Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: The change

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    jersey
    Posts
    338
    Thanks (Given)
    638
    Thanks (Received)
    317
    Likes (Given)
    606
    Likes (Received)
    593

    Default The change

    When did the merchant navy change for the worse?

    Many on here say the good old days were the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s.

    Was there a specific date things stopped being the job my dad knew.

    I’ve read many things on here saying it changed for the worse.
    Thank you

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Cooma NSW
    Posts
    8,967
    Thanks (Given)
    10195
    Thanks (Received)
    5219
    Likes (Given)
    44136
    Likes (Received)
    26879

    Default Re: The change

    Hi Robert.
    I would think it was containerization, no more tramping or very little, starting around the middle 70s, then came Roll on Roll off, I know that stuffed up some of the trans Tasman trade and not to long after the Union Company shut down, I can't speak for the British MN as I had left there. One thing I do know it was a sad time for seamen when the MN disappeared.
    Des
    R510868
    Lest We Forget

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Australia NSW Newcastle
    Posts
    1,435
    Thanks (Given)
    123
    Thanks (Received)
    634
    Likes (Given)
    374
    Likes (Received)
    2468

    Default Re: The change

    Sadly Robert it is not only the MN that has gone belly up the whole workforce as gone to the dogs mate. I do think that the strike did not help and the box's put the final nail in the coffin mate. Breaking away from the colonies did not help either.
    That's the way the mop flops.

    My thanks to Brian for this site.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Sunbury Victoria Australia
    Posts
    24,991
    Thanks (Given)
    8300
    Thanks (Received)
    10124
    Likes (Given)
    106523
    Likes (Received)
    45652

    Default Re: The change

    The other main item, the arrival of the jumbo jet.
    'Killed off the liners just as the container killed off the cargo ship.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2022
    Location
    Prenton
    Posts
    2,772
    Thanks (Given)
    343
    Thanks (Received)
    1210
    Likes (Given)
    2237
    Likes (Received)
    3916

    Default Re: The change

    Quote Originally Posted by happy daze john in oz View Post
    The other main item, the arrival of the jumbo jet.
    'Killed off the liners just as the container killed off the cargo ship.
    Think it was the 707 John . I had an Uncle who worked in Hong Kong always used to sail home every 2 or 3 years on the likes of Blue Flu/Glenline 12 passenger ships and other companies from the far east. Once the Boeing 707 entered service in 1958 he never sailed home again always flew.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Torquay
    Posts
    11,467
    Thanks (Given)
    3440
    Thanks (Received)
    7758
    Likes (Given)
    11953
    Likes (Received)
    34924

    Default Re: The change

    One of, if not the main factor in the decline of the British Merchant Navy was the 'Nairobi Conference' in which a certain Harold Wilson was a party where-in it was agreed that developed shipping nations should not scrap their old tonnage but sell it to developing nations at scrap prices and the developed nations Govts would give subsidies to their own shipowners to build new tonnage. Thus started Ethiopian Lines, Sudan Line Nigerian National Line, India, Pakistan and many others. Who immediately declared that all export goods would be carried on their own flag tonnage and freight had to be paid in foreign currency, mainly the USD, all imports would get flag preference where possible. Naturally the subsidies from the UK Govt ceased after a couple of years, but Spain, Holland, Germany and France continued to pay subsidies, and although they were later banned under the newly formed EEC, these aforesaid countries continued to pay them under any other name and Spain still does, as does France although vehmently denying it. With these new national lines operating it pushed out the traditional traders, albeit apart from those countries receiving blind subsidies for their shipyards/owners, British yards/owners were unable to compete costwise and the werewithall to fund new container tonnage was in short supply, plus the lack of foresight on many coastal owners to invest in short sea container feeder vessels led to the gradual disappearance of flag and traditional trades and other flags were quick to move in on our coastal trade, as cabotage was not allowed to exist under EEC rules when we joined. Cabotage, although universally illegal is still part of the USA trading but it operates under the guise of 'The Jones Act' and you are never going to get a foot in the door on the Chinese coast as they have over 17,000 vessels engaged in that trade

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Cooma NSW
    Posts
    8,967
    Thanks (Given)
    10195
    Thanks (Received)
    5219
    Likes (Given)
    44136
    Likes (Received)
    26879

    Default Re: The change

    Ivan.
    One of the main fights the seaman's union had in NZ was to keep the coastal and most of the Trans Tasman trade clear of foreign ships, one of the instances where the Union Company and the Union agreed to co-operate, the Conference lines where forever trying to break into it.
    Des
    R510868
    Lest We Forget

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •