiary of Tor Group

Deri OSB Mah. Kösele Cad. No:15. 34956Tuzla/İstanbul

Owner: Tor Boreas Ltd – a subsidiary of Tor Group

Operator: Tor Group International Ltd, 9, Hadley Road, Enfield

Length Overall: 26.95m

Length B.P: 23.35m

Breadth: 11.00m

Hull Depth: 4.35m

Draught (Max): 3.25m

Air Draught (Max): 8.00m

Bollard Pull: 15.7t (TBP)

Speed: 9.60 knots

Speed (Max): 11.00 knots

Endurance: 21 days (at service speed)

ASD Propulsion: 2 x Schottel SRP 210 FP

ASD Prime Mover: 2 x 500kW, VEM Permanent Magnet e-motor

Main Generators: 3 x MAN D2676 - 3 x 340 ekW, 400V, 50Hz

Harbour Generator: 1 x Baudouin 4W105 ES, 1 x 76 eKW 400V, 50Hz

Bow Thruster: 1 x 99kW Veth VT-90

Gyro Stabiliser: 1 x VEEM VG140SD

Service Air Compressor: 2 x 1.5 kW 10 bar Air Compressor, 1 x 18 m³/h dryer, 1 x 300 litre air receiver

Oily Water Separator: 1 x 0.5 m³/h and 15 ppm.

Sewage Treatment System: 1 x for 20 persons

GS & Bilge & Fire Pump: 2 x 25 m³/h x 4 bar

Oily Water Transfer Pump: 1 x 3.5 m³/h x 2 bar

Sludge Pump: 1 x 3.5 m³/h x 2 bar

Fuel Transfer Pump: 1 x 10.4 m³/h x 2 bar

Fuel Oil Purifier: 1 x 1000 l/h

Passenger Accommodation: 12

Crewmembers: 6

CAPACITIES:

Fuel: 75m3

Fresh Water: 35m3

Black Water: 15m3

Grey Water: 11m3

Sludge: 4m3

Lube Oil: 4m3

Bilge: 10m3

Clear Deck Area: 75m2

Deck Load: 5t/m2

Moonpool: 1.34m x 1.38m

Rescue Boat: 3.92m RHIB Rescue Boat, 6 Persons, 40 HP outboard

Onboard Accommodation: 2 x 1-man Cabin (en-suite), 8 x 2-man Cabins (ensuite)

Galley & Mess & Lounge, Survey/Dive Control Room Embarkation Lobby

Searchlights: 2 x 1,000w

Anchor & Chain: 2 x 825 kg Delta Flipper Anchor (Fore), 2 x 750 kg Delta. Flipper Anchor (Aft), 4 x 600m Ø20mm wire rope. Four-Point Mooring Winches: Electric driven, deck and bridge controlled. Single Drum, storage, capacity 600m for 20mm dia wire rope. Band brake holding load 25 tons. Duty on drum 1st layer nominal pull 4-8 tons @ 7.5-12 m/min. Length Tension Monitoring System. Length, speed monitoring system.

Aft Towing Winch: Single Drum, storage capacity 600m for 34mm dia steel wire. Duty on drum 1st layer nominal pull 25 tons @ 0m/min, 8 tons @ 20m/min. Length Tension Monitoring System. Tension, length, speed monitoring system.

Offshore Crane: Melcal KT 120T3. Maximum Outreach 12.7m Lifting capacity SWL @ Sea State 3

13,000 kg @ 4.0m

8,400 kg @ 7.2m

6,500 kg @ 9.0m

5,300 kg @ 10.9m 4,400 kg @ 12.7m

TSS DOVER

The twin-screw steam ferry Dover was built by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson on the Tyne (Yard No 2013) for the British Railways Board. She was the last steam vessel ordered by that company, being launched on the 17th March 1965 and arriving at Dover from the builders on the 6th June 1965.

The dimensions of the vessel were;

Gross Tonnage: 3,602, 1,217 net and 818 deadweight

Length: 112.47m (369ft) overall, 105.61m (345.5ft) between perpendiculars Beam: 17.4m (57.1ft) extreme Depth: 10.52m (34.5 ft) moulded Capacity for 1,000 passengers and 205 cars.

Engines were Pametrada Steam Turbines built by the Wallsend Slipway & Engineering Co. Ltd., producing 12,000 shp for a service speed of 19.5 knots. She could also travel at about 14 knots astern, and was fitted with a full bridge at the stern overlooking the outside seating area. The vessel had twin screws with a bow thruster unit and Denny Brown-AEG stabilisers. She had twin rudders at the stern as well as a bow rudder.

The ship was the first of the British Railways ships to carry the “monastral” blue hull, with a white water line and chocolate brown boot topping. She was painted with a white superstructure, pearl grey masts, ventilators and davits. Her funnel was red with a black top and a white “twin arrow” device.

At the time of her launch Dover was the largest car-carrying ship on her route, and could make a crossing every 90 minutes. She was a one-class ship with a veranda bar on the boat deck seating about 120, which, at the time, represented an innovation for British Railways. It featured large windows at the side with the after end being completely open.

On the Dover-Boulogne route she had increased the daily capacity of the route to 4,960 cars and 25,000 passengers.

The vehicle garages, which accommodated over 200 average cars, extended for practically the entire length of the main deck, and also the upper deck forward, with access by hinged ramps, port and starboard. The after part of the main deck, with a clear height of 14 ft 3 ins, was strengthened for the carriage of commercial vehicles of up to 28 tons, and had an electrically operated 22 feet turntable. Each deck had a manually operated 16 feet turntable capable of carrying three tons.

The vehicle decks were sub-divided by water spray curtains with independent water circuits. Stowage was also provided for 20 motorcycles and 20 pedal cycles. Cars could be driven onboard at all states of the tide through a power operated watertight door, hinged at the top and opening outwards. Two hatchways above the turntable permitted loading by crane if necessary, as well as the loading and unloading of mail.

The passenger spaces were mainly on the shelter deck, with a large smoking room and bar forward seating about 100. There was also a lounge with tea bar with three seating zones equipped for self-service. The restaurant, which seated 148, had both waiter and selfservice. This was later changed to fully selfservice. Other amenities included a shop, RAC and AA offices, ticket and passport office, a bank and four double cabins.

A near sister ship, the Holyhead Ferry I, with almost identical dimensions, but less vehicle capacity, had been completed on the other side of the Tyne by Hawthorn Leslie and Co., Hebburn (Yard No 757). The ship was launched on the 17th February 1965, and entered service on the 19th July of the same year, a month after Dover, operating initially on the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire service.

MEMORABLE SHIPS - Dover

Hawthorn Leslie had tendered to also build Dover, however the yard could not meet the required time scales, and the contract went to Swan, Hunter.

In a similar fashion to Dover she was refitted with bow doors, but by Swan, Hunter on the Tyne, between January 1976 and September 1976. On the 29th June 1976 Holyhead Ferry I was renamed Earl Leofric.

In December 1980 Earl Leofric was laid up at Newhaven and in May 1981 was sold to Desquaces Aviles, Sanesteban de Pravia, Spain to be broken up.

On her initial voyage on 13th June 1965 Dover carried representatives of the press on a trip across the channel to Boulogne. Her arrival heralded the opening of the newly constructed car ferry terminal. The following day the ferry made another trip with members of the press to the Pool of London before returning to Dover and entering full passenger service on the 24th June from Dover to Boulogne. However, four days later on the 28th June, Dover, suffered a loss of power and speed with a severe vibration. This necessitated her withdrawal from service, and following repairs she returned to plying her route on the 5th July 1965, switching to Dover-Calais that September.

(Don Smith/photo-transport.com)

MEMORABLE SHIPS - Dover

Above: The Dover as Earl Siward off Dover in September 1980. (Don Smith/photo-transport.com)

Below: The former Dover as the Sol Express operating for Sol Ferries in June 1986. (FotoFlite)

Bottom: IThe Tuxedo Royale ex Dover at Middlesbrough. (Callen/shipspotting.com)

Whilst entering Dover Harbour on the 14th July 1966, Dover collided with the breakwater whilst berthing at the Eastern Docks. The ferry suffered damage to the starboard quarter of her stern, hull and vehicle ramp. Following repairs she operated on the Fishguard to Rosslare route.

At the beginning of 1967 Dover changed her crossings to Newhaven-Dieppe for a short time, returning to this route from 6th October 1967 to 9th January 1968. Following her initial transfer to this service a minor change was made to the accommodation and the restaurant was made fully “self service”.

Operating Dover to Boulogne from the 10th January to October 1968, she returned to Newhaven-Dieppe before switching back to Dover-Boulogne in December.

At the end of May 1969 Dover was dry docked at Holyhead and made a one off trip from Preston, Lancashire to Dieppe/Boulogne with 200 new Ford cars from the Ford Body and Assembly plant at Halewood. The ferry then moved to the Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire route joining her near sister Holyhead Ferry I on the Irish Sea crossing. Her place at Dover, was taken by the new ferry Vortigern (4,371grt/built 1969), also a product of the Swan, Hunter Shipyard on the Tyne.

In November 1969 British Rail’s Shipping Division changed its name to SEALINK and, although the funnel colours remained the same, in 1973 the hull of Dover was painted dark blue without the white band and the logo “SEALINK” added in large white letters amidships.

From 28th September 1971 the ferry operated between Newhaven and Dieppe, suffering propeller damage on the 23rd October that year. Repairs were carried out at Southampton and later on the 8th November 1971 Dover returned to service sailing from Dover to Boulogne with a passenger only service from Folkestone to Boulogne in January 1972.

On the 25th September 1972 Dover sailed between Newhaven and Dieppe replacing the French flagged Valencay (3,477grt/ built 1965) and Villandry (3,445grt/built 1964), which were undergoing annual drydocking.

On June 1974 to the end of that year the ferry operated on the Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire route replacing Holyhead Ferry I. This exchange was necessary as Dover could accommodate 205 cars as opposed to 150 in her sister. The extra vehicle capacity was necessary due to a surge in bookings.

On the 14th June 1976 the ferry collided with a breakwater whilst berthing at the Eastern Docks, Dover. The ship returned to Holyhead on the 17th October 1976 to replace the damaged Avalon (6,707grt/built 1963).

In 1976 Dover was taken to the Aalborg Vaerft Yard, Aalborg, Denmark, and refitted as a “drive through” ferry with bow doors added. She was renamed Earl Siward.

Vehicle carrying capacity was increased to 209 cars or 26 forty feet commercial vehicles. The alterations included stripping the upper deck to give greater headroom on the car deck and space for further portable car decks and ramp to the main deck area. The conversion cost just under £2 million. Earl Siward returned to service on the 1st July 1977 on the Dover-Calais route.

Earl Siward, who the ship was renamed after, was of Scandinavian origin and helped rule Northumbria 1041-1055. He is buried in St. Olav’s Church in York.

In the autumn of 1977 the ferry operated on the Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire route, and again at the beginning of 1979. In the summer of 1979 the ferry relieved Vortigern at Folkestone and during the French Fishermen’s blockade sailed to Ostend.

On the 1st January 1979 Earl Siward was registered to Sealink UK, and operated on the Irish Sea route for a short while.

From 2nd November to 17th December 1980 it was necessary to carry out repairs to the vessel’s turbines at Wellington Dock, Dover after stripping a blade.

June 16th 1981 saw Earl Siward covering for Vortigern on the Folkestone-Ostend service whilst that vessel was undergoing repairs following an electrical fire. However two days later the same month Earl Siward herself was out of action with boiler trouble, before returning to service on the 26th January 1981.

Earl Siward experienced more problems beteen 28th February and 1st March 1981 when she had to be withdrawn from service following engine failure. Further troubles ensued 6th March 1981 when the vessel snagged off shore wires which wrapped around one of her propellers taking thirty six hours to release. At the time the ferry was undertaking the Dover-Boulogne-CalaisOstend service.

On the 14th April 1981 Earl Siward made her final crossing between Folkestone and Calais before being laid up at Newhaven. However the following month the ferry was sent to Holyhead for a refit before operating between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire 6th June to 9th July 1981. The ferry made three round crossings on the 10th to 12th July 1981, Weymouth to Jersey and Guernsey before being laid up at Newhaven again.

Earl Siward was sold to Sol Ferries Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus on the 18th November 1981 and renamed Sol Express. After loading a cargo of second hand cars the vessel left Newhaven on the 25th November bound for Greece. Refitted at Perama, Greece in 1982 she entered service between Brindisi, Igoumenitsa and Patras.

In 1983 Sol Express suffered an engine failure and was laid up at Limassol. Her owners found that spares for the vessel were difficult to obtain and in 1986 she was sold to Absolute Leisure one of the Quadrini Group of companies.

MEMORABLE SHIPS - Dover

Above: The sad sight of the former Dover as Tuxedo Royale nearing the end of her days. (Tony/shipspotting.com)

Below: The final voyage of the former Dover to the scrapyard of Able UK at Hartlepool on 10th September 2019. (Tony/shipspotting.com)

Bottom: The near sister of the Dover was the 3,878grt Holyhead Ferry 1 seen arriving at Folkestone in February 1973. (Don Smith/photo-transport.com)

MEMORABLE SHIPS - Dover

Above: The Holyhead Ferry 1 was renamed Earl Leofric in the Channel in June 1976. On 29th June 1981 she arrived at San Esteban de Pravia to be broken up by Desguaces Aviles. (FotoFlite)

Below: The Vortigern replaced the Dover in 1969. The 4,371grt Vortigern was built in 1969 by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson at Wallsend. After service in Greece she arrived at Alang on 28th January 2005 to be broken up. (FotoFlite)

Bottom: In 1972 Dover replaced the Villandry seen here leaving Newhaven in September 1974. The 3,445grt Villandry was built in 1965 by Dubigeon-Normandie at Nantes-Chantenay. After service in Greece and Indonesia she was deleted from the register in 2011. (Don Smith/photo-transport.com)

Michael Quadrini had his ancestry going back to Lazio in Italy, and just before the First World War his forebears opened an ice cream and cream soda parlour in the village of Witton Park, near Bishop Auckland in County Durham.

The local villagers quickly accepted the family and the business thrived. When the Second World War began the family were not interned, as were many of those with Italian origins, but remained stalwarts of the community, whilst always flying the Union Flag from their premises. Coincidently an Italian prisoner of war camp was set up in 1943 at nearby Harperley just outside of Crook. The camp was known as Harperley POW Camp 93 and housed up to 1,400 low risk POWs, who were also an invaluable work force in the area.

Later in 1986 Sol Express was towed from Limassol to Newcastle on Tyne arriving there on the 18th April 1986. The vessel underwent conversion to a casino, restaurant, and nightclub, and renamed Tuxedo Royale. The vehicle turntable on the ship was retained as a revolving dance floor.

Tuxedo Princess (ex Caledonian Princess, 4,042grt/built 1961) had also been bought by the Quadrini Group, refitted as a “night spot” and moored on the Gateshead side of the River Tyne almost directly under the Tyne Bridge and a little way upstream from the Tyne RNVR Base, HMS Calliope. She opened as an entertainment venue in time for Christmas on the 19th December 1983.

Caledonian Princess had been built for the Caledonian Steam Packet Co. (Irish Services) Ltd., and completed in 1961 by Wm. Denny & Bros. Dumbarton (Yard 1501). When entering service on the Stranraer-Larne route the vessel could carry 100 first and 400 second class passengers, plus 53 cars.

The siting of the vessel was surrounded in a degree of controversy. Permission could not be obtained from Newcastle City Council to berth the ship on the Newcastle side, however permission was granted on the Gateshead side, which in any case had cheaper mooring fees. The vessel was also easily accessible from the Newcastle side of the Tyne via the nearby swing bridge.

Initially the vessel attracted the more discerning type of clientele with the waiting staff dressed in “sailor” uniforms and it was kept in very good order. The “night spot” attracted sports personalities, film and TV stars as well as local and foreign celebrities. Part of the BBC drama series, “Our Friends in the North” (first shown in 1996) was filmed onboard.

In July 1988 Tuxedo Royale replaced Tuxedo Princess (ex Caledonian Princess), which was towed to Glasgow reverting to her original name of Caledonian Princess.

Tuxedo Royale continued to be a centre of nightlife on the Gateshead side of the Tyne, being known locally as “The Love Boat” or just “The Boat.” However standards began to

drop and the ship became a favourite for stag and hen parties gaining a reputation for expensive drinks, deteriorating décor/carpets, poor service, and drunkenness and bringing disorder to the area.

In 2000 Tuxedo Royale was replaced by Tuxedo Princess (ex Caledonian Princess), which had reverted to Tuxedo Princess.

Attempts to move Tuxedo Royale to the River Wear at Sunderland were thwarted by the local police who objected to the vessel being granted a licence on the grounds of previous breaches of the law and anti-social behaviour associated with the Royale at Gateshead and Princess at Glasgow.

As a result Tuxedo Royale was moved to the Tees at Middlesbrough near the Transporter Bridge where the vessel opened as a nightspot at Middlesbrough by Michael Quadrini in conjunction with Carlsberg. It transpired that the venture was not a success and on the 20th April 2006 the vessel left Middlesbrough to be laid up at Hartlepool at the yard of Able UK.

However the former ferry was taking up a valuable berth that was required to allow the former French Navy aircraft carrier Clemenceau to dock prior to dismantling, and the vessel was towed back to Middlehaven, Middlesbrough early in 2009. Her stay at that berth was initially only to be for a couple of weeks.

However the vessel stayed in situ, and gradually deteriorated. A plan was proposed to preserve the ship and operate her as a museum, which it was estimated would cost £14 million to £15 million. This plan did not come to fruition and following extensive vandalism and a fire started by arsonists the ship sank at her moorings, with no one claiming ownership or responsibility for the vessel.

With ownership of the ship in doubt, and the previous owners, Absolute Leisure, going into administration the ship was ceded to Able UK for demolition in lieu of unpaid mooring fees. The owners of the ship at this time were then shown as “Cinderella’s Rockerfellas”

Dismantling of the superstructure of the ship began on the 18th January 2018, and on the 10th September 2019 the raised hull of Tuxedo Royale (still with the ghost of SEALINK visible on her sides) was towed from the Tees by a Svitzer tug to Able Seaton Port, Hartlepool where the full recycling process was completed.

Tuxedo Princess was sold in 2007 with a view to being refitted for further service as a night club however this proved to be too expensive and with high scrap prices, she left the Tyne in 2008 to be broken up, after her name had been shortened to Prince, for her final journey to Turkey.

A once beautiful ship, the former Dover ended her life as an eye sore that no one wanted, her finale being under the breakers torch in Hartlepool just down the coast from where she was built.

MEMORABLE SHIPS - Dover

Above: The Dover replaced the Avalon on the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire service in 1976. The 6,707grt Avalon was built in 1963 by Alexander Stephen at Linthouse. On 22nd January 1981 she arrived at Gadani Beach to be broken up. (Dave Salisbury/Malcolm Cranfield collection)

Below: The 4,042grt Caledonian Princess in her prime arriving at Weymouth in February 1973. She was built in 1961 by Wm. Denny & Bros. at Dumbarton. She became Tuxedo Princess in 1991. On 23rd August 2008 she arrived at Aliaga to be broken up by Avsar GS. (Don Smith/photo-transport.com)

Bottom: The former Caledonian Princess leaving Newcastle for the final time after her period as the nightclub Tuxedo Princess. (Norman Middlemiss)

HUMBERSIDE’S 1968 TRAWLER TRAGEDIES

In January and February 1968 a triple tragedy was reported to have struck the fishing community of Hull.

In actual fact four British vessels were lost, three from Hull and one from Grimsby when the trawlers, St. Romanus, Kingston Peridot, Ross Cleveland and Notts County were lost off Iceland in two separate incidents with the loss of 59 lives.

In addition a small Icelandic fishing vessel Heidrun II with a crew of six also disappeared without trace

ST. ROMANUS

Port Reg. No. H223 from Hull, IMO 305741

Built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd., Beverley (Yard No. 828) for Motorvisserij N.V. Ostend, Belgium as the Van Dyck, Reg. No. O-298.

In 1964 she was bought by Thomas Hamling & Co. Ltd., Beverley and renamed St. Romanus.

She was 599grt, dimensions: 170.25 x 29.20 x 14.5 feet.

She had Triple Expansion engines with oil fired boiler by Holmes C.D. & Co. Ltd., Hull produced 850 ihp for a speed of 12.0 knots, single screw.

KINGSTON PERIDOT

Port Reg. No. H591 from Hull, IMO 181356

Built in 1948 by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd., Beverley (Yard No. 796), for Kingston Steam Trawling Co. Ltd. Hull.

In 1966 she was sold to Hull Northern Fishing Co. Ltd. (Hellyer Steam Fishing Co. Ltd). She retained her original name. She was 658grt, dimensions: 181.7 x 30.65 x 15.15 feet.

She had Triple Expansion engines with oilfired boiler by Holmes C.D. & Co. Hull produced 850 ihp giving a speed of 12.9 knots, single screw.

ROSS CLEVELAND

Port Reg. No. H61 from Hull, IMO 183398

Built in 1949 by Lewis John & Sons Ltd. Aberdeen (Yard No. 215) for Ross Trawlers Ltd. (Hudson Brothers Trawlers Ltd.) as Cape Cleveland. In 1965 she was renamed Ross Cleveland. She was 659grt, dimensions: 178.4 x 30.15 x 15.5 feet.

She had Triple Expansion engines with oil fired boiler built by Kincaid John G. & Co., Greenock producing 900 ihp giving a speed of 12 knots, single screw.

NOTTS COUNTY

Port Reg. No. GY643 from Grimsby, IMO 5258365

Built in 1960 by Goole Shipbuilding and Repairing Co. Ltd. (Yard No 521) for the Rhondda Fishing Co. Ltd., part of the Consolidated Fisheries Ltd. Group.

She was 441grt, dimensions 139.8 x 28.5 feet.

She had a diesel engine, single screw.

The Notts County from Grimsby was a more modern vessel, not as big as the other three, but fitted with a smaller and more efficient diesel engine.

In the spring of 1958 Iceland made a declaration that a 12-mile limit would be imposed around its coast to prevent foreign trawlers fishing within that zone.

This was an increase from the 3-mile limit then in force, although Iceland usually enforced a 4-mile limit.

Thus commenced a period known as the “First Cod War” when the limit came into force on the 1st September 1958. A number of Royal Navy vessels were allocated to patrol the area in anticipation of assistance being required by UK trawlers. These initially included the

modern Type 12 frigate HMS Eastbourne, the smaller Type 14 frigates HMS Russell and HMS Palliser and the war built Algerine Class minesweeper HMS Hound. The tanker RFA Black Ranger was in support.

Various confrontations took place between the trawlers, the Icelandic Coastguard and the Royal Navy.

During this time the Icelandic Coastguard vessel Hermodour was lost with all hands during a storm on the 18th February1959.

However on the 11th March 1961 the British Government agreed to accept a 12mile fishing zone. After this time HM Ships Rhyl and Malcolm along with RFA Tideflow remained on station and to explain the situation to the skippers of the UK fishing vessels. This, at times, caused conflict not only with the Icelandic authorities but also the Royal Navy.

For ten years following this agreement, (1961-1971) known as the Common Fisheries Policy, trawlers from the UK continued to fish unmolested outside of the 12-mile limit. During this period there were about 150 deep-sea trawlers fishing out of Hull, landing a quarter of the total of the fish supplied to the United Kingdom.

FEATURE - Humberside’s 1968 Trawler Tragedies

Left: The 659grt Ross Cleveland was lost on 4th February 1968. Above: The 599grt St. Romanus was lost on 11th January 1968. Below: The 658grt Kingston Peridot was lost on 27th January 1968. Bottom: The 441grt Notts County was lost on 5th February 1968.

Below: A plaque in memory of the crew of the Ross Cleveland. The plaque dates the loss as 5th February but in actual fact the official inquiry confirmed that the official time and date of her loss was shortly after 23.40 on 4th February

Life on the trawlers was hard and they often fished in waves 30-40 feet high with winds in excess of Force 8 blowing. The trawlers went to sea for 3 weeks, a week sailing to the fishing ground, with a week to return and a week fishing. They then came back into port for 3 days, before sailing once again for the Icelandic or Norwegian fishing grounds. The ships did not carry a qualified medical person, although the skipper was required to have a basic knowledge of first aid. It could be expected, that even with experienced hands, accidents would occur when gutting fish with sharp knives on an open pitching deck in freezing and storm ridden conditions. A crew of about twenty was the norm for the standard type of trawler, as were the three from Hull and one from Grimsby that were lost.

However the rewards were often good, the crews received a basic wage of roughly £14 per week (1968) plus a bonus based on the size and value of the catch. In September 1958 the destroyer HMS Diana joined the Icelandic patrol and took onboard an engineer from one of the trawlers who was suffering from scolds to his hands received in an accident onboard his vessel. His was accommodated in the stokers mess and boasted to the ratings there, that he was earning £100 per week, when those he was amessed with were earning £7.10.6d. (£7.52) Although this may have been an exaggeration, depending on how good the fishing was, the trawler men were certainly earning “good money.”

When the trawler crews came home for the three days, there was relief all round, and treats for the wives and children paid for with the large wages. The trawler men became known as the three-day millionaires. However some of the younger, unmarried men were known to put their wages “behind the bar” of their favourite public house for food and drink, and only go back to sea once it had all been used up. On one occasion the local police had checked the flat of an unmarried crewmember to find that his furniture consisted of one single bed with rarely washed bed linen. Onshore he “lived” in a local public house only going back to his flat to sleep. When his money was all used up he went back to sea.

The safety standard onboard the trawlers was poor however, and there was a saying that when one bought a fish and six penneth (2½ p) cod and chips you were buying men’s lives, the accident and death rate was so high. The St. Romanus had lost two crew members (3rd hand and spare hand) overboard in heavy weather on the 5th May 1966 in the Humber Estuary. It was a fact of life that a crewmember of a trawler was seventeen times more likely to lose his life compared with other land based industrial workers. Between 1835 and 1980, 6,000 trawler men from Hull lost their lives at sea.

There was enormous pressure from the trawler owners on the skippers to bring back as much fish as possible. There was even an annual trophy, The Silver Cod presented at a formal dinner to the skipper who had been the most productive throughout the preceding 12 months.

The trawler owners were all-powerful in the 1960s and operated a quasi-feudal system with few rights for the workers. They were notoriously frugal with the money spent on their vessels, and only the minimum comforts were provided for the crews. At sea the skipper had the last word, and if any crewmen did not come up to standard, or cause trouble, he would remain unemployed for the foreseeable future.

The St. Romanus and Kingston Peridot sailed from St. Andrew’s Dock, Hull on the same day, 10th January 1968. Both had a crew of twenty.

The crew of St. Romanus consisted of Skipper, Mate, Bosun, 3rd Hand, 1 Deckhand, 7 Spare Hands, 2 Decky Learners, Chief engineer, 2nd Engineer, 2 Firemen, Cook and Cook’s Assistant.

It was said that the St. Romanus did not have a good reputation, and several skippers who were offered the job to take her to sea turned it down. Eventually a young skipper, James Wheeldon, 26 years old, took the post. At the subsequent enquiry into the loss of the vessel it was found that the trawler was in all regards seaworthy and that the safety equipment was in order. The skipper was qualified to hold a Radio Telephone Certificate, and as such the ship was not required to carry a radio operator.

The last contact with the St. Romanus was later on the same day of sailing by radiotelephone, when the skipper called his wife. He informed her that the vessel was 120 miles north north east of the Humber. The company policy was that the ships should report their position on a daily basis, however some skippers were reluctant to do this as it could betray their position. This enabled other vessels to identify a good fishing ground and come to the scene. Such was the pressure to bring home the largest catch.

The alarm was not raised until the 26th January, although a life raft had been found by another vessel on the 13th January. By the 30th January the families of the men were informed that there was little hope for the crew of the St. Romanus.

The majority of the deck crew were in their teens and 20s although the engine crew were a little older and the Chief Engineer was 60 years of age.

At the official inquiry it was revealed that a Mayday call had been received by another vessel on the 11th January but this had not been passed on. The Inquiry was unable to determine the exact cause of the loss of the St. Romanus other than on the evening of the 10th January the trawler

FEATURE - Humberside’s 1968 Trawler Tragedies

probably encountered winds of force 8 and at times force 9 and 10. The winds decreased by the afternoon of the 11th January. The weather improved considerably on the 12th January. In all probability the St. Romanus was lost sometime on the 11th January in the North Sea some way between the Danish and Norwegian coasts, where the life raft was found on the 13th January.

The Kingston Peridot also sailed on the 10th January with a crew of twenty, The make up of the crew was similar to the St. Romanus, however she did carry a radio operator, but no deck hand.

The trawler reached the Icelandic Fishing Grounds and was fishing off the north east coast of Iceland in very bad weather, reporting by radio, a build up of ice on decks and superstructure. The skipper moved his ship further east to join other trawlers, but no further contact was made with Kingston Peridot.

One of her life rafts was washed ashore and together with other debris and an oil slick it was confirmed that Kingston Peridot had been sunk. This dreadful news was received back in Hull on the 30th January, at the same time that it was clear that St. Romanus had also been lost.

The inquiry into the sinking established that Kingston Peridot had probably capsized through a build up of ice on the night of the 26th January or morning of 27th January. Subsequent examination of the wreck, later discovered by divers, confirmed this finding.

Eugene Carney, Cooks Assistant, at 15 years, was the youngest British crewmember lost in the tragedies.

Ross Cleveland sailed from Hull on the morning of the 20th January 1968, bound for the Icelandic Fishing Grounds. On the 26th January the cook was taken ill and it was necessary to dock in Isafjord where he was landed and taken to hospital.

On the 3rd February an adverse weather forecast was received and the skipper decided to seek shelter at Ísafjarðardjúp whilst other trawler skippers decided to take the same course of action.

The weather worsened with all the ships beginning to ice up, the crews clearing as much ice as possible. These conditions continued throughout the night of the 3/4th February with winds reaching hurricane force. Shortly before midnight on the 4th February the skipper of Ross Cleveland endeavoured to position his vessel’s head into the wind, however she failed to respond to the rudder, and the ship heeled over to port, capsized and sank.

The last radio message received from the skipper was,

“I am going over. We are laying over. Help me. I am going over. Give my love and the crew’s love to the wives and families.”

Three men managed to get away in a life raft, however two died of exposure and only the mate survived and after reaching the shore he found an empty house and took shelter outside, the bulk of the house providing a barrier from the wind. The following day a shepherd boy found him and took him home, where, after being given dry clothes, hot drinks and put to bed he was taken to hospital and later returned to the UK. He went back to sea several weeks later.

The subsequent inquiry concluded that the Ross Cleveland was lost in Ísafjarðardjúp of Arnanes Light shortly after 23.40 hours on the 4th February the vessel capsizing in hurricane force winds, severe icing conditions and virtual nil visibility.

The conclusion of the Inquiry was that there was no wrongful act or default which contributed to the loss of the ship, and that her loss was attributed to the exceptional combination of winds of hurricane force winds and heavy ice formation which caused the vessel to capsize.

Another trawler that was sheltering from the same storm was the Grimsby based trawler Notts County. She was driven ashore at Snaefjallastrond on the 5th February and wrecked.

The Icelandic Patrol Ship Odinn went to the scene and instructed the crew to remain onboard, until a rescue could be carried out. Captain Sigurdur Arnasson risked his ship to save the crew, and received an OBE for his bravery. The ship later refloated, but was too badly damaged to be repaired and was scrapped at Isafjordur.

The small 154 grt wooden hulled diesel engined Icelandic trawler Heidrun II, built in 1963, was also lost during the same storm. She disappeared with all of her six crew members somewhere between Bolungavik and Isafjord and was never heard of again.

Following the loss of the St. Romanus and Ross Cleveland the women of the fishing community around Hessle Road, in Hull began to organise protests at St. Andrews Dock, Hull where the trawlers were based. These were aimed at preventing vessels going to sea without a radio operator or if it was believed safety standards to be unsatisfactory.

A deputation of the women arrived at the dockside in front of the media on the 5th February for a meeting with the trawler owners. Simultaneously the news broke of the loss of the third vessel, Ross Cleveland. The following day four of the women travelled to London for a meeting with government ministers and representatives from the Board of Trade to discus reforms to the shipping industry.

A list of new safety arrangements was drawn up and the trawler owners instructed to implement them with immediate effect. The women from the fishing community around St. Andrews Dock had achieved in days what had been discussed needed and for years.

FEATURE - Humberside’s 1968 Trawler Tragedies

Above: The Icelandic patrol ship the 839grt Odinn went to the aid of the Notts Couty. She was built in 1960 by Aalborg Vaerft. She is now a museum ship in Reykjavik. (Nigel Lawrence)

Below: The 1,574grt Orsino was built in 1966 at the Yarrow yard at Scotstoun.

One of the eighty-eight recommendations that were implemented included the provision of a “mother ship” equipped with medical facilities. The modern stern trawler Orsino, owned by Hellyer Brothers Ltd. was fitted out for this purpose, along with Weather Ship duties.

Orsino was registered in Hull (H410) and was built in 1966. She was designed to freeze whole fish and carrying 300 tons of bunkers was able to stay at sea for a maximum of 48 days. At 1,131 grt and dimensions of 207.75 x 39.09 x 15 feet the trawler was considerably larger than the vessels that had been lost. Eight Cylinder Mirrleess National Diesel engines producing 2,359 bhp gave her a maximum speed of 13.5 knots.

She was sold in 1978 leaving Hull on the 14th January1978 and arriving in Albany, Australia on the 1st March 1978. In 1984 she was renamed Jessie I by Jessie Maritime Inc. being broken up at Chittagong in 1984.

In 1971 The Icelandic Government introduced a 50-mile fishing limit around the shores of Iceland and this was later increased to 200 miles. From 1971 a series of “Cod Wars” took place between the UK and Iceland with the Royal Navy providing protection to the British Trawlers, and often sustaining quite serious damage after colliding with the Icelandic Coast Guard Vessels. One of the Icelandic Coast Guard Vessels, Baldur a converted ice-strengthened trawler developed a trick of swinging her stern into the side of a frigate thereby causing considerable damage to the thin hull plating.

In May 1976 the UK Labour Government agreed to comply with a 200 mile fishing limit around Iceland and at 21.00 hours on the 30th May, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force operations in support of the British Trawler Fleet were suspended.

It was calculated that the agreement would provide a catch of about 30,000 tons

of fish over a six-month period for the whole of the UK trawler fleet fishing off Iceland. In the 1960s the trawlers from Hull alone brought in a quarter of a million of tons of fish.

In Iceland there were left wing protests that even 30,000 tons of fish over the six months was too much, but the vast majority of people were content to see an end to the dispute.

Commander Gudmundur Kjaernested of the Icelandic Coastguard Service was in charge during some of the Cod Wars, and died on the 2nd September 2005. In his obituary it was said of the British Trawlermen,

“We always respected their courage and bravery, for a common bond unites fishermen across the world”.

The Government, without doubt, betrayed the Trawlermen, and the Icelandic Fisheries Minister remembers the UK M.P. Anthony Crossland (Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Member of Parliament for Grimsby) saying to him at the end of the negotiations,

“I shouldn’t be surprised if my constituents finish me off for having done this. But for you the situation is quite different. You will return home as victors”.

