SHIPS  OF  THE  CLYDE ... and shipping World-Wide

An easy-to-use nostalgic world-wide shipping history website ....... it's free to use ........ it's non-commercial ........there are no adverts......... and there is no need to register to use it..   So far there are 38,789 individual entries on this website.

 For example

30 September 2023 and FRI KVAM was at Ayr, Scotland, loading a cargo of coal for Brevik (Norway)

30 September 2023 and Caledonian MacBrayne's chartered ro-ro ALFRED awaiting orders at Ayr (Firth of Clyde, Scotland)

30 September 2023 and ARKLOW FERN at River Berth, Port of Ayr, Scotland, with a cargo of soda ash from Gdynia, Poland.

August 1966 and Clan Line's CLAN MACGOWAN closes at Glasgow and Birkenhead for receiving cargo for Tenerife, Durban, Lourenco Marques and Beira.

August 1966 and Safmarine's S A SHIPPER (1966-1975) closes at Birkenhead for receiving cargo for south and east Africa.

September 2023 and cargo ship CM COAST passes Greenock outward bound to Belfast.

September 2023 and Regent Cruise Line's SEVEN SEAS SPLENDOR leaving the Firth of Clyde, Scotland for Liverpool (on a round Britain cruise)

September 2023 and Caledonian MacBrayne's ro-ro ferry HALLAIG undergoing maintenance and repair at Dales Drydock at Troon, Scotland.

 

Front page of Elder Dempster liner ACCRA dinner menu for 10 May 1966.   The full menu is on "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

 

Please help to make this website better.

   We want to improve this website to make it more interesting and informative for you, the reader.

   So, please tell us what you want to see : maybe more of this, or less of that, or something completely new.   It’s up to you to tell us.

   We have visitors to this site from all over the world.  They tell us about things from their countries, and this website is happy to include items from outwith the U.K.   You will be surprised how many countries visit this site each day.

   And we welcome any items which you can e-mail for inclusion to this site.   They don’t need to be associated with Glasgow and the Clyde.   Anywhere in the world is welcome.   As long as it has something to do with ships and the sea.

   A suggestion was recently made that readers could become correspondents for their areas, submitting  stories, images/photographs, information, whatever, for the present or the past.   Would you be willing to be a correspondent for your area ?

 

     Please e-mail any replies to ShipsoftheClyde1@btinternet.com

 

September 1962 and Clan Line's CLAN SUTHERLAND (1951-1971) arrives in Glasgow to load general cargo and two railway locomotives for South Africa.

August 1966 and Brocklebank Line's MANAAR and MAIPURA close at Glasgow, South Wales and Birkenhead for receiving cargo for Mediterranean, Red Sea and Indian ports.

August 1966 and Ellerman's CITY OF NEW YORK and Harrison Line's WANDERER close at Birkenhead for receiving cargo for Red Sea and East African ports.

September 1966 and Ellerman's CITY OF LONDON (1947-1966) closes at Glasgow and Birkenhead for receiving cargo for Aden, Karachi and Bombay.

10 August 1966 Dinner Menu on Canadian Pacific liner EMPRESS OF ENGLAND.   The full menu is in "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

12 September 2023 and Madeira registered cargo ship ROSI arrives at Ayr (Scotland, UK) with a cargo of fertilisers from Jorf Lasfar (Morocco).

September 1962 and Union Castle's KINNAIRD CASTLE (formerly CLAN ROSS) arrives at Glasgow to discharge, drydock and then load for South Africa.

 

July 1961 and the Blue Funnel Line catering school at Birkenhead.

October 1962 and Everard's coaster SEVERITY arrives in Shieldhall, Glasgow with wheat from King's Lynn (England) and waits for a berth at Meadowside Granary.

  

October 1962 and Elder Dempster's DEGEMA (1959-1979) arrives at Glasgow with a cargo of timber and rubber from West Africa.

Painting of an unknown Cunard Line passenger liner leaving New York, probably in 1930s.

Postcard of Italia Line passenger liner CONTE DI SAVOIA (1932-1943)

September 2023 and cruise liner CARNIVAL PRIDE leaves Greenock for Dublin (Ireland).   More images are in "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

Ross & Marshall's Ship Manager's daily "Clyde Puffer" diary for 5 April 1962.

Painting showing Clyde excursion paddle steamer CALEDONIA around 1936 at Princes Pier, Greenock.

Front cover of May 1957 booklet of fares and sailings for New Zealand Shipping Company passenger service from London to New Zealand.   The full booklet is in "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

29 August 2023 and German owned, Madeira registered container ship HELMUT arrives at Greenock Ocean Terminal with containers from Southampton.   More images are in "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

 

29 August 2023 and container ship JSP ANNA leaves Greenock Ocean Terminal for Belfast.

29 August 2023 and tug ANGLEGARTH waits off Greenock Ocean Terminal to assist, at bow, the container ship JSP ANNA from the berth.

 29 August 2023 and Caledonian MacBrayne's ferry ARGYLL FLYER approaches Gourock Pier with passengers from Dunoon.

29 August 2023 and Caledonian MacBrayne's ferry CHIEFTAIN approaches Gourock Pier with passengers from Kilcreggan.

29 August 2023 and cruise liner REGAL PRINCESS leaves Greenock Ocean Terminal for Dun Laoghaire (Ireland) on a round-Britain cruise. 

 Front cover of December 1946 leaflet for Express Passenger Night Services from Liverpool to Belfast and Dublin.  This was for the year after the ending of the Second World War.   The full leaflet is in "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

Front cover of 30 June 1955 Dinner Menu on United States Lines passenger liner UNITED STATES.   The full menu is in "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

August 2023 and Tug MASTERMAN undergoing maintenance and repair at Dales Drydock, Troon, Scotland.

August 2023 and Norwegian managed / Cyprus registered general cargo ship FRI KVAM at Port of Ayr, Scotland.

