Page 43 - Greystones Archaeological Historical Society

GREYSTONES ARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL VOLUME 8

The Accident that Time Forgot

The Loss of the MV Princess Victoria - January
1953

James Scannell

Introduction

D th
uring the second half of the 20 century one of the greatest
shipping industry changes that occurred was the
replacement of the traditional Lo-Lo (Lift on–Lift off) cargo ships,
which relied on cranes, and gangs of stevedores (dockers) for
loading and discharging cargos, by container ships. These
carried cargo, loaded at the despatch point, in metal containers
built to internationally agreed standard specifications, which
dispensed with the need for stevedores and speeded up
discharging and loading times through the use of specialised
cargo handling equipment. Such an approach made it possible
for container loads to be transported by road or rail from the
quayside to the point of delivery for unloading by personnel
there.

Another change around the same time was the wide spread
introduction of the Ro-Ro (Roll on–Roll off) ferry enabling motor
vehicles to driven on and off at ports. Prior to the development
of this type of vessel, motor vehicles had to have their fuel tanks
drained and electrical systems disconnected before being
craned on board conventional ferry/cargo ships, carried as
cargo, and then off loaded by crane at ports of arrival in what
was a tedious and time consuming process. This is how things
were done in Rosslare, Co. Wexford, and other ports until the
Ro-Ro type ferry came into service.

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