Crossland ceased to be the M.P. for Grimsby the following year.

Thousands of people lost their livelihood, not only the trawlermen, but the factories that processed the fish, the transport drivers who took it to all parts of the UK, and the specialist shipyards who built and repaired the trawlers.

The trawler industry collapsed, and in Hull the tight knit fishing community around Hessle Road disappeared, and St. Andrews Dock the base of the fishing fleet became and remains a wasteland. The safety measures introduced for the benefit of the fishermen were essential and a long time coming, but now for the majority who no longer go to sea to fish, irrelevant.

Sources

British Trawlers by D. Ridley Chesterton, Ian Allan 1962

British Coastal Ships, Tugs and Trawlers by G. Mayes, Ian Allan 1974

The Royal Navy in the Cod Wars by Captain A. Welch FNI RN., Maritime Books 2006

Hull’s Headscarf Heroes BBC4

Mr A. Smalley, former deck hand Hull trawler, D.Sgt. Humberside Police

Merchant Ships World Built Vol. XV 1967 (new ships 1966), Adlard Coles

Board of Trade Inquiry Reports into the loss of the St. Romanus, Kingston Peridot and Ross Cleveland.

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170 Years of Harland & Wolff

Famed for building the White Star liners Titanic, Britannic and Olympic Harland Wolff Shipyard celebrated its 170th anniversary in 2023.

Belfast’s River Lagan is deep and as such has for centuries been home to shipbuilding industries. The first ship to be built on the Lagan entered the water in 1636, but it was 1853 when the present Harland and Wolff shipyard commenced business. That year Robert Hickson laid out a yard for the construction of iron ships. From small beginnings it grew into the powerhouse that became the world famous Queen’s Island yards.

Hickson was only briefly involved in the shipyard he laid out with control passing to Edward James Harland (Later Sir Edward Harland). Harland was at the time a restless and hugely ambitious 23-year old marine engineer, who in his short work life had built up an extensive bank of experience at yards on the Rivers Tyne and Clyde before he applied for a newly created management position at Hickson’s shipyard. He worked at Hickson’s for five years before thinking of moving on to pastures new, however, Hickson was ready to move on too and offered Harland an alternative to buy him out. Hickson’s offer was ‘my interest and goodwill in the shipyard at Queen’s Island Belfast, together with steam engine, boiler plant, tools, machinery and other appliances for shipbuilding as now in use by me for the sum of five thousand pounds.’ Edward Harland accepted the offer at the age of 27.

Harland wanted to prove himself and he set a hard target for the shipyard to achieve. His reputation grew steadily as the first ships ordered under his stewardship, Nos 1, 2 and 3 for J. Bibby Sons and Company of Liverpool, were for the Venetian, Sicilian and Syrian. Three years of steady growth meant Harland needed to share the management and the 27-year old German Engineer Gustav Wilhem Wolff was taken on as a partner.

Harland and Wolff were innovative in designing ships. They proposed longer slimmer ships capable of carrying more cargoes but still retaining the same speed. They introduced iron decks displacing the traditionally used wood to make the ships stronger and they did away with traditional items such as bowsprits and figureheads. They achieved a 20-percent fuel saving by solving problems associated with seawater condensers. They also experimented with flat bottoms and square bilges to increase capacity yet further.

These design developments came at the same time as the fierce North Atlantic Speed competition started with rival companies competing to offer the fastest passage across the North Atlantic. The two leading players were the United States Imman Line and the British Cunard Line.

In the 1870s a third competitor joined the fray in the form of The White Star Line who chose Harland and Wolff to build the ships with which they hoped to win the Blue Riband of the North Atlantic.

The Oceanic (above) was the first Harland and Wolff built ship for The White Star Line. Of 3,808grt, a length of 429 feet and a beam of 41ft she was longer and narrower than any other transatlantic vessel. Driven by steam and sail she unfortunately failed to set any records on her maiden voyage in 1871. Her sister ship Adriatic, however, the following year, beat the westbound record with an average speed of 14.5 knots and Harland’s decision to build long and thin ships were proved to be correct.

Harland and Wolff would continue to build all of the White Star Lines’ record breakers such as the Britannic, Germanic (above), Teutonic and Majestic until 1889 when the shipping company dropped out of the competition. The competition had spurred on the dramatic growth in the size of the ships built.

In 1874 the shipyard had completed the 5,004grt Britannic, but the 9,984grt Teutonic (above) was built only a handful of years later. Teutonic and sister ship Majestic were the first Harland and Wolff built ships equipped with twin screws and 7,000hp engines making them the first to completely do away with auxiliary sails. H&W had at this point invested heavily in developing its own engine production. After 1880 H&W built engines under licence to the Danish Burmeister and Wain company.

With the start of the 20th century H&W had grown to become one of the world’s most successful shipyards building naval vessels, giant ocean liners and smaller less remarkable but still valuable commercial shipping. Most famous of all, however, were the trio of 46,000 tons, 860 ft long sisters Britannic, Olympic (above) and the ill-fated Titanic, lost on her maiden commercial voyage in April 1912.

The start of World War One saw the shipyard receive large investments to produce hundreds of vessels to replace those lost in conflict. The 48,158grt Britannic was converted to become a hospital ship but was later torpedoed and sunk in the Aegean Sea.

War production transformed the Queen’s Island yard virtually overnight with thousands of new employees working round the clock to produce naval monitors and two large cruisers for the Royal Navy, HMS Glorious and HMS Vindictive (above). The pace of construction moved into top gear in April 1917 as British and American shipyards couldn’t keep pace with the losses with one in four ships being sunk. By the middle of 1918, the yards like H&W were finally building more than were being sunk.

The wartime construction had meant extra capacity was needed and a new yard was built at Musgrave. Following a short lived boom in 1920 when two-million tons of ships were delivered, the economic depression of the late 1920s and 1930s followed.

for two cargo liners, the 26,943grt

In late 1939 H&W was again turned over to war production, but the shipyard came within range of German aircraft. In April and May 1941, the shipyard was devastated by air raids that destroyed around sixty-percent of the works. The timing of the attacks couldn’t have come at a worst time as it coincided with the apex of U-boat successes in the North Atlantic with the loss of 700,000 tons of Allied shipping. By 1943 H&W was back at full capacity and at war’s end 139 naval vessels including 6 aircraft carriers, 2 cruisers, 47 corvettes, 29 minesweepers and 9 frigates and 130 merchant ships had been delivered.

After the Second World War naval construction took second place to commercial shipping. Orders for very large crude carriers (vlcc) and bulk carriers dominated H&Ws order book. But there were beautiful exceptions including the superlative liners Canberra (above) and the Southern Cross. The Royal Navy also placed orders for the assault ship HMS Fearless and the County class guided missile destroyer HMS Kent. Gone too was the traditional slipway launch, as VLCCs were built in dry docks on the horizontal.

In the late 1950s, to accommodate the growth in ship size H&W devised two plans for the future. One short term and one long term. Musgrave Yard was reorganised and rebuilt but retaining its traditional slipways. The second long term plan was to build a brand new yard to be named The Belfast Building Dock.

The first major tanker order for H&W was for the 193,048dwt Myrina (above). She would at the time be the largest tanker to be built in the United Kingdom. But her construction was costly in time and money. Lessons learnt from building the Myrina were incorporated into the design for the Belfast Building Dock. Myrina was launched traditionally from the Musgrave slipway and had imposed great stresses on the massive hull at launch.

and the

Georgic, three Z ships were the first British motor driven passenger vessels on the North Atlantic. The Britannic sailed on her maiden voyage in June 1930 followed two years later by the Georgic.

Construction work of the £16 million Belfast Building Dock commenced in February 1965. Workers spent the next fourteen months building the impressive dry dock having partly been financed by Government loans and advances. The first steel plates in the building of Esso’s 250,000 ton tankers Esso Ulidia and Esso Caledonia started immediately after the Docks contractors had handed over the facility to the shipyard. It took just thirteen months from start of build to handover to build the first of the pair of supertankers. Uniquely at this time the yard constructed the semi-submersible drilling ship Sea Quest, which, due to its three legged design was launched down three parallel slipways at the same time.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

An impressive line up of cruise ships at Southampton on 8th June 2013. From left to right are P&O’s Ventura, MSC Opera of MSC and Celebrity’s Celebrity Eclipse. The 116,017gt Ventura was built in 2008 by Fincantieri Italiani at Monfalcone. The 65,591gt MSC Opera was built in 2004 by Chantiers de l’Atlantique at St. Nazaire. The 121,878gt Celebrity Eclipse was built in 2010 by Jos. L. Meyer at Papenburg.

Photo: Dave Smith, photo-transport.com

FEATURE - 170 Years of Harland & Wolff

In 1971 the Arrol Gantry complex was demolished and in 1975 a £35 million expansion was added to the shipyard in the form of a hard steel cutting and ship design computer assisted system. Two years later in 1977 Harland and Wolff together with numerous other British shipyards were nationalised under the Labour Government of James Callaghan in an effort to preserve jobs and vital national infrastructure capabilities.

On 23rd April 1986, the company received the order for the construction of one of a pair of Royal Fleet Auxiliary replenishment oilers. RFA Fort Victoria (above) was laid down almost two years later and launched on 12th June 1990. She would not commission into service until another four years later at Rosyth Dockyard in Scotland under what was termed ‘assisted maintenance’ conditions. In 1989 British Shipbuilders was sold by the British Government to a management/ employee buy-out in partnership with the Norwegian shipping magnate Fred. Olsen and became known as Harland & Wolff Holdings Plc.

The company continued to specialise in the construction of a series of six standard Suezmax oil tankers begun in 1992 with the delivery of the Knock Allan (above) and concluded four years later with the completion of the Knock An. Harland and Wolff also continued to design and build specialist vessels for the offshore oil and gas industries.

The massive shipbuilding facilities at Harland and Wolff were by many seen as an ideal location for the building of the future Royal Navy aircraft carriers. It was initially envisaged that the ship would be built of separate blocks that would be shipped to Belfast for final assembly. However, in the end, Rosyth Dockyard was chosen instead and Harland and Wolff’s involvement in the aircraft carrier project was at an end before it had even started. Faced with a shortage of shipbuilding work, Harland and Wolff instead chose to diversify into other areas including ship repair, offshore construction projects and metal engineering and fabrication that took the company away from its shipbuilding roots. One of the most prominent of these was the construction of the James Joyce Bridge and the reconstruction of Dublin’s Ha’penny Bridge.

was, however, core to Harland and Wolff’s entire DNA and in 2003 the company launched the MV Anvil Point (above), one of

for the Ministry of Defence.

Harland and Wolff’s association with designing and building classic ocean liners it was hoped would help secure the contract to build the new Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2, but the work was secured by Chantiers de l’Atlantique who had more recent experience of building modern ocean liners.

The company’s history of building Titanic nearly 100 years previously was part of the reason why in 2003 H&W sold 185 acres of surplus land and buildings to Harcourt Developments for £47 million. The redevelopment of this land created the Titanic Quarter of Belfast and also to the £97 million Titanic Belfast visitor attraction.

Ship repair work has increased in recent years with multi-million contracts for work on SS Nomadic, Sea Rose Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Vessels and for the offshore windfarm industry with the building of hundreds of wind turbines for the Robin Rigg Wind Farm, Barrow Offshore Wind Farm, the Ormonde Wind Farm and the Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm.

Despite this the yard continued to make a series of annual losses which led in 2018 the parent company Fred. Olsen and Co. to put Harland and Wolff up for sale. No buyer was found and on 5th August 2019 the company announced that they would cease trading and entered administration.

Two months later an offer of just £6 million from London based energy firm, InfraStrata, was accepted.

InfraStrata’s low purchase price allowed it to invest into the facilities and also to buy out the dormant Appledore Shipyard for £7 million to run complimentarily alongside the larger site in Belfast. The North Devon shipyard was subsequently renamed as H&W Appledore, allowing the company to work on smaller vessels up to 119 metres in length including the refit work on the Royal Navy mine countermeasures vessel HMS Quorn bought by Lithuania.

Later in February 2021, InfraStrata acquired two BiFab yards, the £850,000 deal was struck for the Methil and Arnish yards, but not the Burntisland facility.

These Scottish facilities traded under the Harland & Wolff brand and helped the company deliver on its existing strategy for a UK-wide footprint quicker than it would have done with only its two existing sites.

A press release from August 2022 proudly states that the company has seen a 200% increase in cash generating projects, a whopping 9,900% increase in revenue streams and a 400% increase in contracted future revenues of £20 million.

However, Harland and Wolff’s future was still in the balance having failed to secure a £200 million government loan guarantee the company was once again placed in the hands of administrators in September 2024. The administrators task is to firstly to try and secure the business as a going concern and to save as many of the jobs at the shipyard as possible. The situation at Harland and Wolff was that the yard has secured work but costs that have to be paid in advance of work commencing outweigh the net profit. Furthermore, it became reliant on high interest borrowing from a specialist American lender, Riverstone.

The order for three support ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in collaboration with Spain’s Navantia is one of these projects and a vital one for the future of both of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the ability of the Royal Navy to be able to deploy globally around the world. Without these new ships the future of such Royal Navy deployments will be in doubt.

On 19th December 2024 Harland & Wolff secured its future through a deal with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia. The deal will see Navantia UK acquire all four of Harland & Wolff’s shipyards, including sites in Belfast, Scotland, and Devon safeguarding 1,000 shipbuilding and ship repairing jobs.

UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds hailed the deal as a boost for both employment and national security, describing it as "a major vote of confidence in the UK from Navantia". At the time of writing the deal awaits regulatory approval. A final agreement is expected to include job guarantees from Navantia.

The Type 14Blackwood Class Frigates

In 1951 the Royal Navy embarked on a programme of introducing new types of frigate into the fleet, resulting in 4 Salisbury Class (Type 61 Air Direction Frigates), 4 Leopard Class (Type 41 Anti Aircraft Frigates) and 6 Whitby Class (Type 12 General Purpose Frigates). A programme of converting former war built destroyers to fast anti submarine frigates, Type 15 and the less sophisticated Type 16, had already commenced as a stop gap measure.

However, as it took considerable time to construct the new ships, as well as being expensive, it was decided to build a smaller, cheaper vessel as a minimum Anti Submarine Frigate to augment the Type 12s.

The idea was that the ships would be of pre-fabricated construction so that they could be built quickly and away from the main shipyards where they might be subject to enemy bombing. The pre-fabricated sections would then be transported by either road or rail and joined together at one of the main yards. The ships were put into production as part of the Korean War mobilisation.

In practice they took about the same time to build as the contemporary Type 12 Whitby Class. The average build time for the 12 Type 14 units was about 40.5 months. The quickest, being Murray which took 30 months, the longest Duncan which took 58 months. Completed as first of the Class the Type 12 HMS Torquay took 37 months to build. In terms of cost the Type 14s cost about £1.5 million per ship, HMS Duncan being the most expensive HMS Duncan at £1.96 million. The cost of the Type 12, Whitby Class ranged from £2.769 million to 3.269 million

The first two of the Type 14s, now known as the Blackwood or Captain Class, were authorised under the 1951/52 Programme with ten more in the 1952/53 Programme. A further 20 projected vessels, 10 in the 1954/55 Programme and 10 in the 1955/56 Programme were not proceeded with. A total of 12 were eventually completed.

Originally the ships were designed to carry three 40 mm anti aircraft guns, two triple Mk 10 anti submarine mortars (Limbo) with 10

salvoes of projectiles and two twin 21” anti submarine torpedo tubes. As a result in failures of both ship design and armament this was subsequently reduced.

The Type 14s were to carry half the power plant of the Type 12s with a single shaft developing 15,000 shp, which gave them a maximum speed of about 27.8 knots. However operationally this rarely exceeded 24.5 knots. To improve manoeuvrability the ships were fitted with an extra large rudder, which was in two parts. The lower half was removed when in dry dock. On occasions this became detached when at sea and was not always replaced.

DETAILS AS BUILT

Displacement: 1,180 tons standard, 1,456 full load

Length: 310 ft. (oa), beam 33 feet, draught: 15 feet

Guns: Three 40 mm (3 x 1)

Torpedoes: Four 21” (2 x 2)

Anti submarine weapons: Two Limbo.

Machinery: Two Babcock and Wilcox boilers operating at 550lb/sq. inch and 850 degrees F. English Electric geared turbines on one shaft giving a total of 15,000 shp

Speed: 27.8 knots. 24.5 knots (full load)

Complement: 112 (140 in Indian vessels)

Following her conversion to Gas Turbine propulsion HMS Exmouth had her steam machinery replaced with a 22,500 shp (de-rated to 15,000 shp) Olympus and two Proteus (total 6,500 shp) gas turbines. She became the test bed for future frigate propulsion systems.

The frigates were fitted with Sonar Types 162, 170 and 174 for anti submarine detection and aiming, plus basic Type 974 radar for both navigation and air detection. Most of the class (except Duncan and

FEATURE - The Type 14 Blackwood Class Frigates

Palliser) were later fitted with Type 978 radar to augment the original Type 974.

Radar

Type 974 Navigation. A high definition surface search set for navigation and anti-aircraft detection. Operated on X-Band, the aerial rotated at 24 rpm.

Sonar

Type 162 Target classification:

A bottom classification set introduced in 1948 and could detect objects using a shadow effect. It employed three transducers, one mounted centrally on the keel forward and on each side at an angle of 25 degrees.

Type 170 attack

Developed as a short-range attack set for the Mk10 Limbo anti submarine mortar. The sonar was hull mounted forward and had a search light beam type scan used to compute course, position and depth.