 

First page of report of December 1960 rescue by Blue Funnel's MENESTHEUS (1958-1977) from INDIAN NAVIGATOR on fire in the English Channel.   The full report, contributed by "Vittoria" is from the Blue Funnel and Glen Lines magazine Bulletin, and the story is in Latest Entries at the top of this page.

Front cover of Anchor Line's 1960 summer schedule leaflet for freight sailings from Glasgow to U.S. Eastern Seaboard, Mexican Gulf and Great Lakes ports. The full leaflet can be found at "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

  

Early March 1961 Ellerman & Papayanni sailing schedule from Glasgow to Mediterranean ports.

February 1961 advert by The Burmah Oil Company (Tankers) for Deck Officers and Uncertified Junior Engineer Officers.

 

26 October 1974 front cover of the First Class Luncheon Menu of Safmarine's liner S A ORANJE (formerly Union Castle's PRETORIA CASTLE).   The full menu is on Latest Entries at the top of this page.

September 1962 and Alfred Holt's NESTOR (1952-1968) arrives in Glasgow to discharge general cargo from the Far East and then leave to lay-up in Falmouth (England)

 

May 1983 and newly built Ben Line bulk carrier BENCRUACHAN (1983-1986) named at Daewoo's Okpo shipbuilding yard at Busan (South Korea).   More details are in Latest Entries at the top of this page.

August 1962 and Lambert Brothers TEMPLE LANE (1954-1968) arrives in Glasgow with 1,930 tons of Timber from Vancouver (Canada)

March, April and May 1957 sailing notice for New Zealand Line service from London to New Zealand.

Ben Line sailing schedule May and June 1957 for their services from UK and Continent to the Far East.

15 August 2023 and Maersk Tankers A/S tanker SLOMAN HERA anchored in Brodick Bay (Scotland) waiting for a berth at Finnart Oil Terminal.

May, June and July 1958 service notice for joint P & O and Ben Line sailings from Grangemouth (Scotland) to the Far East.

 

May 1958 and Ellerman's CITY OF ELY closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Durban, Lourenco Marques and Beira.

Shipping Notice for April and May 1949 of East Asiatic Company, Kobenhavn, Denmark for their service at Madras, India.

 

July 1962 and Cunard Line announce the Season 1963 Terminals for their passenger liners.   See Latest Entries at the top of this page for more details.

 

July 1935 and Federal Steam's MIDDLESEX (1920-1941) closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Port Chalmers and Dunedin (all New Zealand).

 

Anchor Line advert, probably of 1950s

September 1956 and Cunard Liner SAXONIA is delayed by fog in reaching Greenock with passengers from Montreal and Quebec.

May 1958 and British India Line's WOODARRA leaves Grangemouth (Scotland) for Australian ports.

August 1967 and Harrison Line's NOVELIST (1965-1977) closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for West Indies.

 

August 1967 and Head Line's INISHOWEN HEAD closes at Prince's Dock, Glasgow for receiving cargo for Montreal, Toronto and Hamilton (all Canada)

2 August 2023 and cruise ship ISLAND SKY was at Troon (Scotland, UK) on a cruise around Scotland.   The fine image below is with the kind permission of Stephen Bulloch who photographed the immaculate vessel when she was anchored in Holy Loch (Firth of Clyde) on an earlier occasion.

 

2 August 2023 and Bermuda registered cargo ship FRI LAKE leaves Ayr (Scotland) for Rouen (France).

2 August 2023 and Caledonian MacBrayne's HEBRIDEAN ISLES at Ayr (Scotland) for maintenance and repair.

 

31 July 2023 and Valletta (Malta) registered tanker SEYMA is anchored in Brodick Bay (Scotland) waiting for a berth at Rothesay Dock, Clydebank. 

31 July 2023 and container ship JSP ANNA is anchored in Brodick Bay (Scotland) waiting for a berth at Greenock Ocean Terminal.

April 1957 and Hain Steamship Company cargo ship TRELOSKE (1949-1963) on Hall Line charter closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Durban, Lourenco Marques and Beira.

April 1957 and Ellerman & Papayanni's PANDORIAN closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Mediterranean ports.

April 1957 and P & O cargo ship SHILLONG (1948-1957) closes at Grangemouth (Scotland) for receiving cargo for Far Eastern ports.

April 1957 and Ellerman Papayanni's SICILIAN (1948-1964) arrives in Glasgow to discharge 1,600 tons of fruit.

May 1957 and New Zealand Shipping's OTAKI arrives in Glasgow to discharge cargo and then drydock.

 

February 1935 and Burns & Laird Lines LAIRDSHEATHER leaves Ayr (Scotland) with 120 tons of general cargo, 2 cattlemen and 1 dog for Belfast.

Contributed : April 1959 and TAKESHIMA MARU was the first Japanese vessel to visit Montreal (Canada) since World War 2.

Possibly in 2020, a busy day in James Watt Dock, Greenock.

 

September 1962 and Alfred Holt's LYCAON (1954-1976) arrives at Glasgow to discharge cargo, then drydock and then load for Penang and Singapore via Birkenhead.

0815 on 20 July 2023 and excursion paddle steamer WAVERLEY at Custom House Quay, Greenock storing for her 1100 sailing that morning.

 

It is 0700 on 20 July 2023 and the soft and gentle early morning sunshine beautifully illuminates the cruise liner AZAMARA PURSUIT as she arrives in the Clyde and berths at Greenock Ocean Terminal.   More images are in Latest Entries at the top of this front page.

 

July 1968 and Ellerman Wilson's RAPALLO (1960-1972) tows Harrison Line's TACTICIAN (1961-1979), disabled after fire, for 632 miles to Ponta Delgarda (Azores).

 

April 1951 and Anchor Line's EGIDIA (1945-1962) crosses 3,000 miles of North Atlantic to Glasgow with her bow damaged after a collision with MANCHESTER COMMERCE (1925-1952) off Baltimore USA.

