Australian National Line Explained

Australian National Line
Foundation:1 October 1956
Location City:Melbourne
Location Country:Australia
Industry:Maritime transport
Parent:CMA CGM
Homepage:www.anl.com.au

Australian National Line (ANL) was a coastal shipping line established by the Government of Australia in 1956. It was sold in 1998 by the Howard government to CMA CGM.

History

Australian National Line was formed on 1 October 1956 as the Australian Coastal Shipping Commission with the passing of the Australian Coastal Shipping Commission Act.[1] The organisation took about forty ships previously operated by the Australian Shipping Board, which had been formed in 1946 by the Australian Federal Government.[2]

In March 1969, ANL commenced operating services to Japan in a joint venture with K Line.[3] [4] [5]

In 1974, the Australian Coastal Shipping Commission was renamed the Australian Shipping Commission in recognition of its international role, it continued to trade as ANL.[6] [7]

The Australian National Line was an early member of the Australian Shipping and Defence Council (now the Australian Maritime Defence Council) which was established by the Government of Australia in 1982.

Privatisation

ANL was converted into a public company in 1989 via the ANL (Conversion into Public Company) Act 1988,[8] although it initially remained government-owned. In 1991, the Hawke government announced its intention to privatise ANL following poor financial performance. The Keating government passed the ANL Guarantee Act 1994 and commenced a restructuring of ANL in 1995 to prepare for its eventual sale.[9]

In 1998, the Howard government sold ANL's liner shipping business and intellectual property to ANL Container Line Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of French conglomerate Compagnie Générale Maritime (CGM).[10] Its bulk shipping business was sold to AUSCAN Self-Unloaders Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Canada Steamship Lines, while residual assets were held by the Australian River Company Limited which was eventually wound up in 2015.[9]

Services

Historical

The company entered the ferry business in 1959, when Tasmanian Steamers announced that it would be withdrawing from the Bass Strait. Its ship the Taroona was becoming totally inadequate, only being able to carry 30 cars, which had to be lifted aboard. As no replacement was available, the Federal Government decided that the Australian National Line should take over, and it would be provided with a subsidy with an order placed with the State Dockyard, Newcastle. The new ship was named Princess of Tasmania, was the first roll on/roll off ferry in the southern hemisphere and the largest. She entered the MelbourneDevonport route on 23 September 1959. The new ship and route were such a success for the ANL ordered a cargo only ship, to be named Bass Trader . With the passenger numbers going so well on the Princess of Tasmania and cargo going very well also, ANL decided that a regular passenger service from Sydney to Hobart should be re-established. An order was placed with Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company. The new ship was christened Empress of Australia on 18 January 1964. Empress of Australia made her maiden voyage from Sydney to Hobart on 16 January 1965. The Empress of Australia operated from Sydney to Hobart and Sydney to Bell Bay/Burnie and back . With the Princess of Tasmania going so well out of Melbourne, there needed to be more capacity on the route, so ANL ordered a new ship to be built at the State Dockyard. The new ship would be bigger, with smaller passenger capacity but more cargo space, an early example of the Ro/Pax concept. The new ship was launched on 17 February 1969 as the Australian Trader. On 24 June 1969, Australian Trader set out on her maiden voyage to Devonport. The new ship operated a rotation between Bell Bay, Devonport and Burnie . On 27 June 1972 Princess of Tasmania left Devonport for the final time. ANL sold her to Bahamarine, Nassau and she left Australia on 7 October 1972. When the Princess of Tasmania left the route the Australian Trader swapped with her, and Empress of Australia replaced the Princess of Tasmania on the Melbourne — Devonport trade.

ANL were involved in the 1975 Tasman Bridge disaster in Hobart, Tasmania, as the owner/operator of the Lake Illawarra, the bulk carrier which collided with the bridge, and consequently sank.

ANL announced that Australian Trader would be withdrawn from service, being replaced by a new freight only ship named Bass Trader.

On the final arrival of the Australian Trader in Bell Bay the crew went on strike. The ship remained idle there for two months. Finally on 24 September 1976 they gave up and she sailed to Sydney, laid-up and was offered for sale. The sale was completed on 16 January 1977 to the Royal Australian Navy as a training ship.

In 1983 the Tasmanian government were seeking from the Federal Government funds to charter a supplementary ship, being either Scotia Prince, St Patrick II, Stena Baltica or Odysseus Elytis. This was rejected.