Type 174

Medium range depth search sonar

Torpedo Tubes

The Type 14 Frigates, as well as the Type 15 conversion, new Type 12 Frigates plus the County Class Guided Missile Destroyers of the 1960s, were intended to carry the Bidder Mark 20E electronically propelled anti submarine torpedo. However, the weapon was found to be too slow and was abandoned.

Only Blackwood, Duncan, Exmouth, Malcolm and Palliser were temporarily fitted with two double mounts on either side just abreast the mast in the centre of the ship.

Mark 10 Limbo Anti Submarine Mortar

This weapon was a development of the Squid (Mk 4) Anti Submarine Mortar and was first fitted for trials post war in the Weapon Class destroyer HMS Scorpion. This ship retained the mortar throughout her service until scrapped in 1971. The other three ships in the class carried two Squid anti submarine mortars.

The three barrels each of which were 13 feet in length and 12 inches in diameter had an effective range of 400 to 1,100 yards. The barrels were pivoted a third of the way up from the lower end, counterweights being fitted as the base to assist rapid movement in elevation. The weight of each warhead was 207 lbs., the total weight of the projectile being 394 lbs. Two salvoes per minute could be fired, and 10 salvoes were carried.

Mk 7 - 40 mm A.A. Gun

The ubiquitous 40 mm Bofors Anti Aircraft Gun first became available in 1933 and entered service in the Royal Navy in 1942 and was carried by most types of surface vessels until very recent times.

Each gun could fire 120 rounds per minute with a range of 10 km but an effective anti aircraft range of 2 km. The gun had a muzzle velocity of 830m per second and projectile weight of 0.9kg with the round weight being 2.2kg.

Initially three single mounts were fitted, however this was reduced to two when the mounting fitted to the stern of the ships was removed due to hull stress problems. One National Service sailor, 6’4” tall, who served in HMS Hardy in the late 1950s recalled being very cramped in his mess right aft and seeing daylight through the hull sides when the ship was in rough seas. The remaining two guns were fitted either side of the bridge structure.

The Type 14s performed well in a head sea, with their high bows, but rolled considerably in anything but a calm sea. They were very wet amidships to aft with their low hull lines, designed to confuse the enemy. Some had the bulwarks beside the Limbo anti-submarine mor-

tars raised to keep them dry. The ships had the galley and heads (toilets) in the fore part, and anyone berthed aft had a walk across exposed decks to reach them. There was an exposed gangway linking the aft superstructure with the amidships section.

Named after Captains in the Royal Navy (all achieved Admiral Rank) with HMS Exmouth and Pellew being named after brothers Admiral Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount of Exmouth and Israel Pellew who was promoted to full Admiral upon his retirement in 1830. HMS Hardy was named after Sir Thomas Hardy, 1st Baronet who served in the Royal Navy 1790-1839 and was Captain of HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Blackwood was named after Sir Henry Blackwood 1st Baronet who was captain of HMS Euryalus also at the Battle of Trafalgar.

The Indian ships were named after weapons; Khukri being a type of machete associated with the Nepali speaking Ghurkhas from Nepal. Kirpan is a sword or dagger carried by Sikhs, and Kuthar is a Pole Axe/Battle Axe.

They were a utility vessel (less kindly futility) and never performed the role for which they were intended, anti-submarine escort.

Only on one occasion did the Type 14s have to hunt a submarine in a real war setting when INS Khukri and INS Kirpan were sent to hunt the Pakistani submarine Hangor during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.

Early on the 9th December 1971 Hangor made sonar contact with Indian warships Khukri and Kirpan. Following a confused game of “cat and mouse” between the two frigates and the submarine, Hangor fired two separate torpedoes, one which missed and later the second scoring a hit on Khukri which exploded and sank within two minutes. Eighteen officers and 176 sailors lost their lives. Apparently Kirpan developed a fault in her Limbo anti submarine mortars and was unable to react, and left the scene.

In the mid 1950s the Indian Navy followed the trend of the Royal Navy by ordering three Leopard Class Anti Aircraft Frigates, two Whitby Class General-Purpose Frigates and three Blackwood Class Type 14 frigates.

The three Indian Type 14 Frigates were generally similar to the British ships, but modified to suite Indian requirements and with a larger complement. All were built in British yards. The surviving two ships went on to join the Coast Guard in the late 1970s, their usefulness as anti submarine units then over.

However, the Royal Navy vessels were useful in a training role and once their hulls had been strengthened they showed their worth in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Icelandic Cod Wars.

The Type 14 Blackwood Class frigates, of which up to 32, had been projected at one time, were intended to be a cheap, quickly built effective anti submarine convoy escort. With a heavy anti submarine armament and associated sonar they made a formidable submarine adversary, comparable to the larger and more expensive Type 12s, but little else.

This was the only recorded submarine kill following the Second World War, the next being when HMS Courageous sank the General Belgrano during the Falklands Conflict.

HMS Hardy was expended as a target in 1983, taking two Exocet missiles, Sea Skua air to surface missiles, gunfire and a torpedo to sink her. However she was void of fuel and ammunition, the explosion of which appears to have contributed to the loss of Khukri.

When compared with the cheaper Type 15 destroyer to frigate conversions they do not fare very well. The Type 14s were slower with less armament and poorer living conditions.

On the plus side, they were very useful in the training role Dundas often operating with the Type 15 frigate HMS Wakeful. The Type 14s proved their worth during the three “Cod Wars” especially 1959-1961 when their vulnerability to extreme weather was exposed necessitating the re-enforcement of their hulls. HMS Dundas and HMS Exmouth were still in the thick of the action up to mid 1976.

The Class rarely left Northern European waters although one or two ventured as far as Gibraltar or Malta in their training role. HMS

FEATURE - The Type 14 Blackwood Class Frigates

Exmouth probably was the only Type 14 to travel as far east as Crete which she visited during her trials associated with the experimental gas turbine propulsion systems.

It is doubtful that their like will be seen again, although it is interesting to note that along with the eight new 8,000 ton Type 26 City Class Frigates currently under construction, the Royal Navy has opted to build five smaller and cheaper Type 31 frigates to replace the thirteen Duke Class frigates gradually coming to the end of their operational lives.

Although, perhaps, it is not the best comparison to make, as undoubtedly the Type 31 Frigate will be a more than capable and versatile vessel, costs have still been cut to provide a cheaper vessel, rather then replace the thirteen Type 23 Duke Class Frigates like for like with the City Class.

THE SHIPS

Built by J.I. Thornycroft & Co. Ltd.

Laid down 14/9/53, launched 4/10/55, completed 22/8/57

August 1957 served as target for 3rd Submarine Squadron until joining 2nd Training Squadron at Portland in September 1958.

From January 1962 Blackwood served with the 20th Frigate Squadron at Londonderry until June 1964 when she underwent a major refit at Rosyth commencing the following month.

From July 1965 until July 1967 Blackwood was leader of the Fishery Protection Squadron.

In March 1967 the frigate assisted with the oil clean up operations after the giant oil tanker Torrey Canyon ran aground on the Seven Stones Reef off Lands End. However whilst serving in Icelandic waters on the 21st June 1967, her hull was severely damaged by ice and it was found she was no longer suitable for further sea going deployment.

Consequently the vessel paid off to become a harbour training ship attached to HMS Sultan at Gosport in 1968.

Her sister, HMS Russell, replaced her in that role in 1974 and Blackwood was placed on the disposal list. She left Portsmouth on the 16th November 1976 to be broken up at Troon.

Built by J.I. Thornycroft and Co. Ltd. Laid down 17/12/53, launched 30/5/57, completed 21/10/58

October 1958 Leader of Fishery Protection Squadron until paid off 16/7/1965 for refit at Rosyth.

Duncan provided the escort to the Royal Yacht Britannia in 1960.

On the 4th September 1964 the frigate fired the gun salute to the opening of the Forth Road Bridge.

In December 1966 she became a training ship at Londonderry, before serving as anti submarine training ship at Portland form April 1969 to April 1971. Duncan then replaced the Battle Class destroyer HMS Saintes as harbour training ship to HMS Caledonia at Rosyth until broken up in 1985.

DUNDAS F48

Built by J. Samuel White & Co. Ltd., Cowes Laid down: 17/10/52, launched 25/9/53, completed: 9/3/56

From March 1956 to October 1977 – 2nd Training Squadron at Portland except for refits 1960-61, 1967-68 (Gibraltar) and 1972-73.

In mid August 1964 Dundas was part of a review of the Home Fleet, which involved a total of 21 ships including the cruiser HMS Lion, Guided Missile Destroyer HMS London plus 4 destroyers and 14 frigates and 1 Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

In May 1976 she joined the Fishery Protection Squadron and in June 1977 as part of the 2nd Frigate Squadron and took part in the Silver Jubilee Fleet Review. Lt. Commander W.J. Christie was in command. Other ships in the 2nd Frigate Squadron were HMS Apollo, HMS Hardy and HMS Torquay.

Dundas was placed in reserve at Chatham in February 1978 becoming an accommodation ship at Portsmouth in 1979. The frigate was towed from Portsmouth on 24th April 1983 to Troon to be broken up.

EXMOUTH F84

Built by J. Samuel White & Co. Ltd., Cowes

Laid down: 24/3/54, launched 16/11/55, completed 20/12/57

Upon completion Exmouth spent a year in operational reserve before replacing Blackwood as a submarine target on the Clyde. Following this role she joined the Fishery Protection Squadron from December 1963 to March 1966.

FEATURE - The Type 14 Blackwood Class Frigates

The frigate was then taken in hand for conversion to gas turbine propulsion at Chatham Dockyard from April 1966 to July 1968.

The steam plant was removed and replaced by a de-rated 15,000 shp Olympus and two Proteus (total 6,500 shp) gas turbines.

Either the Olympus or Proteus turbines could power Exmouth, but not altogether, as her hull could not withstand the extra power. As it was the Olympus turbine had to be de-rated in order not to over stress the hull only designed to absorb 15,000 shp.

Cold weather trials were carried out in the Arctic from the middle of February to the end of March 1969.

She was based at Portland from 1970-1976 and took part in the Icelandic Cod Wars from 23rd May-1st June 1976.

HMS Exmouth was deployed for the last week of the last Cod War. This was as a final resort due to a severe shortage of frigate hulls to carry out the patrol as Exmouth, with her gas turbines, she was very thirsty on fuel. Following this patrol she was placed in reserve at Portsmouth.

She was towed from Portsmouth on 3rd February 1979 to Swansea to be broken up.

From January 1957 to February 1963, Grafton was part of the 2nd Training Squadron. She underwent an eleven-month refit at Portsmouth commencing on the 8th March 1963, following which the frigate joined the 20th Frigate Squadron at Londonderry.

She paid off on the 10th April 1969 to be laid up, she left Portsmouth on the 4th September 1970 for Rosyth. The frigate remained there until arriving at Inverkeithing on 14th December 1971 to be scrapped.

Upon completion Hardy joined the 3rd Training Squadron at Londonderry remaining until March 1958. Following refit she served with the Portland Training Squadron from March 1959 to December 1963

She served with the 20th Frigate Squadron at Londonderry January 1964 until 1967 and then to May 1968 with the 2nd Frigate Squadron. She was refitted at Gibraltar before rejoining the 2nd Frigate Squadron at Portland from January 1969 to July 1977.

As part of the 2nd Frigate Squadron, Hardy was present at the Silver Jubilee Fleet Review in June 1977. Her Commanding officer was Lt. Commander M.J. Larmouth.

She paid off into reserve at Chatham in April 1978, however one of her last roles was that of Flagship to the Flag Officer, Plymouth, Vice Admiral John Forbes when he made a 6-day visit to Manchester, mooring at Runcorn.

Hardy was utilised as a stores and accommodation ship at Portsmouth from October 1979 until sunk as a target off Gibraltar on the 3rd July 1983.

The ship was hit by two Exocet missiles, Sea Skua air to surface missiles, gunfire and torpedoes before she finally sank.

KEPPEL F85

Built by Yarrow at Scotstoun. Laid down: 27/3/53, launched 31/8/54, completed: 6/7/56

Upon completion Keppel served with the Londonderry Squadron from July 1956 to February 1958. She entered a refit from March 1958 to September 1960 when her hull was strengthened.

Following her refit Keppel joined the 2nd Training Squadron at Portland until June 1963 when the frigate was transferred to the Fishery Protection Squadron, where she remained until April 1964.

The next role for Keppel was with the 20th Frigate Squadron at Londonderry, changing to Rosyth in November 1969.

The vessel joined the Standby Squadron at Chatham in February 1973 before being re-activated in July 1975 for service with the 2nd Training Squadron at Portland.

She was laid up in November 1976 at Portsmouth and was placed on the disposal list in 1977. She was towed from Portsmouth on the 18th April 1979 to be broken up at Sittingbourne.

MALCOLM F88

Built by Yarrow at Scotstoun.

Laid down: 1/2/54, launched: 18/10/55, completed: 12/12/57

Immediately after completion Malcolm joined the 2nd Frigate Squadron at Portland until becoming part of the Fishery Protection Squadron at Rosyth in April 1959.

FEATURE - The Type 14 Blackwood Class Frigates

In February 1965 the frigate went to refit at Rosyth before rejoining the Fishery Protection Squadron in March 1966.

From February 1967 to November 1969 she was part of the 20th Frigate Squadron at Londonderry before returning to Rosyth until May 1971 when she paid off.

She was laid up at Rosyth, leaving there on the 24th August 1973 and was towed to Inverkeithing to be broken up.

MURRAY F91

Built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Govan Laid down: 30/11/53, launched: 25/2/55, completed: 5/6/56

Murray spent her entire service with the 2nd Frigate Squadron at Portsmouth, apart from a refit at Rosyth 1962-1963.

Early in March 1964 Murray, along with sister Pellew was at Gibraltar leaving with the cruiser HMS Lion for anti submarine exercises in the Atlantic.

In August 1964 she was part of a Home Fleet Review off Portsmouth along with HM Ships HMS London a guided missile destroyer, HMS Lion a cruiser, 4 destroyers, 14 frigates and one Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Murray paid off for disposal in July 1969, and in September 1970 she arrived at Dalmuir to be scrapped.

Murray was the first British post war frigate to be scrapped.

PALLISER F94

Built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Govan. Laid down: 15/3/55, launched: 10/5/56, completed: 13/12/57

For the first ten years of service Palliser served with the Fishery Protection Squadron until April 1967.

In December 1967 the frigate joined the Operational Reserve at Portsmouth before joining the 2nd Frigate Squadron at Portland in January 1971.

She paid off in May 1973 and was laid up at Portsmouth. On the 9th February 1983 she left Portsmouth but had to put into Plymouth after colliding with her tug, Alnwick. She remained at Plymouth until the 18th March. She arrived at Skewen near Neath on the 27th March 1983 to be broken up by Steel Supply (Western) Ltd.

PELLEW F62

Built by Swan, Hunter on the Tyne. Laid down: 5/11/53, launched: 29/9/54, completed: 26/7/56

She spent her entire career with the 2nd Training Squadron at Portland apart from a refit at Rosyth 1961-62.

Early in March 1964 Pellew was at Gibraltar leaving with sister Murray and cruiser Lion for anti submarine exercises in the Atlantic.

In August 1964 she took part in a Review of the Home Fleet off Portsmouth.

In March 1967 Pellew along with four Ton Class Minesweepers provided a task force for the Channel Islands in case the oil spill from the wrecked tanker Torrey Canyon should spread that far.

The ship paid off on the 1st April 1969 and was laid up at Portsmouth. She arrived at Fleetwood on the 17th May 1971 to be scrapped by H.K. Vickers.

RUSSELL F97

Built by Swan, Hunter on the Tyne. Laid down: 11/11/53, launched: 10/12/54, completed: 7/2/57

Immediately following completion Russell joined the 2nd Frigate Squadron at Portland until January 1958 when the frigate joined the Fishery Protection Squadron.

She was refitted during 1964-65 then joined the 20th Frigate Squadron at Londonderry until January 1967, being placed in reserve at Portsmouth from April 1967 to 30th August 1971.

Refitting at Gibraltar followed by further service with the 2nd Frigate Squadron at Portland from April 1972 to July 1974.

Russell replaced Blackwood as a training ship attached to HMS Sultan until broken up at Portsmouth by Pounds, arriving at their yard on the 1st July 1985.

INDIAN

SHIPS

INS KHUKRI F149

Built by J. Samuel White & Co. Ltd., Cowes. Laid down: 29/12/55, launched 20/11/56, completed 15/7/58

Torpedoed and sunk by Pakistani submarine Hangor (S131) on 9th December 1971. Hangor fired a homing torpedo on a sonar approach at Kirpan. The torpedo missed Kirpan and did not explode and was detected, causing Kirpan to turn away and fire multiple anti-submarine mortars, all of which also missed Khukri increased its speed and turned towards the submarine, which then fired a second torpedo directed at Khukri. The torpedo struck Khukri and exploded under its oil tanks.

Khukri is the only ship lost in combat in the history of the postindependence Indian Navy. Eighteen officers and 176 other sailors were killed.

INS KIRPAN F144

Built by Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd., Glasgow. Laid down: 5/11/56, launched 19/8/58, completed July 1959

Participated in the action with Khukri during the Indo-Pakistan War in 1971.

She was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1978 and decommissioned in 1987.

INS KUTHAR F146

Built by J. Samuel. White & Co. Ltd., Cowes. Laid down: 19/9/57, launched 14/10/58, completed November 1959

She was under repair at the time of the Indo Pakistan War in 1971. Kuthar was transferred to Coast Guard in 1978 and decommissioned in September 1988.

From Beat to Open Deck: Looking For a Life of Adventure

Please do read my book, ‘From Beat to Open Deck: Looking For a Life of Adventure’ published by Amazon on Kindle.