 

13 December 1962 Ship Manager's daily diary for Ross & Marshall's "Clyde Puffer" fleet.

 

April 1954 and Ben Line's sailing schedule from UK and Continental ports to the Far East

April 1961 and Heyn's Head Line FAIR HEAD (1957-1974) is the first foreign ship to arrive at Detroit (USA) in the 1961 "Open Season".   More details are in "Latest Entries" at the top of this front page.

December 1966 and new Cunard Line freighter SCOTIA (1966-1970) arrives at Montreal (Canada) on her maiden voyage.

December 1957 and Anchor Line's freighter TYRIA (1955-1959) leaves Glasgow carrying 30 special Arabian horses to New York.   More details are at "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

 

Contributed image : May 1936 and new ship Cunard Liner QUEEN MARY on acceptance trials off the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland.

 

Contributed postcard of an unknown David MacBrayne steamer at Port Askaig (Isle of Islay, Western Isles of Scotland).

 

24 June 2017 this vessel ARCO .... or maybe ARGO .... left Troon (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK).   Can anyone give the correct name of the ship and any information about her ?

 

Contributed Blue Funnel Line postcard, possibly of 1920s, according to the swim costume and hair style.

 

November 1961 and CLAN ANGUS arrives in Glasgow to discharge cargo and then load for Aqaba (Jordan) and Colombo (Ceylon).

June 1962 and Dockmaster's Log Book notes that tug FORAGER, now raised after sinking, was towed to King George V Dock, Glasgow.

 

October 1962 and German coaster RUDOLF KARSTENS (1956-1966) arrives at Glasgow with 350 tons of steel sheets from Port Talbot (Wales, UK) 

 

September 1962 and Blue Funnel's ANTENOR (1957-1970) arrives at Glasgow to load cargo for Singapore and Bangkok via Birkenhead.

September 1962 and Royal Fleet Auxiliary store carrier ROBERT DUNDAS arrives at King George V Dock, Glasgow to load a 4-ton aeroplane for Belfast.

September 1962 and THACKERAY arrives at Terminus Quay, Glasgow with 6,500 tons of Pyrites Cinders from Huelva (Spain).

 

 6 July 2023 and Clyde Pilot vessel SKUA arrives at Estuary Control, Greenock, Scotland.

July 1957 and Blue Star Line's SAXON STAR (1946-1961) arrives at Glasgow to load 1,050 tons of general cargo for Cape Town (South Africa).

June 1962 and Shaw Savill's CEDRIC (1952-1976) arrives in Glasgow to load 1,500 tons of general cargo for Auckland (New Zealand).

 

September 1967 and Clan Line's CLAN ROSS (1966-1976) arrives in Glasgow to load cargo for Tenerife, Durban, Lourenco Marques and Beira.

March 1967 and Frank Strick's BALTISTAN arrives in Glasgow to load general cargo for Doha (capital of Qatar, Persian Gulf).

 

6 October 1958 and Clan Line's CLAN MACKINNON and Alfred Holt's LYCAON in King George V Dock, Glasgow.

November 1967 and David MacBrayne's general cargo coaster LOCHDUNVEGAN (1950-1973) arrives at Queen's Dock, Glasgow to discharge cargo and then load for the West Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

 

 

Please help to make this website better.

   We want to improve this website to make it more interesting and informative for you, the reader.

   So, please tell us what you want to see : maybe more of this, or less of that, or something completely new.   It’s up to you to tell us.

   We have visitors to this site from all over the world.  They tell us about things from their countries, and this website is happy to include items from outwith the U.K.   You will be surprised how many countries visit this site each day.

   And we welcome any items  - images, photographs, stories, menues, timetables, etc. - which you can e-mail for inclusion to this site.   They don’t need to be associated with Glasgow and the Clyde.   Anywhere in the world is welcome.   As long as it has something to do with ships and the sea.

   A suggestion has been made that readers could become correspondents for their areas, submitting stories, images/photographs, information, whatever, for the present or the past.   Would you be willing to be a correspondent for your area ?

      Please e-mail any replies to ShipsoftheClyde1@btinternet.com

 

 

October 1967 and Booker Line's BOOKER VANGUARD arrives at Stobcross Quay, Glasgow to load 950 tons of general cargo for Antigua (and probably other islands).

October 1967 and Heyn's Head Line's RAMORE HEAD at the giant Stobcross Crane, Glasgow, loads two heavy lifts, total 156 tons, for Montreal, Canada.

 

February 1960 Cunard Line sailing schedule.

 

February 1961 and Anchor Line's passenger / cargo liner CIRCASSIA, outward from Glasgow and passing Meadowside Quay, collides with Blue Funnel's JASON which in turn strikes Donaldson Line's LISMORIA. More details are on "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

   

 

December 1957 and John Kelly's coaster BALLYLAGAN arrives at Shieldhall, Glasgow with 1,450 tons of Gypsum from Drogheda (Ireland).

June 1957 and CLAN MACFARLANE (1947-1961) at Glasgow to load cargo for Aden, Colombo, Madras and Calcutta via Birkenhead and Fowey (England)

April 1957 and Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel AENEAS (1947-1972) arrives at King George V Dock, Glasgow to load for Port Swettenham, Bangkok and Singapore via Birkenhead.

April 1957 and Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel ADRASTUS (1954-1978) arrives in Glasgow from Singapore and the Far East via Liverpool and Rotterdam.

July 2023 and Landing Craft RED PRINCESS laid-up at Troon (Scotland).

Contributed image of Caledonian MacBrayne's ISLE OF MULL at Oban (Scotland).

July 1955 and Ellerman's cargo ship CITY OF LUCKNOW (1946-1963) leaves Liverpool on voyagr 21 for the Cape and Beira.

May 1956 and Ellerman's cargo ship CITY OF PRETORIA (1947-1967) leaves Liverpool on voyagr 25 for the Cape and Beira.

