BANANA BOATS
Shipments in distinctive cargo ships
By Stephen Morris
A number of photos taken around 1970-71 when bananas were imported through Newhaven for a while. This even provided work for rail transport at the time as bananas were loaded onto freight trains behind the East Quay.
Some interesting banana ships visited the port with Golfito being the star as a handsome passenger/cargo ship near the end of her economic life as she was scrapped not long after these pictures were taken.
Although Fyffes had a warehouse in Avis Way for a while, there was a missed opportunity to build a dedicated refrigerated warehouse at Newhaven for banana imports, and the trade was lost to Portsmouth where modern refrigerated banana carriers now unload their cargoes.
Leon unloading bananas at East Quay
Dockside activity as Golfito unloads bananas
Registered in Glasgow; passenger carrying cargo ship between UK and Jamaica
A handsome ship built 1949 and scrapped in 1971. Note the tiny pilot boat alongside the quay used around 1970!
Meeching pulling the Pecos off the quay for departure
Moving astern through the narrows. Pecos, built in USA in 1947; scrapped in 1971. Showing her age with counter stern.
Calamares in the early 1970s
Les Harris collection