Shipping Lines - Memories of coastal and short sea shipping in day gone by

These have ranged from run-of-the-mill short sea traders, coasters, coastal tankers. to wind farm work/repair support ships some multi-purpose survey workboats, with many of them creating a colourful line-up during the often gloomy late winter daylight.

Taking a close interest for quite a number of years now not only in their flag states and individual ports of registry, but also of their ‘birthplaces’ such as central European river locations but also across Asia to the Far East and what we used to call the Orient. Countries such as India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, which were never considered serious contenders for European shipbuilding orders, are now very much serious competitors for this business.

In addition, the wind of change has been blowing through the world of shipbuilding with innovative designs, different methods of propulsion, alternative fuels away from fossil-based hydrocarbons etc. the latter which are now frowned upon by the green lobby.

Having taken a keen interest in ships and shipping for 70-plus years, I have witnessed the last vestiges of sail, through coal and oil-fired steam plus immediate post-war conversions and of course into the predominantly diesel-driven era.

However, if we may take a brief look at Montrose port arrivals so far this year, with a number of traditional Dutch-owned vessels sailing under second or third owners, not only are their names a clue to an interesting story but there were other giveaway signs, although some have disappeared such as bow crests, due partly to cost of such additional adornment and smaller crews not having time for what is seen as unnecessary maintenance paintwork.

Funnel markings were also a clue to the owners’ history but modern designs probably just have an exhaust depending on the design of the vessel and its accommodation. A number of owners have their names painted along the hulls of their fleet such as the Bergen-headquartered Wilson group, whose ships are regularly seen in Montrose. Having grown in recent years to become probably the largest fleet in the short sea sector in north-west Europe with well over 120 vessels, their light blue hulls have ‘WILSON’ painted in large white letters.

This custom was seen when a black and white television series entitled ‘Seaway’ was shown, based on shipping passing through the Great Lakes waterway. Owners’ names on vessels slowly passing along the then recently opened international canal between the USA and Canada were seen by large sections of the population in both countries and a great way of advertising.

On the subject of Norwegian-owned shipping, an impressive example was noted at the South Quay during in early March – the pristine red and white-painted Norwind Storm, port of registry, Aalesund. She is described as an advanced offshore windfarm support vessel. Apparently she had been completed four weeks early last July by builders, Vard Vung Tau shipyard in Vietnam and is one of five similar vessels.