 

31 May 1973 and Caledonian MacBrayne's GLEN SANNOX (1957-1989) leaves Gourock on her afternoon cruise to Dunoon, Largs and Rothesay and then a cruise around the Isle of Bute (Kyles of Bute, Inchmarnock Island and Garroch Head).

January 1987 and cruise ship OCEAN PRINCESS goes aground in the Orinoco River (Venezuela).

1987 advert by Wallem Ship Management, with offices in Hong Kong and Isle of Man.

28 June 2023 and a dull morning and persistent rain when CALEDONIAN ISLES left Ardrossan Harbour for Brodick (Isle of Arran).

Image contributed by Charlie (London).   Tower Bridge, London.  Does anyone have an idea what ship this is and a likely date or year ?

June 1966 and United Steamship Company / DFDS, Kobenhaven, Denmark, new cargo ship NEBRASKA has maiden voyage on a new service from Grangemouth (Scotland) to New York.

 

June 1966 and 24 Scottish seamen are paid off Ben Line's BENAVON at Liverpool so that they can join the national seamen's strike.

 

March 1966 and Anchor Line's passenger / cargo liner CIRCASSIA makes her final call at Malta before being sold or scrapped.

 

October 1964 and new ships SICILIA and ELYSIA for Anchor Line of Glasgow are launched by shipbuilders in North East England.

 

May 1957 and Clan Line's CLAN MACINNES arrives in Glasgow to discharge then load general cargo and heavy lifts for Cape Town and African Ports.

 

 January 1963 and Elder Dempster's KALADAN arrived in Glasgow to load cargo for Freetown (Sierra Leone).

 

April 1962 and Furness Withy's PACIFIC FORTUNE arrived in Glasgow to load cargo for Los Angeles and Vancouver.

 

 

Lykes Lines freighter ALMERIA LYKES, built 1945 and scrapped in 1971.

   A visitor from U.S.A. to this website asks if anyone has an image / photograph of ALMERIA LYKES.   If you have one, can you please e-mail it to this site at    ShipsoftheClyde1@BTInternet.com   and we will forward it to the reader.

 

January 1963 and Wm. H. Muller's coaster MEUSE (1953-1970) arrives at Springfield Quay, Glasgow to load general cargo for Rouen and Paris (both in France).

 

December 1987 and while passing through Tower Bridge, London, the raised jib of floating crane SIMSON 111 damages the Bridge.

 

December 1987 and bulk carrier CAPETAN YIANNIS leaves the U.S. Great Lakes Port of Milwaukee for Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada).

 

 

December 1987 and Panamanian bulk carrier NOBLESSE leaves Busan (South Korea) for Kobe (Japan) with six Iranian stowaways on board.

 

December 1987 and Geest Industries refrigerated "Banana Boat" GEESTBAY, in North Atlantic and on passage from West Indies to Barry (Wales, UK), experienced heavy weather and lost three containers overboard.

Painting of Clyde puffer lighter SEALIGHT (1930-1963), probably depicted in 1950s.

 

Painting of Clyde puffer lighter DRUID (1905-1955), probably depicted in 1930s.

 

Painting of Clyde puffer lighter SAXON (1925-1965), probably depicted in 1950s.

Ross & Marshall's Ship Manager's daily "Clyde Puffer" diary for 8 July 1955.

 

Front page of Ben Line's BENCRUACHAN (1968-1980) voyage diary from 21 February 1979 to 26 April 1980.   The remaining pages are in Latest Entries at the top of this page.

 

Front page of Ben Line's BENCRUACHAN (1968-1980) voyage diary from 5 October 1977 to 19 February 1979.   The remaining pages are in Latest Entries at the top of this page.

October 1962 and ships at Brisbane (Australia) warned of sea mine in main channel.

 

 Front page of Ben Line's BENCRUACHAN (1968-1980) voyage diary from 28 June 1976 to 4 October 1977.   The remaining pages are in Latest Entries at the top of this page.

Front page of Ben Line's BENCRUACHAN (1968-1980) voyage diary from 12 January 1975 to 20 June 1976.   The remaining pages are in Latest Entries at the top of this page.

Front page of Ben Line's BENCRUACHAN (1968-1980) voyage diary from 8 January 1973 to 12 January 1975.   The remaining pages are in Latest Entries at the top of this page.

 

September 1964 and Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel AJAX arrives at King George V Dock, Glasgow to load 1,250 tons of general cargo for Singapore.

 

November 1964 and King Line's freighter KING ALEXANDER arrives in King George V Dock, Glasgow to load general cargo on Clan Line charter for Mombasa (Kenya)

1 June 2023 and stern view of cruise liner COSTA FAVOLOSA at Ocean Terminal, Greenock (Scotland, UK)

July 1955 and a Cunard Line announcement of reorganising their passenger services after a strike by seamen dislocated their sailing schedules..

1955 Advert by David MacBrayne Ltd. for their services from Glasgow to the West Highlands and Islands of Scotland UK.

 

1 July 1955 and the new Cunard Line passenger liner IVERNIA leaves Greenock (Scotland) on her maiden voyage to Quebec and Montreal (Canada).

 

Possibly in 1920s Princes Pier (now redeveloped as the Container Terminal) in Greenock, Scotland.

 

In 1975 Ellerman's CITY OF OTTAWA arrived at Cleveland (Ohio, USA) on the Canadian City Line service.   More details are at Latest Entries at the top of this page.

 

February 1956 and Chief Officer's Log Book for Runciman's Moor Line cargo ship CRAGMOOR from Napier arriving at Auckland (both New Zealand).

 

 

June 1944 and Master's Report on the World War 2 service of Hospital Ship EMPIRE CLYDE, managed by City Line, Glasgow.   The Report is in Latest Entries at the top of this page.

March 1957 and Currie Line of Edinburgh, Scotland, sell their general cargo ship MERKLAND to Leighton Shipping Co. Ltd. of London.