Code: BO1EAZMT18

Tel: 01473 421742

Email: dick.brooks@hotmail.co.uk

The Story of a Photograph

From time to time people send me pictures of ships and ask if I can identify them. In most cases this is quite easy, so I reply and think no more about it. However, one picture I was sent recently really intrigued me. It had been taken from an airplane flying over Sydney and depicted an impressive line-up of seven passenger liners docked at the northern end of the Darling Harbour wharves. My first impression of it was a smaller version of the famous ‘Luxury Liner Row’ pictures of the Hudson River wharves in New York in the 1930s, so I spent some time doing research and found it revealed a very interesting story of a tumultuous period in Australian shipping.

The only details my correspondent suggested were that the picture had been taken in the 1930s, and he could possibly name four of the ships but wondered if I could identify all of them. The section of Darling Harbour in the picture showed wharves 3 to 6, which were used by three Australian firms and a New Zealand company, and at first glance I could immediately name three of the ships.

thought it might be Zealandia.

However, with the limited view available it was difficult to be certain of the identity of the two liners at wharf 4, which was used by both the Melbourne Steamship Company and McIlwraith McEchearn Ltd., though I did think they were most likely to be Karoola and Katoomba (above).

The only way I could be certain of the identity of all these ships was to discover the date on which the picture was taken, and in this quest I was extremely fortunate, as also in the picture was a liner apparently heading for a berth in Pyrmont, which I could immediately identify as one of the five second-generation “B” class liners of the P&O Branch Line, Had the plane flown past five minutes earlier or later the photographer would have missed this ship completely, but its presence would enable me to obtain the exact date and approximate time that the picture was take.

This also made me wonder if the reason for the picture being taken was the arrival of this ship, rather than the impressive line up of liners it was passing. In January 1910, P&O had purchased the Blue Anchor Line that was in serious financial distress following the loss of their newest and largest ship, Waratah, which disappeared off the coast of South Africa in July 1909. The sale had included the five remaining ships in the Blue Anchor Line fleet, but P&O had soon placed orders for five more ships to be built. The Blue Anchor Line service from Britain to Australia had gone via South Africa, and P&O continued to use this route as their new ships entered service, starting with Ballarat in 1911, followed by Beltana, Benalla, Berrima and Borda, operating as the P&O Branch Line and carrying up to 1,100 migrants on the outward voyage and a large amount of cargo on the return trip.

During World War One, Ballarat was sunk in 1917, but the other four survived, and resumed their regular service during 1921. With a high demand for migrant passages, P&O ordered a second group of

five ships to be built for the Branch Line, which were larger than the first-generation ships. The first to enter service, in December 1921, was named Ballarat, repeating the name of the ship lost during the war. The other four ships entered service during 1922 as Baradine, Barrabool, Balranald and Bendigo. These ships had a distinctive appearance, so it had been easy for me to identify it was one of them in the picture, but which one was impossible to discern as they were identical.

Trying to find the date of one particular arrival in Sydney Harbour by one of these five ships could have been extremely time consuming, but I was able to greatly reduce the period to be covered. The presence of Manoora in the picture meant it could not have been taken before 22nd May 1935, as that was the date Manoora arrived in Sydney for the first time, at the end of its delivery voyage from Britain.

When it came to finding the last possible date the picture could have been taken, this also proved quite easy. The P&O Branch Line had been in decline during the 1930s, and in 1935 P&O had decided to discontinue the service. In December that year Ballarat made its final voyage to Australia, and was sold to shipbreakers. The other four ships continued operating into 1936, with Barrabool making the last departure from Sydney in June 1936.

Armed with a starting date in 1935 and a finishing date just a year later, the next thing I decided to do was track the voyages made by each of the last four “B” ships during that period. Back in the 1930s, shipping movements were published in the Sydney daily newspapers, but of the greatest help was the Daily Commercial News, which was entirely devoted to shipping and carried listings of all the ships coming to Australia, while its front page was entirely filled with shipping company advertisements. Fortunately, all issues of the DCN have been digitised up to 1954, and were freely available over the internet, along with the daily newspapers, so doing the research was a relatively easy if time consuming process.

The “B” ships maintained a monthly schedule of departures from London to Australia, and made two visits to Sydney on each round trip. They spent up to a week in the port on the outward voyage, which then continued to Brisbane, where the voyage terminated. On the return trip they had a day at sea from Brisbane before arriving back in Sydney.

With only one “B” ship to track each month, I went through all their voyages from May to November 1935, with none of their arrival dates in Sydney coinciding with the details I was seeking. On all these visits they berthed at one of the Walsh Bay wharves, just west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and did not venture as far as Darling Harbour.

On 7th December 1935, Balranald (above) arrived in Sydney on its outward voyage, berthing at 8 Walsh Bay, and departing on the evening of 10th December to continue its voyage to Brisbane, arriving there two days later. On 4th December the DCN carried the following report: -

The P & O Branch steamer Balranald is due at Newcastle on 16th December from Brisbane to load wool and general cargo for Hull and London. The vessel is scheduled to sail from there on 17th December and Sydney on 21st December.” On 12th December the first part of this story was repeated in the DCN, except the date of arrival in Newcastle

had been put back to 18th December, and no departure dates from there or Sydney were noted. On 17th December the DCN reported“The P&O branch steamer Balranald left Brisbane yesterday for Hull and London and is due at Sydney tomorrow about 8am, berthing at No 9 Pyrmont wharf. She will sail again at noon on Saturday.

This was the first indication that the call at Newcastle had been cancelled, and that the Balranald would be berthing in Pyrmont on 18th December. What made this more interesting was the fact that in the list of ships berthed in Sydney that day, the German liner Saale was at 8 Walsh Bay and the Blue Funnel Line cargo ship Orestes was at 9 Walsh Bay, though on the previous day it had been listed as being berthed at 9 Pyrmont.

On 19th December the shipping movements list showed that Orestes (above) had departed Sydney Harbour at 9.20pm on 18th December, following which Balranald was moved to 9 Walsh Bay and Saale had gone to 9 Pyrmont.

Feeling I might be on to something, first I checked the listing for local ships berthed in Darling Harbour on 18th December, which showed Manoora at 6, Karoola and Katoomba on either side of 4, with Wanganella and Zealandia berthed at 3. Having previously considered it might be Westralia at this wharf I looked at the picture through a magnifying glass and found enough distinctive features to confirm that it actually was Zealandia.

I then looked at the listing of overseas vessels in port, which showed Monowai and Maunganui were berthed at 4 Darling Harbour, as I had initially thought. As further confirmation,

I had concluded the vessel shown berthed at 13 Pyrmont, on the far left of the picture, was one of the Wilhelmsen Line fleet, and was very pleased to find the ship berthed there was Troja (above), a typical Wilhelmsen name. A look at a picture of that ship confirmed it was the one at 13 Pyrmont. I also found out that the British cargo ship Cumberland, of the Federal Steam Navigation Company, was berthed at 19 Pyrmont, while the partly obscured ship on the other side of that wharf was the Japanese flagged Melbourne Maru, of OSK Line, at 21 Pyrmont.

The shipping arrivals lists for the previous day in the newspapers published on 19th December included the time they had entered Sydney Harbour. Balranald was shown as arriving at 8.08am, and I knew it would have taken between 45 minutes and an hour for it to reach Darling Harbour. With all this information to hand, I estimated that the picture had been taken at about 9am on Wednesday, 18th December 1935.

I was now wondering what circumstances would have led a photographer to go to the expense and time to go up in a plane to take this picture. Maybe the presence of seven passenger ships berthed in a row at Darling Harbour could have been the motivation, or was it possible that Balranald had been the ship to be photographed and the others were purely incidental.

Checking into the outward voyage to Australia by Balranald, I found two stories that were widely published in Australian newspapers, as follows:-

Passengers in the Balranald, which reached Sydney from London yesterday, had a thrill when the sharp bows of the ship impaled a 25ft shark in the Gulf of Aden, and carried it alive for 100 miles.

The ship had just entered the gulf when a member of the crew saw a gigantic shark swim across the bows. Either it did not see the ship, said one of the stewards, or it misjudged its speed. At any' rate, travelling about 16 knots, the bows struck it just behind the head, and the shark stuck there. That was at 9.30am, and the shark was carried, threshing the water with its tail, until the Balranald dropped anchor In Aden, at 4.30pm. The anchor dislodged it, and, after one feeble kick, it dropped like a stone to the bottom.

One of the most persistent stowaways on the Australian coast, a woman, who stowed away at Melbourne on the Balranald, reached Sydney today. After boarding the ship in Melbourne, she hid in an empty cabin and was not discovered for some time. Members of the crew who had been on other ships in the Australian trade recognised her. She had often been aboard their ships.

While both these stories had a measure of interest they were not of sufficient importance to make the ship the subject of a special photograph. Also, although the P&O Branch Line was in the process of being closed down, this was not the last voyage by Balranald, which would make one more visit to Australia in 1936 before being withdrawn, with the final Branch Line voyage being taken by Barrabool, leaving Australia in June 1936. These facts alone were sufficient for me to discount Balranald as the primary subject, and it had indeed been a mere matter of chance that when the photograph was taken this vessel was passing the line up of seven passenger ships, and they were the main subject. I was intrigued to find out why.

In the 1930s both the Australian coastal passenger services and the trans-Tasman passenger trade were undergoing major changes as older coal-fired ships were replaced by modern motor ships, which is exemplified by the ships included in the picture of the Darling Harbour line up.

On the Australian coastal trade, Karoola (above) had been built in 1909 with coal-fired triple expansion machinery, and was by far the largest Australian flagged vessel at 7,391 grt. There were many who considered Karoola was too large and luxurious for the coastal trade, but from the start was extremely successful. As a result, in the three years before the outbreak of war in 1914, six large coal fired liners were ordered for the coastal trade.

A similar situation had occurred in the trans-Tasman trade, which was shared by Huddart Parker Ltd. and the Union Steam Ship Company. In the early years of the twentieth century the Union Line had become the dominant partner with the introduction of the 5,282 grt Maheno (above) in 1905 and the 6,437 grt Marama in (below) 1907.

Huddart Parker had responded with the 5,777 gross ton Ulimaroa (above) in 1908, but soon decided they needed an even larger liner, so the 6,683 grt Zealandia was built, being delivered in May 1910. However, by

the time Zealandia (above) arrived in Australia, Huddart Parker had decided the trans-Tasman trade was sufficiently catered for by their existing ships. As a result, Zealandia was chartered to the Union Steam Ship Company for their service to Vancouver, while in 1911 the Union Line took delivery of the 7,527 grt Maunganui for the trans-Tasman trade.

When the charter ended in May 1913, Zealandia was placed on the Australian coastal trade, joining the seven ships that had been added in the past four years.

However, the coastal routes were in a slump, making them so unprofitable that when Willochra (above), the last of a trio of 7,784 grt liners ordered by the Adelaide Steamship Company, arrived in Australia in April 1913 it was laid up until being chartered to the Union Line for their San Francisco service from Sydney.

When the war ended, only Karoola, Zealandia, Canberra and Katoomba returned to the Australian trade, and remained the prime coastal liners for the next ten years. Likewise on the trans-Tasman trades, the coal-burners Maheno and Ulimaroa were the only ships available to resume these routes immediately. When Maunganui was released from military duty it was converted to oil burning, and did not return to the trans-Tasman service until 1922.

some years to recover to their pre-war position, and when they did the shipping companies began ordering larger motor liners. This trend had been started by the Union Steam Ship Company when they had the Aorangi (above) built, becoming the largest and fastest motor ship in the world when delivered in 1924 for the service between Sydney and Vancouver.

Several small motor ships were built for Australian intra-state services over following years, and in 1929 the first large inter-state coastal motor ships were delivered, the 9,155 grt Manunda to the Adelaide Steamship Company and the 8,108 grt Westralia to Huddart Parker Limited.

In September 1930, the 10,852 grt P&O liner Razmak, which had been built in 1925 for a feeder service between Aden and Bombay, was transferred to the Union Steam Ship Company and renamed Monowai. Powered by quadruple expansion machinery with oil-fired boilers, Monowai was initially used on their service to San Francisco and occasionally made a voyage to Vancouver, but as the transTasman business was growing, in November 1932 Monowai was placed on that service, with Maunganui being put on the San Francisco route.

Meanwhile, Huddart Parker Ltd. had been considering placing an order for a ship to replace Ulimaroa on their trans-Tasman services, but just at that time a new ship suddenly became available. It had been built by Harland & Wolff at Belfast as the 9,576 grt Achimota for

Elder Dempster Line, but they were in serious financial trouble and could not take delivery when the ship was completed in September 1931. Offered for sale the next year, Achimota was purchased by Huddart Parker in September 1932 for much less than it would have cost them to build a similar ship.

Renamed Wanganella, it began operating on the trans-Tasman trade in January 1933. It was also at this time that three of the major Australian coastal companies ordered one large motor ship each to replace pre-war coal-burning vessels,

One major advantage of the motor ships was the smaller number of crew members needed to operate them. There was also a reduction in the number of days the ships had to stay in port to take on bunkers, as refuelling a motor ship could be completed in a matter of hours with minimal crew required compared to the several days and large manpower it took to fill bunkers with coal. Both these reductions had an effect on the various maritime unions, especially those organised for seamen and firemen.

The first of the new motor liners to arrive in Australia, in May 1935, was the 10,856 grt Manoora of the Adelaide Steamship Company, followed five months later by the 10,346 grt Duntroon of the Melbourne Steamship Company. Unfortunately, the early career of these two liners on the coastal trade would be interrupted by the biggest maritime strike in Australia to date.

It all started in a relatively minor way when, on 20th July 1935, the crew of the Australian United Steam Navigation Company cargo ship Murada (above) was dismissed following their refusal to take the vessel to sea because of an overtime dispute. The ship was declared black by the Seamen’s Union of Australia, and the matter was sent to the Arbitration Court, which deferred a hearing to 13th August. However, before this could happen a further dispute arose involving the Huddart Parker Ltd. vessel Zealandia, which was operating a fortnightly service between Sydney and Hobart.

Zealandia had arrived in Sydney on 29th July, leaving the next day for Newcastle to take on bunkers, returning to Sydney on 31st July. Zealandia was scheduled to depart for Hobart at 11am on Saturday, 3rd August, but that morning trouble arose at the sign on to fill vacancies in the crew. Most of the firemen who answered the call for crew were new to the ship, and included men who had been dismissed from the Murada.

The Zealandia officer making the crew selection rejected two of them, which was objected to by the union. The Zealandia officer decided to accept one of the rejected men, but refused to take on the other. When five of the firemen who had already been signed on joined the dispute, the union refused to make other men available, insisting that both the men from the Murada had to be signed on. When that did not happen the departure of Zealandia had to be cancelled.

It was reported Huddart Parker had decided that “acceptance of the man's services would be tantamount to abandoning their right to select their own crews and they have consequently determined to take a firm stand, rather than relinquish such a vital principle”. Nearly 90 passengers who had embarked for the voyage were not informed of the dispute until the last moment, but Huddart Parker decided that nothing further could be done until Monday, so the passengers were put ashore with their luggage.

Zealandia had also taken on a full load of cargo, and Huddart Parker quickly arranged to charter the Union Steam Ship Company cargo ship Talune (above), which was under the Australian flag, to carry it to Hobart. Over Sunday and into Monday work was done by wharf labourers to transfer the cargo between the ships, but then was stopped. On 8th August the Seamen’s Union of Australia placed a black ban on all Huddart Parker ships and the Talune.

This ignited a period of turmoil within the Seamen's Union, with conflict amongst the union leadership about whether to proceed to a major strike. The General Secretary, Jacob Johnson, and some other senior officials of the union opposed any extension of the dispute, but they were outvoted by militant members of the Sydney Branch, led by Joseph Keenan, who established a Strike Committee. This caused a major fracture in the union between Strike Committee supporters and less militant members.

The Chief Judge of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration presided over a compulsory conference that saw the General Secretary and his supporters gain control over the Strike Committee and convince members to negotiate for a settlement with shipowners. The union officials were aware that a hearing for a new seamen’s award was about to be heard by the same Chief Judge and feared continuing with strike action could have a negative impact on the outcome.

An extension of the strike occurred on 11th August involving the AUSN cargo ship Mildura (above), when the only man offered by the union at a call for crew was the former Murada seaman who had been rejected by the officer of the Zealandia. Two other seamen put forward later by the union were also rejected on the ground that their discharges were unsatisfactory. The AUSN claimed the union had put forward these three men to prolong the industrial trouble, knowing beforehand that they would certainly be rejected. The other members of the Mildura crew then refused to take the ship to sea and were dismissed.

The Huddart Parker liner Wanganella arrived in Sydney on 10th August, and the next day the crew walked off, so that ship had to be laid up as well. Over the next week more vessels became involved and were laid up in Sydney, including numerous cargo ships along with the coastal passenger liner Katoomba of McIlwraith McEacharn after it arrived on 12th August, being joined by the AUSN liners Orungal on 12th August and Ormiston on 15th August. Westralia of Huddart Parker arrived on 17th August, and Wanganella was briefly removed from the north side of wharf 3 at Darling Harbour so Westralia could disembark its passengers, then Wanganella was tied up alongside Westralia, with Zealandia on the south side of the wharf and Katoomba at wharf 4.

By 21st August, 37 ships were idle, 24 of them in Sydney, but that day a compulsory conference reached an agreement to be put to union members to end the strike.

On 23rd August a meeting of over 800 seamen was held in Sydney, and by a narrow majority they agreed to resume work. Both Wanganella and Westralia were able to secure a full crew the next day and depart, but Zealandia did not resume operating until 31st August, by which time all the other ships that had been strikebound were also operating again.

For the next two months everything was relatively calm, but when the new award for seamen was handed down on 8th November, and due to come into effect on 1st December, the seamen were outraged. While the award did increase basic rates of pay, it cut overtime and nightwatchmen rates and abolished deferred sailing payments, while clauses had been inserted to deter strike action and allow medical examinations to be used for discrimination against employment.

