By: Fred Sankoff

Catering as it does especially for the Canadian trade and for the needs of Britain's greatest inland port, Manchester Liners Ltd. today are considered one of the nation's leading shipping firms. After some seventy-two years, studded with progress, they have come a long way from the early days of second-hand tonnage, back to the old MANCHESTER ENTERPRISE, of 1890 of some 3878 gross tons. This was the start of the Manchester Fleet, The ENTERPRISE was the ex QUEENSMORE bought from Elder Dempster & Co., Ltd., who purchased her from Johnston Line. She lasted just nine years in the fleet, foundering in the North Atlantic on passage from Manchester to Montreal on November 15th, 1899.

MANCHESTER CITY: Painted in her apple green Great Lakes colour the Manchester City was indeed a beautiful sight coming in off Lake Ontario at Port Weller. Photo by Fred Sankoff

While Manchester Liners have always had their name associated with the ship canal of the same name in the United Kingdom, in Canada Manchester Liners have been in the forefront in the St. Lawrence River Service from Montreal. In 1951 it was decided to enter the Great Lakes Service, and in 1952 when the MANCHESTER PIONEER was delivered, she became the first ship flying the Manchester house flag to enter the Port of Toronto. Then with the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, came such ships as the old MANCHESTER REGIMENT and MANCHESTER SHIPPER, all since scrapped, to the most modern ships in the fleet like the new MANCHESTER PORT and PROGRESS.

The first of the new cellular container ships, the M. S. MANCHESTER CHALLENGE arrived in Montreal, Shed 70, on November 28th, 1968, to open a new service between Manchester and Montreal. This was the first full containerized service to Canada. When fully operational, four container vessels will offer to the shipper five-day frequency sailings, taking seven days for the crossing under normal weather conditions.

MANCHESTER MERCHANT: Only one of her type, made quite a few trips into the Lakes before being sold. Illustration shows the "Merchant" leaving Toronto. Photo by Fred Sankoff

The wharf in Montreal is the Western end of the new trans-Atlantic expressway. It is Canada's first major terminal built especially to handle van containers, and at Manchester 3,000 miles away, there is a matching operation. On this loop from Montreal to Manchester, four ships each will carry 500 containers per trip. From this, one can well understand why Manchester have named ships in their fleet MANCHESTER PROGRESS. The name speaks for itself.

MANCHESTER LINERS, LTD. - FLEET FROM 1935-1970

MANCHESTER PORT (III) 1935-1964. 7291 G.T. 4431 Net. 8990 DWT. Blt. 10-1935, by Blythswood S.B. Co. Ltd., Glasgow. 431'7" x 56'8" x 27'4-3/4". Scrapped Spanish shipbreakers. Arrived Bilbao 22-12-64.

MANCHESTER CITY (II) 1937-1964. 7278 G.T. 4372 Net, 9200 DWT. Blt. 8-1937 by Blythswood S.B.Co. Ltd., Glasgow. 446'6" x 57'0" x 27'4 1/2". Scrapped 5-11-64, at Faslane (Clydesids).

MANCHESTER PROGRESS. 1938-1966. 7346 G.T. 4462 Net. 9166 DWT. Blt. 9-1938 by Blythswood S.S.Co. Ltd., Glasgow. 430'7" x 57'0" x 27'0". Scrapped Yugoslavia. Arrived Split 1-17-66 under her own power.

MANCHESTER MERCHANT (III) 1940-1943. 7264 GT. 4408 Net. 9750 DWT. Blt. 5-1940 by Blythswood S. B. Co. Ltd., Glasgow. 432'0" x 57'0" x 27' 4 1/2". Torpedoed February 25, 1943, east of Cape Race.

MANCHESTER TRADER (III) 1941- . 7354 G.T. 4395 Net. 9193 DWT. Blt. 5-1941 by Blythswood S.B.Co.Ltd. Glasgow. 432'0" x 52'0" x 27' 5 1/2". Scrapped Yugoslavia January 1963.

MANCHESTER SHIPPER (II) 1943-1969. 7636 G.T. 4662 Net. 9400 DWT. Blt. 10-1943 by Blythswood S.B.Co.Ltd. Glasgow. 46l'5" x 58'1" x 28'3". Sold 1969 to Italian shipbreakers at Trieste. Left Manchester under steam July 1969 for her final voyage for scrapping.