 

1 June 2023 and cruise liner COSTA FAVOLOSA passes Dunoon (Firth of Clyde) on her way to Ocean Terminal at Greenock.

June 2023 and Liberia flagged but Hamburg, Germany owned general cargo ship BRUCE at Tail-of-the-Bank anchorage off Greenock and awaiting a berth in Shieldhall, Glasgow.

 

June 2023 and tug SVITZER WARDEN passes Gourock (Firth of Clyde) on passage to the Inchgreen berth, Greenock.

June 2023 and jack-up barge CAUSEWAY GEOTECH working in Cardwell Bay, Courock, Scotland, just opposite Gourock Pier.   Can anyone advise what she is working on ?

 

June 2023 and Caledonian MacBrayne's ARGYLL FLYER approaches Gourock Pier (Firth of Clyde, Scotland) with passengers from Dunoon.

 

Probably 1957 and the new Bank Line cargo ship CLOVERBANK possibly on acceptance trials.

 

July 1956 and the newly built British India Line Troopship NEVASA on acceptance trials in the Firth of Clyde (Scotland)

6 June 2023 and in bright backlit afternoon sunshine Caledonian MacBrayne's ferry ARGYLE leaves Wemyss Bay for Rothesay. More images are on Latest Entries at the top of this page. 

1 June 2023 and COSTA FAVOLOSA passes Gourock Pier (Firth of Clyde) inbound to Ocean Terminal, Greenock. More images are on Latest Entries at the top of this page.

  

3 June 2023 and Caledonian MacBrayne ferry LOCH SHIRA approaches, loads and leaves Largs on the service to Cumbrae Slip.  More images are on Latest Entries at the top of this page.

1 June 2023 and Serco Denholm's SD MOORFOWL undergoing maintenance at Dales Marine Services, James Watt Dock, Greenock.

3 June 2023 and Caledonian MacBrayne's ferry LOCH RIDDON loads passengers and vehicles at Largs then leaves for Cumbrae Slip.

 

3 June 2023 and Norwegian Shuttle Oil Tanker CURRENT SPIRIT anchored in Irvine Bay (Firth of Clyde, Scotland) awaiting a berth at Finnart Oil Terminal.

16 July 1966 and Burns & Laird's ferry SCOTTISH COAST (Captain Douglas McCormick) leaves Ardrossan Harbour (Firth of Clyde, Scotland) with 1,144 passengers and 20 cars (automobiles) for Belfast (Northern Ireland).

 

1 June 2023 and liner COSTA FAVOLOSA arrives in Firth of Clyde (Scotland) and backing onto the berth at Ocean Terminal, Greenock.

 

1 June 2023 and German container ship MAIKE D arrives at Greenock (Scotland) with containers from Belfast.

May 1957 and Counties Ship Management freighter MULBERRY HILL leaves Saint Vincent for Saint Lucia (both in the Caribbean).

 

June 1957 Brocklebank Line sailing schedule from Glasgow and Birkenhead to Port Said, Suez, Aden, Visakhapatnam, Calcutta and Chalna.

 

May 1957 and the British Post Office Radio Medico Service at Portishead, Somerset (England) provides a Doctor to radio treatment for an ill seaman on John I. Jacobs tanker BEECHWOOD, about 200 miles south of Dakar (Senegal, West Africa).

 

June 1962 and Trident Tanker MALOJA (1959-1976) arrives at Ardrossan Harbour (Scotland) with petrol etc. from Stanlow via Belfast.

November 1962 and Sitmar liner FAIRSEA hit by two violent storms in the Mediterranean Sea on passage from Naples to Southampton and many passengers were injured.

27 May 2023 and US Naval Ship Replenishment Oiler LEROY GRUMMAN at Hunterston Jetty, Firth of Clyde, Scotland.

 

 

February 1957 and Lloyds Surveyor at Cape Town inspects heavy weather damage to CLAN MACKINNON (1946-1961).

March 1957 Elder Dempster Lines loading notice for sailings from UK and Continent to West Africa.

April  1957 and Dodero Lines LIBERTAD leaves London UK for River Plate ports.

 

March 1957 and Hamburg registered freighter LISSY SCHULTE on Furness Withy charter sails from London, UK. to ports in the Great Lakes of North America.

 

March 1957 and Bullard, King's Natal Line freighter UMKUZI leaves London for Durban and Mauritius.

 

April 1957 P & O / British India Lines sailing schedule for services from UK and Continent.

December 1962 and man in court at Sydney found guilty of smuggling a watch from Dominion Line's EASTERN QUEEN.

December 1962 and Royal Interocean Line's TJILUWAH leaves Wooloomooloo, Sydney, Australia with passengers and cargo for Japan and Hong Kong.

 

May 1957 and Shell UK Tanker HYGROMIA at Stanlow, Manchester.

November 1957 and Reardon Smith's freighter MADRAS CITY arrives in Glasgow with 8.300 tons of grain from Norfolk (Virginia, USA).

26 October 1962 and Ross & Marshall's ship manager's daily "Clyde Puffer" diary.

 

 

June 1964 and Irish Shipping's IRISH POPLAR arrives in Glasgow with 5,499 tons of soya beans from Newport News (USA).

 

Clan Line's sailing notice for September and October 1967 from UK to Africa, Ceylon and India.

 

September 1967 and Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel AJAX arrives at King George V Dock, Glasgow and loads cargo for Singapore via Birkenhead.

17 May 2023 and passenger / vehicle ferry ALFRED at Ardrossan Harbour (Scotland, UK)

February 1957 and Clan Line's freighter CLAN MATHESON arrives at Glasgow to discharge and then load for Durban.

15 May 2023 and RUNNER at Troon (Scotland) having discharged her cargo of logs from Campbeltown.

15 May 2023 and Royal Wagenborg general cargo ship SPEYK at Ayr (Scotland) discharging bulk barley from Halmstad (Sweden).