In 1984 ANL announced that it would not be continuing in the ferry business, and the Empress of Australia would be withdrawn in 1985 and sold. This was then put into the hands of the Tasmanian Government which subsequently formed the TT-Line with the Federal Government agreeing to buy a ship.

The ceasing of the ANL's involvement in the passenger trade allowed it to concentrate solely on bulk freight and cargo. In December 1998, CMA CGM bought ANL's container shipping business and trading name from the Federal Government.[11]

Commercially, ANL still operates the more traditional north–south directional trades, plus nearly 20 relatively new east–west directional trades riding on the services of its parent — CMA CGM.

Fleet summary

This is a list of ships owned or operated by ANL between its formation in 1956 and privatisation in 1998.

Name Type Entered ANL service Left ANL service Disposition Fate
BaralgaGeneral cargo Sold to Nilmore Scrapped 1980
BilkurraGeneral cargo Scrapped 1974
BinburraGeneral cargo Sold to Malaysian International Shipping Scrapped 1974
General cargo Sold to Collin Navigation Co Scrapped 1985
BulwarraGeneral cargo Sold to Collin Navigation Co Ran aground off Keelung and broke apart on 22 October 1971, total loss
DalbyGeneral cargo Sold to Cronulla Cia Nav Ran aground off Keelung on 14 November 1971, abandoned as total loss
DandenongGeneral cargo Sold to Jones Brothers Coal Scrapped 1971
DaylesfordGeneral cargo Sold to Fung Shing Navigation Co Scrapped 1972
DelungraGeneral cargo Sold to H & S Credits Scrapped 1974
DenmanGeneral cargo Sold to Eddie Steamships (Philippines) Scrapped 1970
DubboGeneral cargo Sold to Australia Pacific Co (Hong Kong) Scrapped 1969
EdenhopeGeneral cargo Sold to Bougainville Trading Co Scrapped 1979
ElmoreGeneral cargo Sold to John Burke Scrapped 1987
EnfieldGeneral cargo Sold to Legaspi Oil Co Deregistered 2008 in Manila, Philippines. Still afloat.
EugowraGeneral cargo Sold to Pacific Islands Shipping Co Scrapped 1974
EuroaGeneral cargo Sold to Keith Hollands Shipping Co Scrapped 1980
InyulaBulk carrier Sold to Octamaris Maritime Corporation Sank in the Black Sea December 1977 in bad weather
Lake BarrineBulk carrier Sold to Drillships Scrapped 1982
Lake EyreBulk carrier Sold to Century Shipping Lines (Hong Kong) Scrapped 1975
NilpinaGeneral cargo Sold to Simanggang Sawmill Co Sank off Little Andaman Island on 22 June 1985.
NoongahGeneral cargo - Sank off Smoky Cape in heavy seas with the loss of 21 crew
RansdorpTanker Sold to Dent & Graham Sank in the Tasman Sea on 18 March 1961
River BurdekinGeneral cargo Sold to Indonesian government Scrapped 1971
General cargo Sold to Australine Shipping Co Scrapped 1973
River ClarenceGeneral cargo Sold to World-Wide SS Co Scrapped 1968
River DerwentGeneral cargo Interstate Steamships Ran aground during Typhoon Wanda, refloated and scrapped 1962
River FitzroyGeneral cargo Sold to Amakasu Sangyo Kisen K K Scrapped March 1963
River GlenelgGeneral cargo Sold to Hang Fung Shipping & Trading Co Scrapped January 1963
River HunterGeneral cargo Sold to Albert Sims Scrapped 1960
River LoddonGeneral cargo Sold to Amakasu Sangyo Kisen K K Scrapped March 1963
River MittaGeneral cargo Sold to Hang Fung Shipping & Trading Co Scrapped 1959
River MurchisonGeneral cargo Sold to Amakasu Sangyo Kisen K K Scrapped March 1963
River MurrayGeneral cargo Sold to Albert Sims Scrapped 1959
River MurrumbidgeeGeneral cargo Sold to Amakasu Sangyo Kisen K K Scrapped March 1963
River NormanGeneral cargo Sold to Wallem & Co Ran aground during Typhoon Wanda, refloated and scrapped 1962
TalingaBulk carrier Sold to Elios Compania Navigation Ran aground during Typhoon Rose, refloated and scrapped 1972
TimbarraBulk carrier Sold to Montauk Maritime Scrapped 1973
TyallaBulk carrier Sold to Cambray Prince Steamship Co Formerly repair ship HMS Dullisk Cove. Scrapped 1962
WangaraGeneral cargo Comveryed to a barge 1983
WindarraGeneral cargo Sold to Collin Navigation Co Scrapped 1980
YanderraBulk carrier Sold to Collin Navigation Co Scrapped 1976
YarrungaBulk carrier Sold to Corona Navigation Co Sank in the Persian Gulf 4 May 1975 after cargo caught fire
IrandaBulk carrier Sold to Jollyboat Scrapped 1982
North EskGeneral cargo Sold to West Pacific Shipping Scrapped 1984
Lake BogaBulk carrier Sold to International Activity Shipping & Investment Co Scrapped 1984
Lake BogaBulk carrier Sold to Tien Tai Shipping Co Scrapped May 1978
IllowraBulk carrier Sold to Athenmar Shipping Co Scrapped 1982
Bulk carrier - Sank after colliding with the Tasman Bridge