MANCHESTER REGIMENT 1947-1967. 7638 G.T. 4652 Net. 9810 DWT. Blt. 2-1947, by Blythswood S.B.Co.Ltd. Glasgow. 46l'4" x 58'4" x 28'2". Sold 1967 to Astro Tropica Cia. Nav., Panama (B.P. Pandelis, Ltd.) and renamed AZURE COAST(II).

MANCHESTER MERCHANT (IV) 1951-1967. 7651 G.T. 4525 Net. 9750 DWT. Blt. 1-1951 by Blythswood S.B.Co. Ltd. Glasgow. 464'10" x 59'2" x 27'7". Sold 1967 to Clio Shipping Co., Liberia and renamed CLIO.

MANCHESTER PIONEER 1952-1963. 1805 G.T. 707 Net. 2735 DWT. Blt. 4-1952 by Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd., Birkenhead. 250'0" x 43'1" x 16'9". Lengthened 1960, 290'0" x 43'1" x 18'4-3/4". 2073 G.T. 944 Net. 3317 DWT. Sold 1963 to United Maritime Enterprises S.A., Piraeus. Renamed CYPRIAN MED. Resold January 1970 to Greek owners and renamed AGIOS ANTONIOS.

MANCHESTER EXPLORER 1952-1963. 1805 G.T. 707 Net. 2735 DWT. Blt 5-1952 by Cammel Laird & Co. Ltd., Birkenhead. 250'0" x 43'1" x 16'9". Sold 1963 to Crosbie & Co. Ltd., St. John's, Nfld. (a) C. A. CROSBIE 1963 (b) P. M. CROSBIE 1967. Resold 1969 to Panagos Shipping Co. Ltd., Famagusta, Cyprus; renamed PANAGOS. I.

MANCHESTER SPINNER (III) 1952-1968. 7815 G.T. 4580 Net. 10,265 DWT. Blt. 7-1952 by Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd., Birkenhead. 447'0" x 60'1" x 27'6 1/2". Sold 1968 to Estia Cia. Nav., Greece; renamed ESTIA. (12-9-68 Stravelakis Bros. Ltd.)

MANCHESTER PROSPECTOR 1953-1960. 1400 G.T. 665 Net. 2434 DWT. Blt 1948 as VIGOR by Langesund Mek Verk. 251'2" x 41'7" x 14'7". Sold 2-12-60 to Greek owners and renamed GEORGIOUS.

MANCHESTER MARINER (II) 1955-1968. 7850 G.T. 4571 Net. 9602 DWT. Blt 3-1955 by Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd. Birkenhead. 465'11" x 60'3" x 27'6 1/2". Sold 1968 to Mira Cia Nav. S.A., Greece; renamed IRA. (4-12-68 Stravelakis Bros Ltd)

MANCHESTER VANGUARD 1956-1961. 1662 G.T. 704 Net. 2670 DWT. Blt 4-1956 by A.G. Weser, Bremerhaven. 258'0" x 42'10" x 18' 5 1/2". Sold 1961 to General Steam Navigation Co. and renamed SHELDRAKE. Resold 1968 to Mediterranean Lines, Haifa, and renamed BAT GOLAN.

MANCHESTER VENTURE 1956-1961. 1662 G.T. 704 Net. 2670 DWT. Blt 5-1956 by A.G. Weser, Bremerhaven, 258'0" x 42'10" x 18'5 1/2". Sold 1961 to General Steam Navigation Co., and renamed PHILOMEL. Resold 1968 to Mediterranean Lines Ltd., Haifa and renamed BAT TIRAN.

MANCHESTER FAITH 1959- . 4462 G.T. 2456 Net. 6250 DWT. Blt 3-1959 by Austin & Pickersgill. 378'2" x 50'3" x 24'6". (a) CAIRNESK '66 while on charter to Cairn Line.

MANCHESTER FAME 1959- . 4462 G.T. 2459 Net. 6250 DWT. 378'2" x 50'3" x 24'6". Blt 10-1959 by Austin & Pickersgill. (a) CAIRNGLEN '66 while on charter to Cairn Line.

MANCHESTER MILLER 1959- . 9297 G.T. 5184 Net. 9200 DWT. B13-1959 by Harland & Wolff Ltd. 467'10" x 62'4" x 26' 6-3/4".