 

31 May 1957 and the vessels in port at Manchester and the Manchester Ship Canal (England, UK)

November 1962 and Eastern & Australian Steamship Co. passenger / cargo ship NELLORE leaves Sydney for Adelaide, Geelong, Melbourne and Port Kembla (all Australia).

 

November 1962 and Shaw Savill passenger liner NORTHERN STAR leaves Sydney (Australia) on a cruise via Panama Canal to Southampton.

 

October 1963 and P & O Liner ORONSAY leaves Sydney (Australia) on a 4 month world cruise-tour.

 

In Dutch language : front page of leaflet possibly 1950s of J & A van der Schuyt Stoombootrederij, Rotterdam.  More images are at Latest Entries at the top of this page.

May 2023 and Amasus Shipping's general cargo ship EEMS TRANSPORTER arrives at Port of Ayr (Scotland, UK) with a cargo of wind turbine components from Leixoes (Portugal). More images are at Latest Entries at the top of this page.

May 2023 and Wagenborg's general cargo ship LARIXBORG arrives at the Port of Ayr (Scotland, UK) with a cargo of malted barley from Halmstad (Sweden). More images are at Latest Entries at the top of this page.

 

 

September 1967 and Port Line's cargo ship PORT VINDEX attempts to recover a capsized trimaran off Gabo Island (Victoria, Australia).   The full story is on Latest Entries at the top of this page.

 

September 1967 and at Auckland (New Zealand) a man was rescued from his drifting small boat by setting fire to his underpants.

 

February 1970 and Russian Naval vessels pass Gibraltar towards a damaged Russian submarine off Melilla.

October 1969 and Harrison's cargo liner ADVENTURER closes at Birkenhead for receiving cargo for west, south and east Africa.

Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House and International Ocean Terminal at Circular Quay, all at Sydney, Australia.   Contributed by J.G., Parramatta.

 

 

Please help to make this website better.

   We want to improve this website to make it more interesting and informative for you, the reader.

   So, please tell us what you want to see : maybe more of this, or less of that, or something completely new.   It’s up to you to tell us.

   We have visitors to this site from all over the world.  They tell us about things from their countries, and this website is happy to include items from outwith the U.K.   You will be surprised how many countries visit this site each day.

   And we welcome any items which you can e-mail for inclusion to this site.   They don’t need to be associated with Glasgow and the Clyde.   Anywhere in the world is welcome.   As long as it has something to do with ships and the sea.

   A suggestion was recently made that readers could become correspondents for their areas, submitting  stories, images/photographs, information, whatever, for the present or the past.   Would you be willing to be a correspondent for your area ?

     Please e-mail any replies to ShipsoftheClyde1@btinternet.com

 

Front cover of Burns & Laird Lines September 1963 - June 1964 timetable for night passenger services between Glasgow and Belfast. The full timetable is on Latest Entries at the top of this page.

 

August 1963 advert by China Navigation Company for a 46 day cruise from Sydney (Australia) around the far east on their passenger liner KUALA LUMPUR.  The vessel was formerly British India Line's DILWARA (1936-1960), sister ship to their DUNERA and DEVONIA.

2 May 2023 and ro-ro passenger ferry catamaran ALFRED on charter to Caledonian MacBrayne approaches Troon Harbour (Firth of Clyde) for berthing trials.

1 May 2023 and workboat MEGAN M at Ardrossan Harbour (Firth of Clyde, Scotland)

1 May 2023 and CEG COSMOS loading logs at Brodick Pier (Isle of Arran) for Troon (Firth of Clyde).

1 May 2023   ALFRED is on a nine month charter by Caledonian MacBrayne from Pentland Ferries at a reported cost of nine million UK pounds sterling (that's one million pounds each month).

   The ship was at Ardrossan Harbour for berthing trials on 1 May and is expected to leave Ardrossan at 0630 on 2 May for berthing trials at Campbeltown, Troon and Ayr.   Ayr is an unusual port for ALFRED as the port does not have a ramp, but apparently Ayr, at some time, may be needed as a lay-by for ALFRED.

1 May 2023 and Panana registered but Turkish owned general cargo ship SABAHAT SONAY anchored in Brodick Bay (Isle of Arran, Scotland) waiting on a berth in Glasgow. 

April 2023 and Caledonian MacBrayne's HEBRIDEAN ISLES doing berthing trials at Brodick Pier (Isle of Arran, Scotland)

April 2023 and Norwegian cruise liner SPITZBERGEN of Hurtigruten Expeditions anchored in Brodick Bay (Firth of Clyde, Scotland) on a cruise around the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

 

April 2023 and Valetta (Malta) flagged Oil Products Tanker AYANE anchored in Brodick Bay, Firth of Clyde, Scotland, carrying oil from Antwerpen (Antwerp) Belgium and waiting for a berth in Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (Glasgow)

 

 

April 2023 and Caledonian MacBrayne's CALEDONIAN ISLES about to leave Ardrossan Harbour (Scotland) for Brodick (Isle of Arran).

 

Ross & Marshall's ship manager's daily diary for their Clyde Puffer coasting fleet for 12 May 1962

May1966 and Harrison Line's ADVENTURER closes at Birkenhead for receiving cargo for Lobito, Durban, Lourenco Marques and Beira.

May 1966 and Fjell Line's RAVNEFJELL closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Montreal, Toronto, Cleveland, Toledo and Chicago.

June 1966 and Safmarine's S A TRADER closes at Glasgow, South Wales and Birkenhead for receiving cargo for Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Lourenco Marques and Beira.

 

 

June 1966 and Furness Withy cargo liner PACIFIC NORTHWEST closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for the Pacific Coast of North America.

June 1966 and Clan Line's CLAN MACLAY and Ellerman's CITY OF SWANSEA close at Glasgow and Birkenhead for receiving cargo for Red Sea and East African ports.

 

June 1966 and CLAN MACINTYRE closes at Birkenhead for receiving cargo for Tenerife, Durban, Lourenco Marques and Beira.

