Physical description

A4, hardcover, 349pp, 300 illustrations, index, flags, funnels, hull colours, bibliography, full ships lists.
Howard Dick, Iain Steverson, Mike Carolin, Barry Pemberton, Lindsay Rex, Rex Cox, Russell Priest

Publication type

non-fiction

Summary

Australian National Line (ANL) began operations on 1 January 1957. It operated the largest fleet in coastal trade, ran passenger ships such as Princess of Tasmania and Empress of Australia that became household names, and from 1969 carried the Australian flag into international trades. ANL was at the forefront of innovation in bulkships, RoRo vessels and containerization, also in the redesign of ports and terminals. Many of its 110 ships were built in Australia. This impressive record of achievement eventually became overshadowed by financial woes, poor industrial relations and a difficult relationship with government that culminated in the sale of 1998-99. This fleet history, written and informed by the knowledge, experience and insight of those who sailed on and worked with the ships, weaves the stories of a complex forty-year transition from conventional shipping to modern bulk handling and containers, along with the nation-building role of the ANL, whose flag still flies proudly across the region as a subsidiary of the French CMA CGM. The book is lavishly illustrated with over 300 images, mostly in colour, and will become an essential source on Australia's 20th century maritime history.