Lake ColacGeneral cargo Sold to Maliac Shipping Corporation Scrapped 1979
Lake MacquarieBulk carrier Sold to Project and Services Scrapped 1982
South EskGeneral cargo Sold to Eastern Shipping Lines Sank in the South China Sea on 16 February 1980
Lake MacquarieBulk carrier Sold to Bluewater Bay Maritime Scrapped 1981
Passenger and roll-on/roll-off [12] Sold to Bahamarine Scrapped 2005
Mount KeiraOre carrier Sold to Agile Shipping Co Scrapped 1983
Mount KemblaOre carrier Sold to Drillships Scrapped 1988
Bass Trader (1st) Roll-on/roll-off [13] Sold to Halley Enterprise Shipping Co, Panama as Halley Scrapped 1984
MerinoGeneral cargo Sold to Carpentaria Holdings Scuttled in the Arafura Sea on 17 December 1986
General and bulk cargo Sold to Massis Charity Shipping Co Scrapped 1993
Musgrave RangeOre carrier Sold to Zea Shipping Co Scrapped 1983
Passenger and roll-on/roll-off [14] Sold to Sun Cruises Maritime Sank in the Strait of Malacca on 23 August 1992
Darling RiverBulk carrier Sold to Malcome Collins Scrapped June 1979
Australian Trader (1st) Passenger and roll-on/roll-off Scrapped 2004
Australian Enterprise (1st) Container and roll-on/roll-off - Scrapped 1986
Australian Endeavour (1st) Container [15] - Scrapped 1985
Brisbane TraderContainer and roll-on/roll-off Sold to Mastrogiorgis Shipping Co Scrapped 2010
Sydney TraderContainer and roll-on/roll-off [16] - Scrapped 1984
TolgaBulk carrier (leased)Returned to Arctic Shipping Co Scrapped 1994
Yarra RiverBulk carrier - Scrapped 1982
’‘Townsville TraderContainer and roll-on/roll-off - Scrapped 1984
Darwin TraderContainer and bulk carrier - Still in service
EchucaContainer Sold to Wan Hai Steamship Co Still in service
AllungaContainer and roll-on/roll-off - Scrapped 1986
Mount NewmanBulk carrier (chartered) Returned to Pacific Maritime Services Scrapped 1996
Alnwick CastleBulk carrier (leased) Returned to Ben Line Scrapped 1996
Tambo RiverBulk carrier (chartered) Returned to Northern Bulk Carriers Scrapped 1998
MSC Australian ExporterContainer (leased) Returned to Mediterranean Shipping Co Scrapped 1999
Lysaght EndeavourRoll-on/roll-off - Scrapped 1987
Lysaght EnterpriseRoll-on/roll-off [17] - Scrapped February 1987
Australian EmblemContainer and roll-on/roll-off [18] (leased) Scrapped 1997
Melbourne TraderRoll-on/roll-off [19] Sold to Bulk Enterprise Still in service
MSC Australian ExplorerContainer - Scrapped 1986
Stirling RangeBulk carrier Sold to Antigoni Shipping Co Sunk 21 November 1983 in the Iran–Iraq War
Australian EscortContainer and roll-on/roll-off - Renamed Anro Melbourne
Bass Trader (2nd) Roll-on/roll-off [20] Sold to Strintzis Lines Still in service
Australian PioneerBulk carrier Sold to Shanghai Ocean Shipping Co Still in service
Australian ProspectorBulk carrier Sold to Trikappa Scrapped 1999
Australian VentureContainer [21] Sold to Lavicer Investments Corp Scrapped 2006
Anro AustraliaContainer Sold to Ruby Enterprises Scrapped June 1997
Flinders RangeBulk carrier [22] Still in service
Australian PurposeBulk carrier Sold to Lavicer Investments Corp Scrapped 2006
Lake BarrineBulk carrier Sold to Societe Mo Car Still in service
Lake EildonBulk carrier Sold to Queensland Lime & Cement Scrapped 2008
Lake EyreBulk carrier Sold to Julia Shipping Still in service
Lake HumeBulk carrier Sold to Clarry Shipping Still in service
Australian ProgressBulk carrier Sold to Treasure Sea Shipping Scrapped 2002
Selwyn RangeBulk carrier Sold to CSL Pacific Still in service
Cape HawkeBulk carrier (leased) Scrapped 1987
Baron MurrayBulk carrier (leased) Returned to Otway Shipping Co Scrapped 2003
Cape OtwayBulk carrier (leased) Returned to British Phosphate Commission Scrapped 2008
River BoyneOre carrier - - Still in service
River EmbleyOre carrier - - Still in service
River YarraOre carrier Still in service
Australian Trader (2nd)Container Sold to Hub Line Still in service
Australian AdvanceContainer (leased) Returned to United Arab Shipping Co Still in service
Tranztas TraderGeneral cargo Sold to Littleton Services Sank off Vietnam on 16 December 2010
Anro MelbourneContainer and roll-on/roll-off Sold to Plixia Trading Scrapped 1998
Australian SearoadRoll-on/roll-off Returned to Pacific Intercontinental Co Still in service
Australian ExpressGeneral cargo (leased) Returned to Nanyuan Shipping Still in service
Australian Endeavour (2nd) Container - - Still in service as ANL Australia
Australian EnduranceContainer Sold to Koala Shipping Still in service
Australian Enterprise (2nd) Container - - Still in service as ANL Explorer