June 1966 and Brocklebank Line's MANGLA (1959-1972) closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Gibraltar, Malta, Tripoli (North Africa), Benghazi, Port Said, Suez, Aden, Vizhapatnam and Calcutta.

 

June 1966 and fire breaks out on general cargo ship ARAGONA at Govan Dry Dock, Glasgow.   Can anyone give information on this ship which was employed carrying newsprint from Dalhousie (Canada) to Glasgow ?

June 1966 and Frank C. Strick's BALTISTAN closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Persian Gulf ports.

3 April 2023 and Ayr Pilot Boat SCOTIA returning to harbour after boarding the Pilot onto the inbound SEA MELODY. More images are on "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

March 1949 and a male passenger from liner STRATHAIRD was found floating in the sea off Galle (Ceylon)

 

A 1930's black and white film "Cargo for Ardrossan" on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJdGQIN3QAY

Cargo for Ardrossan : a 1930s black and white film showing a Shell Oil Tanker arriving at Ardrossan (Scotland) and the many uses which the oil is used for.

   It is a pleasant film and shows lives and employment in a gentler time of life.

 

  

March 1936 and a busy day with Burns & Laird steamers at Broomielaw, Glasgow

15 April 2023 and CELTIC PIONEER of Charles M. Willie of Cardiff, Wales, at Port of Ayr, Scotland, with a cargo of white salt from Motril (Spain)

 

 15 April 2023 and Hansa Shipping's KATI berthed at Port of Ayr (Scotland) with a cargo of fertilisers from Avonmouth (England)

 

Ardrossan Shipyard (Firth of Clyde, Scotland) probably in 1950s

Front page of Burns & Laird Lines timetable for their passenger services in Summer Season 1965.   The full timetable is on "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

 

 

June 1966 and Fjell-Oranje joint service cargo liners PRINS WILLEM 11 and PRINS WILLEM GEORGE FREDERIK close at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Montreal and the Great Lakes.

 

 

June and July 1966 and Ellerman cargo liners CITY OF LICHFIELD and CITY OF PHILADELPHIA close at Glasgow and Birkenhead for receiving cargo for west, south and east Africa.

 

May 1968 and Harrison Line's freighters WANDERER and TACTICIAN close at Glasgow and Liverpool for receiving cargo for ports in the Caribbean Sea.

 

May 1968 and Head Line freighters RATHLIN HEAD and ROONAGH HEAD close at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Montreal and the Great Lakes.

May 1968 and Harrison Line's GOVERNOR closes at Birkenhead for receiving cargo for West, South and East Africa.

 

May 1968 Notice to Mariners about the employment of Pilots in the Clyde area.

February 1961 advert by T & J Brocklebank of Liverpool for sea-going Engineer Officers.

February 1960 and Booth Line's freighter CLEMENT is disabled with engine problems about 350 miles off New York.

February 1961 and Ben Line's BENVORLICH (1946-1971) leaves Grangemouth for Penang, Singapore, Hong Kong and Manila.

 

26 February 2023 and the Geneva owned MSC CAGLIARI 1V arrived at Greenock Ocean Terminal with containers from Le Havre (France) via Liverpool.

28 February 2023 and the Douglas (Isle of Man) cargo / container ship OSAKANA arrives at Greenock Ocean Terminal with sheet wood products from China via Antwerp (Belgium), Tilbury and Thamesport.

28 February 2023 and an atmospheric image and glassy sea with container ship EINSTEIN passing Kilcreggan outward bound with containers from Greenock to Belfast.

25 February 2023 and the Germany owned but Madeira registered container ship ELBSUN leaves Greenock with containers for Bilbao (Spain) and passes the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker TIDEFORCE.

January 1960 and Saguenay's SUNAMELIA closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Trinidad, Demerara and other West Indian Islands.

 

May 1954 and Ellerman's freighter CITY OF BRISTOL (1942-1961) closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Port Said, Suez, Port Sudan, Aden, Vizaghapatnam, Calcutta and Chalna.

 

Lowland Tanker Company's tanker BORDER PELE (1961-1979)

October 1979 and Ben Line container ship CITY OF EDINBURGH rescues 47 Vietnamese boat people.   For the full report see Latest Entries at the top of this page.

November 1940, during World War 2, statement by master of British freighter EMPIRE PENGUIN on his convoy in mid-Atlantic being attacked by German Kreigsmarine pocket battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER and the sinking of HMS JERVIS BAY.

June 1951 and Anchor Line's freighter EUCADIA at Yorkhill Quay, Glasgow loads a Constellation airliner as deck cargo for USA.

 

12 February 2023 and Netherlands coaster EEMS SPIRIT at Ayr (Scotland) with a cargo of Limestone from Galway (Ireland)

February 1961 and SOS radio message from Shaw Savill's RUNIC aground on Middleton Reef in the Tasman Sea, on passage from Brisbane (Australia) to Wellington (New Zealand)

 

Please help to make this website better.

   We want to improve this website to make it more interesting and informative for you, the reader.

   So, please tell us what you want to see : maybe more of this, or less of that, or something completely new.   It’s up to you to tell us.

   We have visitors to this site from all over the world.  They tell us about things from their countries, and this website is happy to include items from outwith the U.K.   You will be surprised how many countries visit this site each day.

   And we welcome any items which you can e-mail for inclusion to this site.   They don’t need to be associated with Glasgow and the Clyde.   Anywhere in the world is welcome.   As long as it has something to do with ships and the sea.

   A suggestion was recently made that readers could become correspondents for their areas, submitting  stories, images/photographs, information, whatever, for the present or the past.   Would you be willing to be a correspondent for your area ?

     Please e-mail any replies to ShipsoftheClyde1@btinternet.com

 

October 1968 and Harrison Lines FORESTER and ARBITRATOR close at Glasgow and Liverpool for receiving cargoes for the West Indies.

 

March 1958 and collier HUDSON RIVER arrives at Glasgow with 4,105 tons of coal from London.

