Doug Wright

Memories of the Furness Withy group, once a major British shipping empire whose interests included shipbuilding, will be re-kindled when the bulk carrier Furness Hartlepool visits Ravensbourne this week.

Names no longer hold any special significance for most of the vessels that call here.

In port for the first time today is chartered container ship Maersk Jackson.

Of all the modern cruise ships built in the past few years that have called here, Arcadia in port recently impressed me.

Here on its first visit last Saturday, the cruise ship Arcadia carries a name that has been associated with four P&O passenger ships over a period of 122 years.

February will prove to be an interesting month, with six newcomers calling from last week until later in the month.

Jewels in the crown aptly sums up the arrival of two Carnival group cruise ships at Port Chalmers last Friday.

Back in the good old days before containers, berths in the upper and lower harbour, with two dry docks, were areas that attracted much interest.

The arrival of Dawn Princess on its ninth visit, last Friday, brought the total number of visits to this harbour by overseas-owned cruise ships since December 23, 1961, to 501.

It was off to a flying start this year for the export log trade.