At mass meetings held around the country on 29th November, the seamen voted to reject the award and go on strike from midnight on 30th November.

Manoora had arrived in Sydney from Brisbane on 28th November, berthing at 6 Darling Harbour, and was scheduled to leave two days later for Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle. Another of the new coastal liners, Duntroon, arrived from Melbourne on 29th November, berthing at 4 Darling Harbour, and was due to continue to Brisbane two days later, while Wanganella also arrived on 29th November, berthing at 3 Darling Harbour, being due to leave the next day for Auckland.

On 30th November the seamen on Manoora gave 24 hours notice of their intention to leave the ship, being supported in this action by the cooks but not the stewards. On the same day ten seamen on Wanganella and one seaman on Duntroon also gave 24 hours notice. Initially it was thought that all three liners would still be able to depart on time, but when the call for crew to replace those that had left was made, the union did not put any men forward.

The departures of all three ships were cancelled and they remained tied up, along with four cargo ships whose seamen had also left.

In response, the Federal Government applied the licensing provisions of the Transport Workers’ Act, which enabled shipping companies to replace the striking seamen with non-union volunteers. There was also a lack of support for the seamen from other maritime unions, who feared the threat of the Transport Workers’ Act, and little financial support was raised for strikers.

With the cancellation of the coastal trip by Manoora to Fremantle, the Deputy-Director of Navigation in each State was authorised to issue permits for foreign flagged passenger vessels to carry interstate passengers if a normal service was not available.

One other coastal liner already laid up in Sydney was Katoomba, which had berthed at 4 Darling Harbour from Brisbane on 21st November. It was planned that Katoomba would remain alongside until leaving on 19th December for Melbourne to commence a Pacific Islands cruise scheduled to leave Melbourne on 21st December and Sydney two days later. Karoola, which had been laid up at the same wharf since 24th October, had taken the 23rd November departure for Fremantle.

It was highly likely other coastal liners would soon be involved, with three due to arrive in Sydney on 2nd December, along with five cargo ships. Manunda joined Manoora at 6 Darling Harbour and Zealandia berthed at wharf 3, while the Howard Smith liner Canberra (above) berthed further south in Darling Harbour at the Lime Street wharf. The crews of all three ships immediately went on strike. Also on 2nd December, two Union Steam Ship Company liners arrived in Sydney, Niagara from Vancouver and Monowai from Wellington, berthing on either side of 5 Darling Harbour. This briefly made an impressive line-up of eight liners together at 3, 4, 5 and 6 Darling Harbour, but later in the day Manunda was moved to a lay up anchorage off Cremorne Point. With over 50 Australian flagged ships laid up, including almost all the coastal passenger liners, Balranald was issued with a permit to carry passengers from Sydney to Brisbane when it departed on 10th December.

Karoola was the last passenger ship left in the inter-state coastal trade, on a voyage from Fremantle via Adelaide and Melbourne, and the seamen on board gave 24 hours notice of their intention to strike the day before the ship arrived in Sydney on 17th December. The next day there were 21 Australian flag ships idle in Sydney, including the coastal passenger liners Canberra, Duntroon, Karoola, Katoomba, Manoora, Manunda, Orungal, Ormiston, Westralia and Zealandia, and the trans-Tasman liner Wanganella.

In the photograph taken on 18th December 1935, of the seven ships shown tied up at Darling Harbour, five were owned by Australian companies and two were operated by the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand. When I checked the sailing schedules for the Australian ships on the day the photograph was taken, the only company with an advertisement was Huddart Parker Ltd., but it only stated ‘sailing early’ for Wanganella, Zealandia and Westralia, with nothing at all listed for Manoora, Katoomba and Karoola or any of the other idle ships.

When I looked at the Union Steam Ship Company advertisement it showed that Maunganui would be departing for San Francisco on 19th December, and the next day Monowai would leave for Auckland, to be followed by a cruise to the Bay of Islands and Wellington on which many Australians would be carried.

A cruise around the Pacific islands by Katoomba, scheduled to depart Melbourne on 21st December 1935 and Sydney two days later, visiting Suva, Nukualofa and Norfolk Island, had been fully booked. A special Christmas trip on an unusual route that had been organised for Wanganella, which was promoted as a cruise, was also fully booked. Departing Sydney on 21st December, Wanganella was to go first to Melbourne, departing on 23rd December for Hobart, returning directly to Sydney. Wanganella was scheduled to leave Sydney again on 28th December for Auckland, then make a cruise to the Bay of Islands, returning to Auckland and back to Sydney, the full round trip being promoted as a cruise for Australians. However, on 18th December the following report appeared in various Melbourne newspapers:-

It was announced today that the projected Christmas cruise of the Katoomba from Melbourne on Saturday to the South Sea Islands has been cancelled. More than 450 passengers had been booked and all fares are being refunded, to the extent of £11,000.

The cancellation of the voyage of the liner Wanganella from Melbourne to Sydney via Tasmanian ports was also announced, but the company is still hopeful of fulfilling the projected cruise to the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, from Sydney on 28th December.

While the passenger liners remained idle, the various shipping companies had been signing non-union men for their cargo ships with considerable success, and the striking seamen were still not receiving much support from other unions. With Christmas approaching, Huddart Parker decided to try and get at least one of their liners back in service, and on 23rd December the Sydney Morning Herald reported:-

Interest in shipping circles in Sydney centres on the manning of the interstate passenger liner Westralia, which the owners hope to dispatch to Hobart tomorrow afternoon.

If the vessel sails with its full complement of licensed seamen, her departure will constitute the greatest setback the strikers have yet received.

The owners have so far concentrated on manning the freighters and have been so successful that the normal volume of freight is being lifted by the vessels at present in commission.

The manning of the Westralia is the first attempt to recommission the liners, for which larger crews are necessary.

Considerable progress was made today towards obtaining the requisite number of men and the owners are hopeful that the Westralia will sail tomorrow.

Despite their efforts, Huddart Parker was not able to sign on enough men, but they continued to offer positions.

Meanwhile, at a Seamen’s Union of Australia meeting held in Sydney on 27th December, General Secretary Jacob Johnson was ejected and the leader of the former Strike Committee, Joseph Keenan, took over his position. However, the Brisbane and Victorian Branch Secretaries refused to recognise him, which left the union with no clear leadership.

In an attempt to bring more ships into the dispute, when Aorangi arrived in Sydney from Vancouver on 28th December and berthed at 5 Darling Harbour, the seamen walked off on strike, but the stewards and other union members remained onboard. To compound the strikers’ problems a further setback for them occurred on 31st December, when Westralia was able to depart for Hobart, as reported that afternoon in the Sydney Sun:-

The Huddart, Parker passenger liner Westralia sailed punctually this afternoon for Hobart with a volunteer crew and about 350 passengers. Tickets were scrutinised and every precaution taken. Police were posted on the wharf, but there was little else to distinguish the Westralia's departure from an ordinary sailing. She is the first interstate passenger ship to be restored to service, but the company has strong hopes of manning the Wanganella and restoring her to the New Zealand run.

The dispute dragged on into 1936, the strikers receiving support from the ironworkers and miners unions, but attempts by the Seamen’s Union to have the licensing provisions of the Transport Workers’ Act suspended failed.

On the morning of 2nd January 1936, Monowai arrived back in Sydney and joined Aorangi at wharf 5 in Darling Harbour, so once again there were seven passenger ships in a line.

However, this lasted for only a few hours, as that afternoon Aorangi was able to depart as scheduled with a full crew that included non-union seamen.

Shipowners were supported by the government and gradually all of the laid up liners were able to resume operating.

The two new motor liners returned to service on 18th January, when Manoora departed Sydney for Brisbane and Duntroon (above) left for Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle.

On 21st January, Orungal (above) left Sydney bound for Cairns, being followed by Manunda on 29th January.

By the start of February, 93 of the 112 ships that had become involved in the strike were being successfully operated by volunteer labour, Ormiston departed Sydney on a voyage to Cairns on 4th February, and two days later Wanganella left for Wellington. Karoola departed Sydney for Melbourne on 15th February, followed by a voyage up the east coast to Cairns.

On 19th February, at one of the stormiest meetings ever held by the Sydney branch of the Seamen's Union, the striking seamen clearly indicated that they were prepared to resume work unconditionally. In a long speech to the gathering the general secretary of the union, Joseph Keenan, admitted that the strike had been a dismal failure, the strikers were in a hopeless position, and the union faced disintegration. He declared that unless the men went back to work the union soon would be nonexistent. Its funds had been exhausted and other unions now refused to give them any support. The meeting was closed without a decision being made, but at another meeting held the next day the seamen voted by a two to one majority to return to work. Over the next few days, meetings of striking seamen at other ports also voted to return to work, and the dispute came to an end.

Katoomba left Sydney on 22nd February for Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle. Westralia had continued making a weekly departure from Sydney to Hobart, but on 29th February left Sydney on a voyage to Brisbane, from where it joined the trade to Fremantle, which enabled Zealandia to be reactivated and depart on 4th March for Hobart. This left Canberra as the only idle coastal liner, and it did not depart the Lime Street wharf in Darling Harbour for Brisbane until 24th March. However, all the liners were operating with non-union seamen, and the shipping companies showed no interest in employing any of the former strikers to replace them in the short term.

As the Australian coastal trades and the trans-Tasman service settled back into their regular routines, both routes were about to receive new ships. In June, McIlwraith McEacharn introduced the 10,985 grt Kanimbla to the coastal trade, and at the same time Karoola was withdrawn and sold to shipbreakers. In September, the Union Steam Ship Company placed the magnificent 13,482 grt Awatea on the trans-Tasman service to partner Monowai. Both were the largest and last liners to be built for these routes.

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The 19 68 Fire Onboard TSS Gothic

The 15,902grt Gothic was a British cargo/passenger ship launched in 1947 at Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson yard at Wallsend for the Shaw, Savill & Albion Line. She briefly became a designated royal yacht from 1952 to 1954.

During the night of 1st August 1968, a fire broke out on the vessel TSS Gothic which had departed from Bluff, New Zealand, four days earlier and was bound for Liverpool. At the time of the fire, Gothic was encountering a gale, roughly mid-way across the South Pacific Ocean, 1,802 miles east of Bluff, in approximately 44°24'S, 149°04'W. The devastating fire killed, four passengers and three crewmembers.

and a cadet was sent to investigate. He discovered a small fire in the officers’ smoke room but was unable to get the nearest firefighting cabinet open. He got a fire extinguisher from another deck, but it failed to operate properly. By this time the fire and smoke were spreading to other areas, the bridge, radio room and cabins where six of the seven victims were sleeping.

At an initial inquiry conducted in New Zealand, the precise causes of the fire were FEATURE by

blowing the flames away from them. The fire, on three decks, took some three and a half hours to quell and extinguish.

It was 2.30 in the morning when the automatic fire alarm sounded on the bridge,

The fire quickly took hold, spreading rapidly to the Bridge, Promenade and Boat decks. Realizing the imminent danger, Captain Brian Hilary Agnew turned the ship downwind using engine commands relayed by another crew member to the engine room as the ship’s steering and engine telegraph were disabled by the fire. The Gothic’s crew then fought the fire from behind, the wind

Captain Agnew brought the Gothic safely back to New Zealand under her own power, even though the fire had gutted the bridge, radio room and parts of the accommodation, and the ship had to be steered from the stern using emergency steering, and a compass with unknown error. Gothic docked at Wellington and was repaired sufficiently for the return trip back to Britain, although she was sent for demolition soon afterwards in 1969 and she was sold to China Steel Corporation and arrived at Kaohsiung 13th August that year.

not fully ascertained, although an electrical fire in a refrigerator, located in the smoke room, or a dropped cigarette cannot be completely excluded as possible causes.

A fine photo of the Gothic (right), built in 1948 for the New Zealand service operated by the Shaw Savill & Albion Shipping Company. In 1952-3 she had undergone an extensive refit, intending her to be used as the Royal Yacht for the state visit to Australia and New Zealand by the Royals, but which was cancelled due to the death of King George VI. As considerable work had already been completed, she returned in 1953 to complete the refit, which included a white-painted hull. In 1954 the Gothic was used on the major part of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation world tour.

(Chris Howell)

THROUGH THE EYES OF THE ARTIST Coasters in Ireland with John Baird

This month we continue our look at the Irish shipping scene in the post-war period using the extraordinary talents of Letterkennyborn artist John Baird. As described last month, at a young age John was fascinated by the sight of the small coasters, most of them Dutch, which made the long journey up the lough to the River Swilly.

At the head of the navigable river, two quays at Port Ballyraine, a suburb of Letterkenny, served the extensive hinterland of Donegal mainly with cargoes of timber and coal. The scene there was admirably captured (right) by John Baird, whose talents as an artist became evident from the age of 10. The painting (right) shows the Danish coaster Andreas Boye turning in the basin, with the road to Londonderry, 20 miles away, in the foreground and the Dutch coaster Uranus B alongside the quay in the background. It was on this ship that John took the first of many voyages on these small ships. In the 1960s Danish coasters started bringing in much of the timber instead of Dutchmen, as can be seen from John’s nice sketch (right).

The 300 grt Andreas Boye, delivered from the Nordsovaerftet yard at Ringkobing in 1962 for Erik B. Kromann of the famous old Baltic trader port of Marstal, was typical. She sailed for other Danish owners from 1976 and ended up in the Middle East under the Honduras flag. The Uranus B was one of the many skipper-owner Dutch coasters under the management umbrella of the Gruno company. The original founders in 1937, were from the Zaandam area near Amsterdam, but they used the Gruno name in recognition of the fact that most skipper-owners were from the area on N. Holland around Groningen. After the major disruption of the war, the company was quick to regroup and one of the original three founders, Jan de Vries, took control. In 1951 he took the momentous decision to move with his family to Ireland and establish a chartering office in Dublin. As chronicled in Jan Anderiesse and Leslie Spurling’s superb book on Gruno (Ships in Focus, 2003), which also has drawings by John Baird, the Dublin office was to prove very successful in supplying many of the remote, smaller Irish ports which could receive the shallow draught Dutch coasters, despite often intimidating navigational hazards. As well as Port Ballyraine, other small Irish ports served included Rosslare, Burtonport, Teelin, Ballina, Cobh, Kenmare, Ballylongford and Dunmore East.

EVERARDS IN IRELAND

However, Gruno did not have things all their own way. The Greenhithe-based Everard company was also expanding fast in the immediate postwar years, and John Baird has captured their 1975 built/499 grt Candourity (left and right with sistership City) at the tiny quay at Mulroy Bay in the next inlet Westwards from the Swilly. The Milford Bakery and Flour Mill had relocated from Milford to here in the 1950s to benefit from sea transport, and at one time supplied much of Eire with its products. However the poor roads seemed to have caused its closure in the 1990s.

John Baird has also featured an Everard tanker, the ex-Chant Auspicity (above) which we have already noted in this series as something of a regular in the Manchester Ship Canal. She was completed by the Goole yard in 1944 as the Chant 27, but did not enter the Everard fleet until 1954. She seems to have spent much of her life in the Irish Sea and at a time when similar vessels were serving small oil and petrol depots up little creeks she probably did her fair share of ditch crawling, although she was also engaged in the lard trade from Lever Bros. Port Sunlight works to margarine manufacturers in the Mersey area. John Baird also portrayed the small Esso tanker Esso Woolston (above right) which was no doubt engaged in the oil products trade from Fawley to Dublin and Belfast. She was a product of Henry Scarr’s yard at Hessle in 1958, and at 856 grt was probably a bit big for ditch crawling. That was left to the likes of the little Esso Stourgate, seen right in Sittingbourne creek, and which also served the depot up the winding River Stour at Sandwich.

ARKLOW SHIPPING

In the last issue we illustrated ships of the Irish Shipping Company, which flew the flag for the Republic in post-war years. Sadly, that company was dissolved by the Eire government in 1984. Fortunately, another company was already bidding to inherit their mantle, and it originated from a rather unlikely source, the little port of Arklow on the East coast about 40 miles south of Dublin. Copper and sulphur deposits at Avoca, about six miles upstream from Arklow, had encouraged the locals, led by the famous Tyrrell family, to get involved in shipowning. The well-known schooner Invermore was built in the Tyrrell shipyard in the 1920s and I remember seeing her forlorn hulk in Dartmouth creek many years ago before it disintegrated. In post-war years it was the Tyrells, together with the Hall family, who saw the advantages of a co-operative approach to shipowning, perhaps inspired by the success of the Gruno organisation. The co-operative was formed in 1966 but the name Arklow Shipping came into existence in 1970 when it bought its first ship, the appropriately named Arklow, originally the Dutch Banka/Arctic. The Hall and Tyrrell fleets had merged in 1966 and among the well known names of ships they operated were the Kilbride, River Avoca, Alfred Mason, Tyronnall, Murell, Marizell, Valzell, Darell and Shevrell. Fisher’s Bay Fisher was bought in 1984 and renamed Arklow River as seen (below) by Baird in the Manchester Ship Canal, wearing the distinctive (and appropriate) green hull colours the new company adopted. She had been built at the Orskov yard at Frederikshavn for Danish owners as the Atlantic Coast in 1975. The new company, whose history has been well charted by W.J. Harvey in his book Arklow Shipping published by Bernard McCall in 2004, went from strength to strength and in the 1980s was in a position to order new ships, as opposed to the second-hand vessels that comprised the original fleet. The naming system with the prefix Arklow was used and they were among the first to order the revolutionary “low-air-draught” design.