 

8 February 2023 and CLARITY leaving Ayr (Scotland) for Kilroot (Northern Ireland).   For our records can anyone tell who the owners are and when they acquired the vessel ?

23 January 1962 and Ross & Marshall's daily diary for their fleet of Clyde Puffer lighters.

March 1970 and Hall Line / Harrison Line Joint Service sailing notice for CUSTODIAN and CITY OF OTTAWA loading for west, south and east Africa.

March 1957 and Irish Shipping freighter IRISH ELM arrives in Glasgow with 7,500 tons of Grain from Philadelphia USA.

Front page of Master's report to the shipowners of Anchor Line's cargo ship TARANTIA (1942-1948) visit to Mahe in the Seychelles during World War 2.   The full report is on "Latest Entries" at the top of this page.

 

9 May 1928 the Chief Officer's Log Book for Donaldson Lines CORDILLERA from Montevideo to Buenos Aires.

 

An old steam tug FLYING SERPENT (1911-1947) on the Clyde

December 1961 and Furness Withy's freighter PACIFIC NORTHWEST arrives in Glasgow with general cargo from the Pacific Coast of North America

1 June 1971 the front cover of Sitmar Line's FAIRSTAR welcome dinner menu.   The full menu is on Latest Entries at the top of this page.

 

Hello and thank you for visiting this website

SHIPSOFTHECLYDE.COM

        The aim of this nostalgic website is to record the visits of vessels to Glasgow Docks and the River Clyde and other ports in Britain and often worldwide, generally through the years 1950 to 1975 and sometimes earlier and sometimes later, and to describe any events of local shipping and overseas interest - and vessel movements at other Clyde ports and harbours, and memories from the docks and yards and dry-docks.                 Such a free and vastly detailed store of information will be of immense assistance to researchers, historians, enthusiasts and the general public who may need to find information on ships and shipping on the Clyde and often elsewhere and throughout the world.

It is intended to add items on a daily basis. There is an enormous amount to do, and it will take time.

USING THE SITE

The primary search facility is by the "Search Events" tab.   Just click on that tab, put in the dates you want to view, either as a single date, or, as a general sweep, as for example 10th March 1960 to 15th September 1968.  If you want the listings for a particular ship then select the ship's name from the "Ships" tab.   Then just click on "Show full details."  If you want to see all the ships entries for a certain period of time then just leave the "Ships" field empty and click "Show full details"

The "Latest Events" tab shows the latest 100 most noteworthy listings added to the website, but there are very many other everyday listings which are added to the site and which are not shown on "Latest Events."

The "Ships" tab simply shows the names of the vessels currently on the site, but more ships are being added as the entries progress.  Information or details on all the vessels will be most gratefully received, and would be added to the website.

Vessel arrivals and sailings and articles are often input in a varied basis, very often at the specific request of a viewer.   Generally speaking, entries so far (including those which are being planned and prepared) include :

Anchor Line Menus, Timetables, Advertising Posters, arrivals & sailings, etc.

KGV Dock, Shieldhall Riverside and Shieldhall Wharf, Glasgow

General Terminus, Kingston Dock, Bridge Wharf, Springfield and Mavisbank Quays, Glasgow

Queen's Dock, Stobcross and Yorkhill Quays, Glasgow

Elderslie Drydocks dockings and undockings, Glasgow 

Broomielaw, Lancefield, Anderston, Clyde Place and Custom House Quays, Glasgow

Merklands and Meadowside Quays, Glasgow 

Meadowside Dry Dock and River Kelvin

Prince's Dock, Plantation Quay, Govan Dry-Docks, Glasgow 

Rothesay Dock, Clydebank, and Pudzeoch (Renfrew)

Bridge Wharf and Clyde Place Quay, Glasgow, passenger vessels 1930s to 1950s

Ardrossan Harbour

Ardrossan Shipyard and Drydock

Ayr and Troon Harbours

Ross & Marshall coastal vessel diaries

Bowling Watch House and Bowling Harbour, River Clyde

Dunglass and Old Kilpatrick oil depots, River Clyde 

Arnott Young Shipbreakers at Dalmuir, Glasgow

Govan Watch House, Glasgow

Irvine Harbour 1950's to 1990's

Donaldson Line archive material and their vessel diaries

Clyde Pilot Handbook of 1930

Burns & Laird vessel diaries and material

Ben Line vessel diaries and material

Ailsa Shipyard at Troon

Anchor Line's SIDONIA maiden voyage in 1961

Anchor Line's choice pilots at Glasgow from 1960's

Patrick Henderson (Paddy Henderson) Line material.

Greenock ship movements

Clyde steamers attending Liners at Greenock from 1945 to 1948

Clyde steamer timetable for 1955

Clyde Emergency Port Anchorage in WW2

Vessels repaired in the Clyde during WW2

Transatlantic ship diaries for before 1900

Articles about shipping from 1850 to the present day

and very many vessel movements worldwide 1950's to 1980's

 

CAN YOU HELP WITH THIS WEBSITE ?

As you will appreciate, there is a massive amount of information still to be input, and if you have details of any of the ships or paintings or images which you can contribute, please contact us at the "Contact Us" tab at the top of the page.

ALSO while transcribing material, it is sometimes hard to read some ships names, places, etc, and the "difficult to read" items are shown in the "Comments/Can you help" section.   Any assistance you can give in clarifying them will be gratefully appreciated.  

DISCLAIMER:   Although every attempt is made to ensure complete accuracy, I cannot accept responsibility for any losses incurred due to errors or mistakes within.   Data has been sourced from many places and contributors and therefore can be subject to errors.   It is the individuals own responsibility to double check all information. 

Lastly, I am personally unable to conduct research on behalf of viewers, due to the time required in keeping this website updated.   However, any requests for research or assistance or specific queries can be placed in the "Comments/Can you help" section for other viewers to assist.

Douglas 

 

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