Coal to South Wales

[Trader]

A Greek friend of mine is on a Capesize ship 180,000 dwt. bringing coal from Australia to Port Talbot. It is hard to believe that we are importing coal to South Wales. I did lots of trips on ships LOADING coal in South Wales, Cardiff, Barry and Swansea for export to the near continent and Mediterannean. Where did we go wrong ?.

The ship is CIC Captain Veniamis which left Mackay, Australia around 25th. May going at economical speed of 12 knots. They left Las Palmas, Canary Islands, yesterday after bunkering, storing etc. I believe that she has only part cargo for Port Talbot and then goes on to Rotterdam.

Hard to believe that it is cheaper to transport coal 12,000 miles when we are sitting on a coalfield of our own.

Alec.

[happy daze john in oz]

Does seem a bit odd when you consider that most of the coal we export goes to China. However take it while you may, we have just has carbon tax thrust upon us and if the 'Greens' get their way all cola mines here will be closed.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Shipmates, we live in a crazy world? I was on a collier exporting coal from swansea to france a few years back the same time as the 3 day week {miners strike} The british coal board {name from history}? stated years ago Qoute WE HAVE ENOUGH COAL TO LAST OVER 400+ YEARS in wales, so the Iron Lady closed them down revenge is sweet? the miners union with Mr A Scarhill was a real pain in the A--- for the government at that time. untill silver birch came in the boss's union to take they jobs. The mines in Wales are still full of top quality coal, but its too expensive to mine? so they will use all the cheap surface rubbish, and cause extra pollution across the world or import.

[Ivan Cloherty]

I remember in the 50's doing a few runs from Swansea to Antwerp with coal, then moving across the dock to load coal back to Swansea, we presumed they were different grades. Also used to load coal from the USA for Antwerp when Antwerp was exporting German coal to the USA, different grades for different purposes.

I know its a different scenario today but economics change, but its still sad when we have so much in reserve. But imagine the cost of trying to recover coal from mines these days with all the health and safety laws which prevent productivity, the cost to the end user would be far in excess of importing coal, I'm afraid we keep shooting ourselves in the foot in the name of elf n safety and thus it will ever be, as no one in authority or Government has the courage to say "Enough is enough" in respect of these crippling to industry laws.

Yes we need safety rules, but I cannot imagine how some of us would have performed our jobs on deck or up the mast with all the clobber you are supposed to wear these days, it must take days to do a job that took hours in our time at sea.

Ivan

[alf corbyn]

i was on a ship, can't remember which one. we loaded coal in swansea or newport for newport news in the states. and then loaded coal from there to go back to newport wales. alf