Greenock today (Photo: John Huggins)

Idle ships create busy scenes
Nothing has been seen like it in two generations...

In the famous Para Handy stories, one tale sees the asthmatic puffer chug up the Gareloch, in the Clyde firth, amongst a plethora of ships laid up due to depression. Para Handy, the ever optimistic captain marvels at the scene whilst the ascerbic engineer MacPhail sees only gloom at the loss of trade.

The same mixed feelings could apply today on the Clyde.

In Loch Striven six giant Maersk container vessels sit amidst glorious scenery, their superstructures and funnels spearing into the sky to rival the mountains around them whilst their blue hulls out-blue the waters and skies.

To some it is a spectacle, to others a blot on the landscape, and to ship managers and owners, a headache after the party that seemed would never end.

The picture is much the same in the usually sedate-looking port of Greenock. Whilst ships call regularly at its Ocean Terminal, its Great Harbour for years was usually empty, save for the odd naval auxilliary or two. Since the end of sugar production and the collapse of the giant shipyards, the Great Harbour was a forlorn reminder of glory days long gone.

Today it is filled with giant ships, a sight to gladden the heart of shiplovers, or Para Handy, but one to cause dark mutterings amongst the latter-day MacPhails, of slow trade and idleness. The Maersk vessels that fill the harbour are providing a sight not seen in two generations.

The reasons for the lay ups are not hard to find in this world-wide depression. Container shipping has been badly hit, and more so because of the break-neck speed at which it expanded in the last decade. Suddenly the world was filled with too many giants, too many boxes to be filled, and the inevitable crash came.

Analysts say the scene will not change for the better until at least 2012, so whilst there is gloom, a splash of colour and reminders of when filled docks meant work and plenty mean the Para Handies of these days can gaze in wonder and awe for some time to come.

(Photo shows laid up vessels in Greenock, reproduced with kind permission of John Huggins)