M.V.AARO
Ship No 471
With world trade increasing and as part of a general upgrading of shipping line fleets, more orders were won from Ellerman Wilson.
The Motor Vessel AARO was the first of another three ship order from the line.
The M.V.AARO continued the tradition of fine looking ship’s built for Ellerman Lines.
She was just how a ship should look in the days before containerisation necessitated that most cargo vessels change to the boxed aft-island look.
At 2600 Grt, with a length B.P. of 300 feet with a beam of 48 feet and 6 inches, and a design draft of 19 feet and 9 inches she was launched into the Forth on 20th of January 1960 to herald in another decade at the Henry Robb shipyards.
3 comments:
I served on her as Third Mate in 1961/62 on the London ~ Copenhagen trade. General cargo out, bacon, beer and furniture home. She used to unload at hays Wharf in the Pool of London and then shift to Millwall dock to load.In Copenhagen she used to unload at Nord Toldboden near the Little Mermaid and then shift to Christiansbrygge to load. She was a fine ship.
I travelled on this ship from London to Copenhagen and back with my parents in around 1963. It took, I think, twelve passengers. I was the thirteenth, so had the pilot's cabin. I was about 11 years old. On the way back we experienced a cracking good gale. It was such that no other pasengers made it to dinner - it was just the captain and me!
One of the officers was Mr Simpson, who tried (with limited success) to teach me chess.
I remember that part of the cargo was enormous sacks of feathers, presumably for making eiderdowns? Also, I remember seeing the London stevedores unloading pallets of Tuborg beer: every pallet that came off would have bottles taken from it, the necks broken off, and downed on the spot. Not hard to see why containers became so attractive.
I also remember, as the earlier writer noted, that the ship moved from one dock to another while in Copenhagen. My parents and I had been away from the ship, and we returned by taxi to see the stern of the Aaro disappearing into the distance. We then spent some time chasing round Copenhagen to find it again.
A great trip, well remembered, and it kindled a life-long love of the sea and sea-faring in me (albeit in yachts rather than merchant ships).
My father was the bosun on board her. He took me onboard when i was about 7or8 on a trip up the thames to millwal docks i think. I was allowed to steer for a while. The captain was called Captain Gill.Dads name was Ken Wills
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