However, the 1,054 grt Arklow Castle (above left) was of more traditional design and was the first of many ships to be built for the group by the well-known Ferus Smit yard at Foxhol in 1981. She was one of the few Arklow ships to meet a sticky end when she was wrecked about 1 mile North of Sables d’Olonne in 1992, while outward bound to London. Apparently, a navigational misunderstanding between the Master and the Mate led to the stranding not long after the pilot had disembarked. She had been lengthened in 1991 and from the picture of the wreck above right (courtesy of Ships Nostalgia) it rather looks as if the sea quickly exploited the weaknesses of the welds. It is interesting to see that the current Arklow Castle, (below left, seen off Portishead by Huw Gibby, courtesy Marine Traffic), apart from being larger at 2,999 grt and sporting what is nearly a ram bow, does not look substantially different from her predecessor. She was even built at the same yard, Ferus Smit, in 2017.

The 2,300 grt Arklow Spray (above right) was typical of the large, open hold mini-bulk carriers that dominated the Arklow fleet. A product of the Barkmeijer yard at Stroobos in 1996. She became the BBS Spray in 2012 and is currently sailing as the Fluvius Otter for the Dutch Amasus group under the Barbados flag. I note however, that things are certainly changing now, as the current Arklow Spray is in rather a different league. At 22,878 gt she is a proper ocean-going geared bulk carrier, and she was completed at the South Korean yard of Dae Sun at Busan in 2014. As I write she is waiting for a cargo off a Brazilian port. Arklow have certainly properly taken on the mantle of the Irish Shipping Company!

R. CUNNINGHAM (SCALPAY) LTD.

By way of contrast we now take a look at a firm whose vessels were at the opposite end of the size scale, but which were at one time much in evidence in the Northern waters of the British Isles especially. Their picturesque little coasters certainly caught the eye of John Baird and he was asked to paint the cover picture (below) on the excellent little booklet Hebridean Coasters by Colin Tucker which tells the unique story of this company (published by Comunn Eachdraidh Scalpaigh). The two ships here represent the company in its prime in the 1950s and 1960s, on the left is the 268 grt Isle of Harris, built in 1934 by Gebr. Van Diepen at Waterhuizen as the Dutch Mr Harm Smeenge, and in the Cunningham fleet from 1958-62, while on the right is the 381 grt Isle of Lewis built in 1939 at the Bodewes shipyard at Martenshoek as the Tilly for Zaandam owners. She was in the fleet from 1961-1971 and had a rather heroic backstory as she had taken part in the evacuation of Dunkirk under the British flag (602 persons rescued) and was also used in the invasion of Normandy. She reverted to Dutch ownership after the war operating as the Finlandia under Beck management before being registered in Stornoway for Cunninghams in 1961. She was broken up at Faslane in 1972.

Her older fleet-mate the Isle of Harris soldiered on under the British flag as the Arlingham owned by H. Kenneth Shaw of Gloucester and others until finally meeting her end in the sunnier climes of the Caribbean where she was sunk as a reef in 1978. She was replaced in 1964 by a new Isle of Harris (right by John Baird), which had started life as the 269 grt Maria-S completed in 1948 for Delfzyl owners by the N.V. Scheepswerf ‘Voorwaarts’ in Hoogezand. After sale in 1976 she ended up scuttled off Tripoli in 1982.

The Cunningham family, led by Roderick Cunningham, moved from the nearby ‘mainland’ of Harris to the tiny island of Scalpay around 1842. At this time some 20 families had been ‘cleared’ from the neighbouring island of Harris. They were proud Gaelic speakers and formed a distinctive community based on fishing, which provided a handy source of skilled crews for the wooden ketches that the family began operating in the local area. Three generations of Cunninghams gradually expanded the fleet and a milestone came when around the turn of the century they won a contract from the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses to supply the local lighthouses (which would have included the prominent Eilean Glas on Scalpay itself, the first one in the Minch) with coal, not an easy task using sailing ships and rowing boats. After World War 1 several small second-hand steamers were purchased. One of them the 1910 built Glas Island (1), formerly the Kinnaird Head of A.F. Henry & MacGregor of Leith, lasted until 1955. Another trade the company picked up, using mostly smaller ex-fishing boats, was the delivery of bottled Calor gas to many tiny quays, a business which demanded consummate skill and knowledge of the local conditions, and which was carried out for 30 years without incident through thick and thin weather conditions. After the Second World War the company bought the succession of trim ex-Dutch motor vessels that are illustrated here. They seem to have always looked very smart with their black hulls and white lining around the bulwarks, and at this stage could be seen all around the coast of Britain and Ireland, even to the near-continent. Roderick Cunningham who had been the driving force of the company, died in 1971, but his descendants carried on until the loss of the coal trade, the gas run, and competition from ro-ro ferries saw the end of the company in the late 1980s.

THE RAMSEY STEAMSHIP CO.

The Ramsey Steamship Company has much in common with the Cunningham’s of Scalpay, in that both were the products of small(ish) islands that once were strongholds of the Gaelic language. Sadly, there are now no native speakers of Gaelic Manx left, but the company has perpetuated the language by using it to name its ships. Like the Hebridean company, the mainstay of early trade was coal supply, and it was the desire to reduce the seemingly exorbitant rates being charged for this that led to John Thomas Kee, a local man who had been around the world at sea as a master in Liverpool sailing ships, to join with others to form a new company in 1910 at Ramsey in the North of the Isle of Man. In the inter-war years the company owned and operated successfully a succession of mostly single-hatch steamers which operated all around the Irish Sea and to Ireland. I can just remember seeing the last of them, the attractive little Ben Ain (“our woman”), in Liverpool docks in the 1960s. Again like the Scottish company, the Ramsey S.S. Co. recognised the suitability of Dutch coasters for this trade and in post-war years bought several. The second of these had been completed by E.J. Smit at Westerbroek in 1950 as the Mudo, and was given the name Ben Vooar (above right by Baird) in 1959. Sold from the fleet in 1976 she ended up wrecked in the Mediterranean in 1984.

We finish this month with another typical N. Irish Sea/Scottish trader, the 196 grt puffer Glen Shiel (right) built by Livingston at Peterhead in 1959. She was owned by G. & G. Hamilton and chartered to the Glenlight Shipping Co. of Glasgow, and brought salt from Runcorn to Ballyraine. Unfortunately she stands as a memorial to all those who lost their lives in these little ships. She sailed from Ayr in 1973 with a cargo of coal for Glasgow but without properly securing the canvas hatch covers. Water ingress led to a capsize soon afterwards and only one of the six on board survived.

NEXT MONTH - we complete our tribute to John Baird

Durban is more than 800 miles by sea from Cape Town and nearly 400 miles from Port Elizabeth and 235 miles from East London. The nearest port of note to the northeast is Delagia Bay nearly 300 miles away. When European settlers first looked at the harbour at Durban they were confounded by a bar that changed shape and location following every storm. This natural impediment meant that harnessing the harbour’s large deep waters would be troublesome to overcome. As the only opening for ships along a long stretch of coastline it was imperative to develop a port of note at what had become known as Port Natal. Today the Port of Durban is Africa’s busiest port with 60 per cent of all of South Africa’s trade passing through the port.

HISTORY

Legend has it that one Dutch captain bought the entire harbour for beads, copper and ironmongery, but lost his ship in a storm and also

DURBAN AFRICA’S LARGEST PORT

the deeds of purchase. One of the survivors of this shipwrecking became a captain and took his vessel into the harbour and she rolled so violently in the surf on the bar that he was injured by the swinging of the tiller.

Inside the bay he discovered the sole survivor of a group of three English sailors, who was content with his lot ashore although his shipmates had been killed by the natives. He was joined by two men from a Dutch ship, which sailed without them.

It was, however, the brig Salisbury, that truly can claim to be the beginnings of the Port of Durban. She was blown over the bar by a gale. She was under the command of James Saunders King, who had as a partner Francis George Farewell. These two sailors were at something of a loose end following the end of the Napoleonic Wars and set about having an adventure in South Africa and to buy and repair boats and trade with the natives. King would subsequently return to England. but Farewell made two more trips to Port Natal with two small vessels.

The first to arrive had onboard an Irishman called Henry Francis Fynn, a man with great diplomacy skills. Diplomacy was necessary as the bay and surrounding areas had been conquered by a Zulu warrior called Chaka. Fynn even going as far as curing an infection Chaka had received from a would be assassin.

Chaka’s gratitude saw him put his mark on a document giving Port Natal and an area of several thousand square miles to the white man in 1824. King, back in England, heard of these events and sailed for South Africa but was wrecked just north of the entrance to Durban. Chaka gave him land. This aroused jealousy in Farewell who refused to visit King when he lay dying in 1828. Chaka was subsequently murdered and succeeded by his brother Dingaan. Then it was Farewell’s turn to be murdered during a trip into the hinterland.

The community established around the bay attracted adventurous souls including Allan Francis Gardiner, a former Royal Navy

Commander who wished to turn the Zulus into Christians. In 1935 he held a meeting at which it was decided to call the settlement D’Urban after Sir Benjamin d’Urban who was Governor of the Cape. In the early years of the township, it was a true fight for survival as Zulu raids at one point reduced the population to just 12. Then it was the Boers who occupied Durban and numerous bitter and bloody skirmishes, and outright battles were contested for ownership of the bay.

The early history of the port saw it being considered as a safe haven by the East India Company, but the idea was rejected because of the entrance bar. "There is a reef or a sand bank at the mouth of the port that no galiot (merchant vessel) without touching could get over without danger, so that a small vessel could not safely go in there.”

Durban’s first steam tug was put into service in 1859 and towed ships into and out of harbour. The following year, a railway, the first to be built in South Africa was built from the Point to the town. In 1860, the first

PORT OF CALL - Durban

Left: The 9,517grt South Africa Transporter of Safmarine at Durban in November 1964. She was built in 1953 by Fairfields at Govan as the Simoa for Skibs A/S Akersviken of Oslo. She joined Safmarine in 1958 and in 1966 she was renamed S.A. Transporter. On 18th December 1972 she arrived at Kaohsiung to be broken up by Yung Tai Steel & Iron Works. (Trevor Jones/Malcolm Cranfield collection)

Above: A map of the port.

Below: The 9,748grt Brocklebank freighter Maipura at Durban in the late 1960s. She was built in 1952 by Wm. Hamilton at Glen Yard. In 1972 she was sold to Liberty Navigation of Panama and renamed Liberty Retailer and on 24th February 1973 she arrived at Kaohsiung to be broken up by Nan Kwang Steel and Iron. (Trevor Jones/Chris Howell collection)

Bottom: The 11,434grt Africa of Lloyd Triestino leaving Durban in 1970. She was built in 1952 by Riuniti Adriatico at Monfalcone. In 1976 she became Protea of Super Winston Enterprises and on 3rd May 1980 she arrived at Kaohsiung to be broken up by Nan Yet Steel. (Trevor Jones/Chris Howell collection)

PORT OF CALL - Durban

Above: The 13,345grt Ellerman liner City of Durban dressed overall departing her namesake port for the final time in March 1971. She was built in 1954 by Vickers-Armstrongs at High Walker. In 1971 she was sold to Mundial Armadora SA of Piraeus and renamed Mediterranean Dolphin. On 30th March 1974 she arrived at Kaohsiung to be broken up by Tai Kien Industries. (Trevor Jones/Chris Howell collection)

Below: Union-Castle vessels were regular visitors. Here we see the 37,640grt Windsor Castle at Durban in January 1974. She was built in 1960 by Cammell, Laird at Birkenhead. In 1977 she was sold to the Latsis group and renamed Margarita L. On 14th July 2005 she arrived at Alang to be broken up.

(Trevor Jones/Chris Howell collection)

Bottom: The 57,536gt vehicle carrier Morning Chorus of Eukor arriving at Durban in December 2019. She was built in 2007 by Hyundai at Ulsan. (Ken Malcolm)

steamship, the SS Natal, entered the port, signifying a new era of maritime trade. The subsequent construction of the North Pier in 1878 and the South Pier in 1880 helped protect the harbour from siltation and strong currents, further improving accessibility.

The turn of the 20th century saw the construction in 1904 of Maydon Wharf which was named after Sir Walter Stanford Maydon and quickly became the centre for handling bulk cargoes, particularly of coal and agricultural products. Since 1910 the Port of Durban has been under the control of the South African Railways and Harbours Administration. Fifteen years later in 1925, the Victoria Embankment project was completed but all the while dredging of the harbour remained crucial. To this end the Administration in 1930 ordered the hopper dredger Rietbok from Renfrew. The expansion of the port continued with the development of the Island View oil terminal in 1935, catering to the growing petroleum industry. The harbour is a landlocked lagoon measuring around seven and a half miles of water and shaped like a pear with a narrow entrance.

The entrance is found by sighting the Bluff, a headland on the southeast corner of the bay jutting out into the Indian Ocean surmounted by a lighthouse. At right angles to the Bluff is a low area of land called The Point which divides the eastern side of the bay from the sea. On the inner side of the Point are the wharves. The entrance channel lies between the Point and the Bluff and is protected by the North Pier and the South Breakwater.

Over time the South Breakwater has been extended. By 1935 it reached 2,300ft long. The minimum width between the two structures is 600ft. Constant dredging of the bar has meant that large ships can now regularly use the Port of Durban. By 1935 nearly three miles of wharves had been constructed making the Port of Durban attractive to several leading shipping companies including The Blue Funnel Line, Clan Line, Hall Line, Union Castle Line, Holland-Afrika Line, German East African Line, Navigazione Liberia Triestina and Nippon Yusen Kaisha.

The main area of shipping activities in 1935 concentrated around the Point. The low lying area proving ideal for development into a port. Lines landed their passengers at the Point. In 1935 nearby were eleven sheds, a bonded store and several dozen electric cranes and pre-cooling chambers for the export of fruit to Europe.

The port could accommodate 33,280 cases of fruit. Nearby was the mail boat berth, a ship repair berth and a floating dry dock on the northwestern end of the Point. Beyond this the wharves ended, giving way to Victoria Embankment, the bayside front of the city extending to Albert Park. To the west lies Maydon Wharf serving the industrial dis-

trict of Congella and reached by the Maydon Channel. Historically this part of the harbour processed grains and at one time featured several grain elevators mostly used to store maize.

At the end of the Maydon Wharf is the Prince Edward Graving Dock which was opened in 1925 and at the time of its opening was the largest dry dock south of the equator at 1,150ft long and 110ft wide at the entrance. It could accommodate 38,118,000 gallons of water. Built of reinforced concrete the official opening ceremony was performed by King Edward VIII when he was still Prince of Wales.

The scene in the 1930s at Durban would see oil tankers berth at Island View Wharf on the Bluff and discharge into one of twentyone petrol tanks capable of storing 18 million gallons. Coaling berths, meanwhile, were located near the entrance channel on the Bluff.

Coal exports from the port were a mainstay business with coal being shipped to East African and Red Sea ports mostly by Union Government vessels. Further bunkering facilities were established on the Point side of the harbour. Coal shipped from Durban made it the world’s premier coal port during the war of 1914-18. Other major markets in the 1930s included sugar, wool, hides, wattle bark and extract, fruit and maize. Principal imports passing through Durban were fertilisers, timber, iron and machinery products.

In 1948 the South African Government established the South African Railways and Harbours Administration (SAR&H) which oversaw further developments at Durban including the construction of the Bluff deepwater berths in the 1950s allowing the port to accommodate larger vessels, marking a major milestone in its development. The addition of new cranes and mechanized equipment further enhanced cargo handling capabilities.

In 1967 the port was severely damaged due to an unusually damaging flood. After the waters had subsided the damage was repaired and/or modernised. Ten years later in 1977 the completion of the Transnet’s Durban Container Terminal was a major milestone for the Port of Durban, overnight transforming its competitiveness against regional competitors.

In 1979 the port’s first modern container gantry cranes were installed. Despite the Apartheid regimes rule the Port of Durban in the 1980s saw a significant expansion most notably in 1982 with the creation of the Durban Container Terminal (DCT) solidifying its status as a major global container hub. The return of democracy in 1994 saw foreign investment pour back into South Africa including 350 million Rand invested in Island View Berth 9 to make it suitable to handle petroleum products in 1997. Two years later the Durban Container Terminal underwent a major upgrade, with additional cranes and extended berths to handle larger ships.

PORT OF CALL - Durban

The new millennia continued to see further expansion. In 2002 R2 billion was invested in deepening the berths at the Durban Container Terminal to accommodate larger vessels, while in 2007 the Durban RoRo Terminal was also expanded to reflect the growing trade in automobiles and vehicles.

With larger displacement vessels making more frequent visits to Durban focus in the 2010s shifted towards making the entrance to the port easier to navigate for these ships. In 2010 the port began to deepen the entrance channel and after two years of hard work was completed with the entrance channel now measuring some 222 metres wide and 19 metres deep.

In January 2017 it was announced that the six-berth reconstruction project at Maydon Wharf precinct had achieved another milestone when Berth’s 13 and 14 had been dredged to a depth of 14.5 metres and reconstructed making them more suitable for larger current and projected container vessels to use. They are now the deepest berths at the Port of Durban. The project to rebuild Maydon Wharf was a large undertaking seeing the demolition of large areas of paving, work on the railway connections to the berths, construction of large areas of steel sheet piling for the quay, extraction of timber, concrete piles and the removal of the existing quay walls and capping beams. Berths 13 and 14 were stage 2 of a much larger project that in 2016 had seen Berths 1 and 2 similarly modernised.

CURRENT STATUS OF THE PORT OF DURBAN

Today the port of Durban is South Africa’s and the continents busiest seaport with over 60 per cent of all of South Africa’s trade passing through the facilities. In recent years the rise in popularity of cruise ship visits has seen the creation of a dedicated Cruise Terminal that has steadily been upgraded, modernised and expanded to cope with an ever increasing demand from cruise lines such as MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean. Commercial shipping still use the Container Terminal capable of handling 3.6 million TEUs annually. The original Maydon Wharf continues to provide bulk handling for cargoes, while Island View is a specialist terminal for handling liquid bulk, particularly chemicals and petroleum products.