MANCHESTER COMMERCE: The first of the machinery aft type cargo vessels introduced by Manchester in 1963. The view shows the "Commerce" outbound from Toronto, headed for Chicago. Photo by Fred Sankoff

MANCHESTER COMMERCE (IV) 1963- . 8724 G.T. 4998 Net. 11,829 DWT. Blt 1963, by Smith's Dock Co. Ltd. Middlesbrough. 470' 0" x 62'0" x 28'0". Clarke-Sulzer. 9600 BHP.

MANCHESTER RENOWN 1964- . 8742 G.T. 5017 Net. 11,829 DWT. Blt 1964 by Smith's Dock Co. Ltd., Middlesbrough. 470'0" x 62'0" x 28'0". Clarke-Sulzer 9600 BHP.

MANCHESTER CITY (III) 1964- . 8734 G.T. 5014 Net. 11,829 DWT. Blt 1964 by Smith's Dock Co. Ltd., Middlesbrough. 470'0" x 62'0" x 28' 0". Clarke-Sulzer 9600 BHP.

MANCHESTER EXPORTER (II) 1965- . 7503 G.T. 4631 Net. 9200 DWT. Blt 9-1952 by W. Gray & Co. Ltd., for Cairn Line. 444'6" x 60' 1/2" x 27' 1/4". X CAIRNDHU. Handed over to Manchester Liners 4-1-65. Sold 24-12-69 to N & J Vlassopolous. Renamed GEMINI EXPORTER.

MANCHESTER PORT (IV) 1966- . 8900 G.T. 5149 Net. 12,060 DWT. Blt 1966 by Smith's Dock Co. Ltd., Middlesbrough. 470'1" x 62'0" x 28'0". Crossley-Pielstick diesels. 12,000 BHP. 17.5 knots.

MANCHESTER PROGRESS (II) 1967- . 8176 GT. 5093 Net. 12,060 DWT. Blt 1967 by Smith's Dock Co. Ltd., Middlesbrough. 470"1" x 62'0" x 28'0". Crossley-Pielstick 11,480 BHP. 17.5 knots.

CONTAINER SHIPS

MANCHESTER CHALLENGE 1968- . 11,899 GT. 7295 Net. 12,124 DWT. Blt. 10-1968 by Smith's Dock Co. Ltd., Middlesbrough, 498'6" x 63'6" x 27'1 1/4". Crossley-Pielstick diesels, 16,380 BHP; 20 knots.

MANCHESTER CONCORDE 1969- . 11,899 GT. 7295 Net. 12,124 DWT. Blt 5-1969 by Smith's Dock Co. Ltd., Middlesbrough. 498'6" x 63'6" x 27' 1 1/4". Crossley-Pielstick diesels; 16,380 BHP; 20 knots.

MANCHESTER COURAGE 1969- . 11,899 GT. 7295 Net. 12,125 DWT. Blt 1969 by Smith's Dock Co. Ltd. Middlesbrough. 498'6" x 63'6" x 27' 1 1/4". Crossley-Pielstick diesels. 16,389 BHP; 20 knots.

VESSEL CHARTERED FROM FURNESS WITHY GROUP

MANCHESTER TRADER 1960-1968. 7917 GT. 4500 Net. 10,120 DWT. Blt 4-1955 by Harland & Wolff Ltd., for Prince Line. 466' 9" x 6l'3" x 27' 6-3/4". (a) WESTERN PRINCE '63 (b) ZEALANDIC '60 (c) WESTERN PRINCE '67. On charter to Manchester Liners 1960-1963 as WESTERN PRINCE, then as MANCHESTER TRADER 1963-1968. Off charter 1968 and returned to Prince Line and renamed WESTERN PRINCE.

MANCHESTER ENGINEER 1965-1966. 7503 GT. 4631 Net. 9200 DWT. Blt 5-1952 by W. Gray & Co. for Cairn Line, Newcastle. 444' 6" x 60'2" x 27' 1/2". (a) CAIRNGOWAN '65 (Off charter December 1966).

MANCHESTER FREIGHTER 1965-1969. 8105 GT. 4608 Net. 10,700 DWT. Blt 11-1958 by Burnistland S. B. Co. Ltd., for Cairn Line. 459'6" x 59'11" x 27' 1/4". (a) CAIRNFORTH '65. Off charter 1969. Transferred to Royal Mail Lines and renamed LOMBARDY.

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