18th Nov 1997
Today Robert Irminger goes on trial in California for his role as Oakland "picket captain" in last month's "Neptune Jade" affair. The Hapag-Lloyd service from Thamesport toured the world unable to discharge its UK cargo in the US, Canada or Japan. Irminger is in the dock because the "Neptune Jade" was in and out of the dock, while the men who prop up Mersey Docks hope to cash in if he takes the rap. And who are they?
A handful of shipping companies keep the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company afloat on the sea of opprobrium through which she sails, two years after sacking the Liverpool dockers for refusing to cross a picket line.
For years, Mersey Docks has honoured Atlantic Container Line as "the jewel in the crown". Twice a week, one of five giant ACL vessels calls in Liverpool. Eastbound, the 51,000 tonne ship discharges North American container cargo and heads for Antwerp, Bremerhaven, and Gothenburg. The westbound boats cross the ocean to Halifax and work their way down the US East coast.
But this marriage of mutual convenience depends on other willing partners. There wouldn't be much incentive if the "Atlantic Companion" sailed half empty. So ACL rents out space on its boats to at least three other container services: POL-Atlantic, Mediterranean Shipping Company, and Hapag-Lloyd.
Hapag-Lloyd have an office at S4 berth in the Royal Seaforth Container Terminal within the Port of Liverpool. When an ACL vessel docks, a superintendent from Mersey Docks is seconded to handle arrangements for ACL and Hapag-Lloyd, operating from the Hapag-Lloyd office during the planning and stowing period.
Judging by the 1997 Port of Liverpool Handbook, Hapag-Lloyd is second only to ACL in its importance to Mersey Docks. This glossy publication describes Hapag-Lloyd's slot-charter deal with ACL and its 18 percent increase in volumes through the Port, rising "because of an upturn in North American exports, which is our principal market from the port," according to Hapag-Lloyd's General Manager Steve Harper. "Over the next year I see even greater co-operation between the various shipping lines... if our results through the Port of Liverpool are anything to go on, I am extremely optimistic about the year ahead."
Mersey Docks shares plunged 50 points in a few hours when ACL skipped town for 5 weeks in June-July last year. The route switched to Thamesport on the River Medway, south-east of London, where ACL had called in an earlier brief dalliance back in November 1995.
By coincidence Hapag-Lloyd operates two regular weekly services out of Thamesport.
Operating jointly with Neptune Orient Line and NYK, one Hapag-Lloyd service has 13 vessels of 2,900 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) capacity serving the US East and West coasts and the Far East. The "Neptune Jade", owned by Neptune Orient Line, plied this route until its demise last month.
Hapag-Lloyd's UK Transport Manager Keith Duggan sang Thamesport's praise in the 1996 Handbook of Medway Ports, which acts as Port Authority for Thamesport. By another twist of fate, Medway Ports is 100% owned by Mersey Docks.
However, when Oakland longshoremen decided not to cross a picket line mounted by Liverpool supporters from 29 September onward, Thamesport told the world that the "Neptune Jade" and Thamesport itself were the "wrong targets" for any action. Hapag-Lloyd kept their mouth shut.
As the "Neptune Jade" steamed towards Japan, Thamesport issued a second press release acknowledging that "Medway Ports has a statutory duty to maintain safe navigation on the River Medway and this includes the provision of pilotage services, dredging and the maintenance of navigation lights, buoys and other aids. For this, vessels navigating the River Medway to Thamesport do pay compensatory charges to Medway Ports." But, they added, the notion of "a business association between Thamesport and the Mersey Docks & Harbour Company...has been ridiculed by, amongst others, informed members of the shipping and freight press".
In fact, Thamesport trade provides a major source of revenue for Medway Ports, who in turn hold legal authority over operations at Thamesport. To top it off, Mersey Docks and Harbour Company are themselves customers of Thamesport through their subsidiary BG Freight Line.
In 1993, Medway Ports Chief Executive Peter Vincent's Annual Statement highlighted a new record of 24 million Gross Registered Tonnage of traffic using the River Medway. "This was mainly attributable to the growth at Thamesport, which provides excellent container handling facilities and marine services," Vincent added. River Conservancy and Pilotage turnover for 1992 were £3,160,000 and £2,924,000 respectively. Profit details were not listed as "such disclosure would be seriously prejudicial to the interests of the group." A few months later, Mersey Docks bought the company.
According to the current Mersey Docks Annual Report, 1996 turnover for Medway Pilotage services was £5,004,000, up 12.9% from 1995. Profit on these services was £778,000, up 31.4% from 1995.
As well as their River Conservancy and Pilotage activities, Medway Ports are the Statutory Harbour Authority for the River Medway, including Thamesport, and employ the Harbour Master.
According to the Medway Ports Authority Act 1973, "The Authority and the harbour master shall exercise jurisdiction within the limits of the port and... within the Medway approach area."
The Authority can issue directions relating to "the movement, berthing, or mooring of a vessel; the dispatch of its business at the dock; the disposition or use of its appurtenances or equipment; the use of its motive power; the embarking or landing of passengers; the loading or discharging of cargo, fuel, water or ship's stores; the use of ballast".
The Harbour Master must be informed whenever dangerous goods enter the port and the Authority may refuse entry or set conditions on entry. The Authority can survey and examine goods at the docks and on board a vessel at the docks.
The flow of money isn't all one way. Mersey Docks are actually customers of Thamesport through the MDHC subsidiary BG Freight Line which operates five sailings a week linking Thamesport with Antwerp, Cork, Dublin and Belfast.
Robert Irminger and all the other supporters who put their picket on the "Neptune Jade" and held it for four days while longshoremen decided not to cross the line, had the right target. But the wrong man is in the dock.
LabourNet report by Greg Dropkin