The importation and export of cars and vehicles is handled at Point Terminal and at the aptly named Car Terminal. Bluff Terminal remains a deep water facility for handling bulk commodities like iron ore and manganese.

Durban is a frequent stop on the itineraries of several major global shipping lines including Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM. The port also includes several smaller quays and wharves, each catering to specific types of

cargo and vessels. The Bayhead area, for example, is dedicated to ship repair and maintenance services, housing several dry docks and repair yards.

The Port of Durban has a long history of ship-repair. The first graving dock, known as Robinson Dry Dock, was constructed in 1881, but it wasn’t until 1904 and the completion of the massive Prince Edward Graving Dock that ship repair capacity at Durban in any way came close to satisfying demand from shipowners. The latter dock was extended during 1943 to allow it to accommodate larger military and merchant vessels, many of which arrived at Durban having suffered battle or weather damage.

In 1977 Dormen Engineering, known as Dormac Marine and Engineering, was established offering shipowners a range of services including dry docking, steelwork and mechanical repairs.

In 2012 Dormac opened a new floating dry dock called Dormac Dock 1 which can accommodate vessels up to 200 metres long and 12,000 tons in displacement. This floating dry dock is one of the largest, and busiest, such facilities in the region. Diversification intensified in the 2000s with Elgin Brown and Hamer (EBH), one of South Africa’s oldest maritime businesses expanding their facilities at Durban. EBH was later acquired by the DC Group who continue to operate. In 2017 Bayhead Repair Facility was opened which specialises in the servicing and repair of oil rigs and offshore vessels.

Perhaps the most important recent addition to the Port of Durban has been the Nelson Mandella Cruise Terminal which was named in honour of South Africa’s iconic leader.

First conceived in 2014 the idea behind the terminal was to capitalise on the growing demand for cruise travel along Africa’s coastline and into the Indian Ocean. The project was developed by the KwaZulu Cruise Terminal (KCT), a joint company formed by MSC Cruises and Africa Armada Consortium which invested R200 million (US$13 million). Spanning 32,000 m2 the terminal can handle 5,000 passengers at a time in spacious modern check-in and baggage handling areas. Nearby are retail and dining outlets and duty free. Future expansion plans are currently being formed but it is widely expected that in just a few years’ time the Nelson Mandella Cruise Terminal will be handling in excess of 200,000 passengers annually.

South African Navy and Salisbury Island Navy Base is located within Durban harbour and can trace its history back to Colonial days but really only became an installation of note during World War Two. The convoy system that supplied Great Britain from its Empire was stretched to breaking point during the early stages of the war and plans were put in place to develop a modest naval base at Durban for warships of the Royal

PORT OF CALL - Durban

Navy to put into to repair and rest from convoy escort duties. With the entry of Japan into the war in December 1941 the threat only increased and in 1942 construction on Salisbury Island began in earnest. Various facilities were put up in double quick time including a jetty, offices, workshops and barracks.

After World War Two Great Britain’s interest shifted from global to local and the importance of Salisbury Island waned, but the Cold War reignited its importance to NATO and Warsaw Pact activities in the Indian Ocean.

The rise of apartheid and the South African government’s increasing push towards self-sufficiency saw the base come under the direct control of the South African Navy (SAN). The facilities at Salisbury Island continued to be upgraded throughout the 1950s and 1960s with more extensive dockyard equipment and training establishments built.

The Royal Navy officially handed over Salisbury Island to the South African Navy in 1957 who used it as their principal training centre.

In 1961 South Africa became a republic and left the Commonwealth. In the eyes of the world South Africa had become something of a pariah nation and throughout the 1970s and 1980s a series of trade bans meant that South Africa had to become selfreliant in arms manufacturing and for the South African Navy this meant that ships already in service would have to be maintained for longer and Salisbury Island’s importance only grew.

The largest and most significant of these embargoes occurred in 1977 when the United Nations horrified by the South African Government’s continued adoption of the hated apartheid rules enforced the embargo on military sales.

The South African Navy continued to operate effectively despite these measures and supported military engagements in Angola and Namibia.

In 1994 the apartheid regime came to an end and the South African Navy underwent a reorganisation process and now having access to the world’s latest military hardware undertook a modernisation program. For Salisbury Island this meant a further upgrade to become the base of naval operations along South Africa’s eastern coastline as Durban Naval Command in 1996. Six years later the base’s focus shifted towards supporting the operation of coastal patrols and the maintenance of the South African Navy’s fleet of smaller vessels.

Today Durban is South Africa’s largest and busiest port and plays a crucial role in the economy of the country and serves as a gateway for the import and export of trade around the world as well as providing thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

This company was registered on 21st September 1934 in Cardiff by Harper, Matthews & Company of Mount Stuart Square, and purchased the 22-year old tramp Aurora from George W. Grace of Newcastle. The tramp had been running in the coal trade from Poland to Latvia since 1928 along with several other old tramps. It was renamed Branksome Chine after one of the steep valleys running down the cliffs into the sea at Bournemouth. Two other 'chines' at Bournemouth were used for the names of the next two tramps purchased within two years. Boscombe Chine was the new name of the tramp built as Newfield in 1912 for the Newcastle Steamship Co. Ltd., and Canford Chine for the former Welsh tramp Bryntawe built in 1917 and purchased from the Barry Shipping Co. Ltd. H.G. Harper and Company of Cardiff who had earlier owned tramps with these names, Canford Chine and Branksome Chine being war losses in the Great War, but were not, of course, registered under the Chine Shipping Co. Ltd. The voyage position of the fleet in October 1936 was:-

CHINE SHIPPING CO. LTD.

Boscombe Chine

On passage Igarka (N. Russia) to London with timber

Canford Chine

On passage Marseilles to Sulina (Black Sea) to load grain

Boscombe Chine was sold in 1937, and Canford Chine continued to trade in the coal out, grain home trades until the outbreak of World War II, and she survived for seventeen months until lost on 10th February 1941. She was torpedoed and sunk by U-52 while on a voyage from the Clyde to Buenos Aires when 165nm SW of Rockall. Her crew of 34 and two gunners were lost. She had become a straggler from her convoy. Two foreign timber ships were then managed for the Ministry of War Transport, the Inger Toft and Bunting II. The Chine Shipping Co. Ltd. was then purchased in 1945 by the AngloDanubian Transport Co. Ltd. owned by Yugoslavian interests. The beautiful blue Danube runs for well over one hundred miles

through Yugoslavia and also through the Serbia capital of Belgrade. This London-registered company had been set up in 1928 to run two new coasters on upriver trades from the Thames to the Dutch waterways and above the Seine at Rouen. The twin-hatch coasters City of Ghent and City of Hague built in 1928 ran on a service known as the Anglo-Continental Inland Waterways Ltd.

The Glasgow tramp Gryfevale of 1929 was purchased at Newport on 31st October 1946 by the Yugoslavian interests from the Vale Steamship Co. Ltd., managed by Crawfords. She was renamed Charles Dickens to begin a literary nomenclature, after restrictions on changes of name were lifted after the end of the war. The German prize Elbing was captured in the river Elbe in May 1945 and managed by the company as Empire Congress until sold to Norwegian interests in 1946. Another company was purchased by the Anglo-Danubian Transport Co. Ltd. in 1946. This was Newcastle collier company Rodney Steamship Co. Ltd., closely associated with the Pelton Steamship Co. Ltd.

The last Rodney collier was the Belle Marie of 1924 having been sold in 1935 and she survived the war in the Consett Iron Co. Ltd. fleet as Garesfield. The Hansa 'B' type Empire Ardle was then purchased and renamed Lewis Hamilton under the ownership of the Rodney company. Empire Scott was also purchased in 1946 and renamed Walter Scott after the famous Scottish writer, having been previously managed during the war by Crawfords of Glasgow.

The Yugoslavians also purchased two 'Empire' coasters with twin hatches in 1947 to restart a coastal upriver service to the Continent. They were briefly renamed Browning and Shelley, however the owners decided to concentrate on deep-sea tramping by the end of 1948. The heavy-lift war-built Empire Barbados and Empire Aldgate, two of ten Empire Malta type built by Wm. Gray at West Hartlepool, were purchased in 1948 and renamed Tennyson and Thackeray under the Chine Shipping Co. Ltd. and were traded for two years before their sale to other British owners. Another sister, Empire Caicos, was

FORGOTTEN FLEETS - Chine Shipping Co. Ltd.

Left: The 3,894grt Tennyson was built in 1957 by Henry Robb at Leith. In 1968 she joined Stephenson Clarke, initially as Ashington, then from 1978 as Arlington. After further service for Greek and Maltese companies she arriived at Gadani Beach on 28th July 1984 to be broken up. (John B. Hill collection)

Above: The 3,364grt Canford Chine was built in 1917 by Richardson Duck at Thornaby on Tees as the Bryntawe for H. & B. Goldberg. She joined Chine Shipping in 1936. On 10th February 1941 she was torpedoed by U-52 165nm SW of Rockall. All 36 onboard were lost.

Below: The 4,424grt Charles Dickens (1) was built in 1929 by Lithgows at Port Glasgow as the Gryfevale for Gryfevale SS Co. She joined Chine Shipping in 1946. In 1952 she was sold to Hukuyo Kisen KK and renamed Fukuyo Maru and on 30th October 1962 she arrived at Innoshima to be broken up. (FotoFlite)

Bottom: The 6,150grt Walter Scott was built in 1941 by J. Readhead at South Shields as the Empire Scott for the Ministry of War Transport. She joined Chine Shipping in 1946. In 1960 she was sold to Lanena Shipping of Hong Kong and renamed Zafiro and the following year she moved to Sigma Shipping, also of Hong Kong, and was renamed Oriental. On 18th August 1963 she arrived in Hong Kong to be broken up.

FORGOTTEN FLEETS - Chine Shipping Co. Ltd.

Above: The 3,538grt Tennyson (1) was built in 1945 by Wm. Gray at West Hartlepool as the Empire Barbados for the Ministry of War Transport. She became Tennyson in 1948. In 1950 she joined Thomas Stone Shipping and was renamed Berylstone as seen above. In 1959 she moved to Zannis Cia Naviera SA of Beirut as Manticos. On 8th October 1963 she sprang a leak and sank off West Africa. (FotoFlite)

Below: The 7,307grt Charles Dickens (2) was built in 1945 by J. Readhead at South Shields as the Empire Rabaul for the Ministry of War Transport. In 1947 she joined B.J. Sutherland & Co. and was renamed Dumfries. Chine Shipping acquired her in 1954 and in 1956 her ownership was transferred to Splosna Plovba of Yugoslavia and she was renamed Pohorje. On 21st April 1967 she arrived at Trieste to be broken up by Sidemar. (FotoFlite)

Bottom: The 3,948grt Longfellow was built in 1953 by Henry Robb at Leith. In 1961 she joined Wm. France, Fenwick & Co. as Bushwood and in 1971 she became Mistral of Sabella International Navigation. In 1977 she was sold to Cia de Nav Pinares SA and renamed Malea and on 10th October 1981 she arrived at Savona to be broken up by G. Riccardi. (John B. Hill collection)

managed for the Ministry of Transport from October 1946 until 1950. Charles Dickens formerly Gryfevale was sold in 1952 and replaced in the following year by the standard type Empire Rabaul of 1945, which had been in the B.J. Sutherland fleet of Newcastle as Dumfries and was also renamed Charles Dickens.

The directors of the company in postwar years and managed from l08 Cannon Street, London were the Yugoslavian principals George A. Bischoff, A.G. Bischoff, and Konstantin Goldstern with David Finnie as Chairman and the other directors were C.H.S. Lewis and Alexander Matthews. Their excellent foresight was to bring into service a remarkable quartet of new engines-aft tramps, designed with good cargo handling gear and two very long holds and very wide hatches. Their aim was to capture the export trade of very long lengths of railway lines or pipeline for the oil industry, returning with very heavy mahogany logs from West Africa for example.

The quartet were very similar, the only difference being that the last pair were longer than the first pair, but all were built at the Henry Robb Ltd. yard at Leith. Longfellow was first into service in June 1953, her identical sister Tennyson of 5,620 dwt being launched on 20th November 1956 and completed in February 1957. The larger sisters of 6,600 dwt were completed as Thackeray in February 1958 and Macaulay in April 1959.

This quartet had two very long holds, each of length l10 feet and each accessed through two very wide hatches of length 36.5 feet. The hatches were fitted with McGregor single-pull steel hatch covers, and the holds and hatches in the later pair of Thackeray and Macaulay were even longer. Two masts with six derricks and a pair of extra derricks on posts in front of the bridge completed the impressive cargo handling gear. When travelling in ballast, the fore peak tank and all the tanks beneath the cargo spaces could be filled with seawater, with the fuel oil bunkers carried in the space between the bulkheads separating the two cargo holds. Fresh water was carried in tanks above the aft peak and there were other fuel oil tanks beneath the engine room. A two-stroke 5-cylinder Sulzer diesel of 2,000 bhp at 155 rpm was fitted to give a service speed of 11 knots.

The quartet of engines-aft tramps were given a hull colour of an attractive shade of light grey. All loaded coal for their maiden voyage at Grangemouth or Methil, and after loaded power trials sailed on their maiden voyages to Gibraltar, Genoa and Porto Marghera near Venice. They were then heavily engaged in the semi-heavy lift trades mentioned earlier for ten years or more, with the larger pair of Thackeray and Macaulay being lengthened by 14.6 metres in 1964 to handle even bulkier cargoes. Their regular trading route was from Glasgow, Belfast, the

Tees or Portishead with British manufactured goods to Huelva or Casablanca, returning with phosphates from Morocco or mahogany logs from West Africa. Alternatively, oil pipelines were taken to the oilport of Bonny in Nigeria returning with logs and other cargo from Lagos, Kpeme, Koko, Sapele, Warri, Forcados or Burutu. Another trade was from London or Antwerp to Jacksonville (Florida) or Caribbean ports such as Castries (St. Lucia) or Sandy Point (Tobago) returning with sugar from Havana.

However all four found their way into the North East Coast collier fleets of France, Fenwick & Co. Ltd. and Stephenson Clarke Ltd.

Longfellow was the first to be sold in 1961 to France, Fenwick and was renamed Bushwood. In 1971 she was sold to Sabella International Navigation Co. Inc. of Panama and renamed Mistral. In 1977 a further sale to Cia de Navigation Pinares SA, also of Panama, saw her renamed Malea. On 10th October 1981 she arrived at Savona to be broken up by G. Riccardi.

The other trio following into the coal trade in 1968. They took the traditional collier names of Sherwood, Jevington and Ashington and ran for many more years on the North East Coast coal trade.

Tennyson was renamed Ashington and later Arlington by Stephenson Clarke and in 1980 was sold to Gianna A Shipping of Piraeus and renamed Gianna A. In 1980 she joined Grenada Shipping of Malta as Chrys, then on 28th July 1984 she arrived at Gadani Beach to be broken up by S.S. International.

The Thackeray became Sherwood in 1968 then in 1974 she was sold to Koroni Shipping of Singapore and renamed Nisyros Era. In 1991 she was badly damaged in the Great Bitter Lakes and subsequently deleted from the register.

The Macaulay became Jevington in 1968 then in 1980 she was sold to Patmos Shipping of Piraeus and renamed Omega Patmos. On 29th May 1984 she arrived at Jamnagar to be broken up by Dhirubhai Shah.

The Chine Shipping Co. Ltd. was purchased by Ben Line in 1969 to utilise its tax losses.

The superintending engineer for Chine was W.J. H. 'Jack' Schofield of consulting engineers F.J. Trewent & Proctor Ltd. of London. He was a colourful character and had served his seafaring time with Royal Mail Line. His ship was sunk in the Caribbean in 1941 and he was taken prisoner and sent for the rest of the war to a prison camp in Germany.

After Chine sold their last ship in 1968 he retired to Curacao, where he later died aged 50 years. The company was also one of the very few tramp companies to publish booklets, illustrating the building and launch of their useful, all-purpose quartet of enginesaft tramps of the 1950s.

FORGOTTEN FLEETS - Chine Shipping Co. Ltd.

Above: The 4,650grt Thackeray (2) was built in 1958 by Henry Robb at Leith. In 1966 she was lengthened by 14.6 metres which increased her gross tonnage to 5,279. In 1968 she too joined Wm. France, Fenwick & Co. and was renamed Sherwood. In 1974 she was sold to Koroni Shipping of Singapore and renamed Nisyros Era. From 1979 she was laid up in Port Said for many years and was then laid up in the Great Bitter Lake. She was deleted from the register in 1999. (Malcolm Cranfield)

Below: The 4,655grt Macaulay was built in 1959 by Henry Robb at Leith. In 1964 she also was lengthened by 14.6 metres, her gross tonnage being increased to 5,330. In 1968 she joined Stephenson Clarke as Jevington and in 1980 she was sold to Patmos Shipping of Greece and was renamed Omega Patmos. On 29th May 1984 she arrived at Jamnagar to be broken up by Dhirubhai Shah. (Malcolm Cranfield)

Bottom: The 7,174grt Charles Dickens (3) was built in 1942 by Todd-Bath at Portland (East) as the Ocean Gallant for the Ministry of War Transport. She was one of eight ‘Ocean’ class ships from the same shipyard. In 1946 she joined Ben Line as Bennevis before becoming Charles Dickens in 1959. In 1963 she was sold to Pedoulas Cia Naviera SA of Panama and renamed Cleo. On 7th January 1967 she arrived at Osaka to be broken up. (FotoFlite)

11TH NOVEMBER 2025

28TH APRIL 2026