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Corporate entry: Australian Coastal Shipping Commission. Australian Science at Work . austehc.unimelb.edu.au. 5 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080814212115/http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/asaw/biogs/A000893b.htm. 14 August 2008 . live.
  2. Web site: Corporate entry: Australian Shipping Board. Australian Science at Work. austehc.unimelb.edu.au. 5 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080815020046/http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/asaw/biogs/A000894b.htm. 15 August 2008 . live.
  3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/107035269 Joint Japan, Australia shipping line in 1969
  4. ANL joins with K Line in Aust-Japan trade Freight & Container Transportation January 1968 page 13
  5. ANL enters overseas trade Freight & Container Transportation June 1969 pages 27, 42
  6. Name Change Australian Transport January 1975 page 37
  7. Web site: Corporate entry: Australian Shipping Commission. Australian Science at Work . austehc.unimelb.edu.au. 5 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080815125258/http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/asaw/biogs/A000895b.htm. 15 August 2008 . live.
  8. Web site: Corporate entry: Australian National Line (ANL) Limited. Australian Science at Work . austehc.unimelb.edu.au. 5 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080815150918/http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/asaw/biogs/A000444b.htm. 15 August 2008 . live.
  9. News: ANL Legislation Repeal Bill 2019. Kaushik. Ramesh. Bills Digest. Department of Parliamentary Services. 40. 11 October 2019.
  10. Web site: ANL - About Us. Anl.com.au. 5 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080704215144/http://www.anl.com.au/about/. 4 July 2008. dead.
  11. https://web.archive.org/web/20201218113724/https://www.cmacgm-group.com/en/group/history/1996-2008-an-era-of-expansion 1998 – 1999: CMA CGM goes global
  12. MS Princess of Tasmania International Railway Journal November 1960 page 26
  13. Book: Andrews, Graeme. A Log of Great Australian Ships. 1980. AH & AW Reed. Terry Hills. 0-589-50202-6. 23.
  14. MS Empress of Australia Australian Transport April 1965 pages 45-47
  15. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/202734845 Australian Endeavour welcomed at Fremantle by Federal Minister
  16. Searoad vessel named Freight & Container Transportation February 1969 page 12
  17. ANL vehicle deck ships for steel traffic Freight & Container Transportation November 1972 page 12
  18. ANL ship to be launched in Japan this month Freight & Container Transportation August 1974 page 37
  19. New ANL Vessel Australian Transport March 1975 page 41
  20. MV Bass Trader II Australian Transport February 1976 page 22
  21. Largest ANL ship Freight & Container Transportation April 1977 page 31
  22. ANL bulk ship launched Freight & Container Transportation September 1976 page 38