Three Days In September – 40 Years Ago

Photo Essay by John McFarlane

Forty years ago the Port of New York celebrated three historical maritime events that took place on three days in September 1967. Tuesday, September 19, 1967 saw the first arrival in New York of M.V. ATLANTIC SPAN the first unique Ro-Ro/Container ship of the new consortium Atlantic Container Line.

ATLANTIC SPAN approaching New York Harbor
September 19, 1967.
(Photograph from authors collection)

The following day, Wednesday, September 20, 1967, a ship that would play a very important part in the life of the Port of New York, Cunard's QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 was launched at Clydebank, Scotland. She has since visited the port more times than probably any other ocean liner.

QE2 slides down the ways at Clydebank.
(Photograph from authors collection)

Two days later on Friday, September 22, 1967, the famous Cunard liner, R.M.S. QUEEN MARY sailed out of the Port of New York for the last time enroute to Southampton, England. This would be her 1,000th and final Atlantic crossing and she received a grand send off from ships, boats, craft of all sizes and her many fans watching from the banks
of the Hudson River.

R.M.S. QUEEN MARY passing Lower Manhattan
September 22, 1967.
(Photograph Harry Kuell)

Tuesday, September 19, 1967

The Port of New York was host, on this day, to the maiden arrival of M.V. ATLANTIC SPAN the first ship of the newly formed Atlantic Container Line. This 647 foot long, 16000 deadweight ton, vessel was the first purpose-built combination Roll-on Roll-off/Container vessel to cross the Atlantic. The ship sailed from Gothenburg, Sweden on September 4th and called at Bremerhaven, Germany; Antwerp, Belgium; and Rotterdam, Holland enroute to New York. She arrived from Europe with an unusual mixture of cargo. On board was general cargo stowed in over 500 twenty-foot container equivalents as well as over 1100 automobiles and large rollable units such as cranes, tractors and machinery stowed in her trailer decks. ATLANTIC SPAN docked at the unfinished ACL Port Elizabeth Terminal at Port Newark, New Jersey. Once tied up the discharging operation commenced with temporary mobile cranes lifting off the containers from the ship. Autos and non-containerizable rollable cargo units were driven or towed from the vessel's stern ramp which was lowered shortly after arrival.

M.V. ATLANTIC SPAN approaching New York Harbor September 19, 1967.

This fine ship was built by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke, Emden, Germany for Transatlantic, AB one of the partners in the new consortium known as Atlantic Container Line. This company was formed by several famous European shipowners: Holland America Line, Wallenius Line, Transatlantic AB, Swedish American Line, French Line and The Cunard Steam-Ship Company Limited. Atlantic Container Line (ACL) eventually took over all of the North Atlantic general cargo operations of the partner companies.

M.V. ATLANTIC SPAN docked at the ACL Terminal in 1967.

The advent of these ships and of the entire container revolution itself made the existing large fleet of standard general cargo ships of the partner lines obsolete and they were all quickly disposed of. The ocean transit and port turn around times were vastly improved with this new concept.

M.V. ATLANTIC SPAN sails from New York for Baltimore after her first call in September 1967.

The arrival of ATLANTIC SPAN was the beginning of a permanent year round service between Europe and North America. Additional ports in the United Kingdom, France and Canada were added to the itinerary as the number and size of vessels grew. Within just three years there were ten unique combination Roll-on Roll-off/Container vessels operating in the service, all of them calling at New York.

Wednesday, September 20, 1967

The Port of New York was not the scene for the historical maritime event of this day. It took place over 3000 miles away at Clydebank, Scotland in the shipyard of John Brown & Company Limited. An ocean liner that was destined to play a major role in the life of the Port of New York was under construction there. On September 20, 1967 Her Majesty The Queen named the new Cunard liner that was being built in the same place as many Cunard liners of the past. On the same stocks were constructed QUEEN ELIZABETH, QUEEN MARY, AQUITANIA, and LUSITANIA. This newest Cunarder, yard No.736, known up to now as "Q4" was scheduled to be launched on this day.

H.M. Queen Elizabeth II has just named the new liner at Clydebank on September 20, 1967.

sound
Hear The Queen name QE2

With the words "QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND" pronounced by Her Majesty a cheer went up from the assembled crowd. The Queen, using the same gold scissors that her Mother and her Grandmother used to launch the previous Cunard Queens, cut the ribbon attached to the bottle of Champagne and it was projected against the streamlined bow of the liner and smashed.

H.M.The Queen, Prince Philip and Princess Margaret joined by Cunard Chairman Sir Basil Smallpeice,
wave as the new liner slides down the ways.

The trigger mechanism for the launching was released and the retaining wedges were pulled down allowing the great liners hull to begin moving down the ways. The roar of the crowd intensified as it was joined by the loud rumble of the ship moving, ever faster, toward the waters of the Clyde.

The newly named QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 gathers speed as she slides down the ways into her element.

The crowds lining the other shore see the ship as she enters the water for the first time.

It was just about 2:30pm on that afternoon when QE2 entered the waters of the River Clyde for the first time. Crowds lined both shores of the river to watch the ceremony. Many of the onlookers recalled memories of similar occasions when QUEEN ELIZABETH was launched on September 27, 1938 and QUEEN MARY on September 26, 1934. Just as QE2 touched the water a squadron of military aircraft arrived overhead and flew passed in anchor-formation.

QE2 now launched is floating for the first time in the River Clyde.

The new QUEEN was gently moved to her fitting out berth and now began the final preparations for this great liner to join the Cunard North Atlantic and cruise services.

(All photographs courtesy Cunard Line, University of Liverpool and the authors collection.)

Friday, September 22, 1967

One of the most famous and popular ocean liners of all time, Cunard Line's R.M.S. QUEEN MARY, was to be retired from service in September 1967. She had entered service in May 1936, held the "Blue Riband" as the world's fastest liner for 14 years, operated as a troop transport during World War II, and was now about to embark on her 1000th and final voyage across the Atlantic. Friday, September 22, 1967 was a "red letter day" in the eyes of many New Yorkers as they prepared to bid "farewell" to this great ship.

The QUEEN MARY about to cast off her lines for the last time at Pier 92 North River
New York September 22, 1967.
(Photograph authors collection)

Harbor craft of various kinds began to assemble off Manhattan's "Luxury Liner Row". Fireboats, tugboats, excursion boats and private yachts crowded with onlookers were preparing to accompany the great liner down the river as she backed away from Pier 92.

QUEEN MARY begins her last journey out of New York.
(Photograph Ted Scull collection)

Fireboats salute QUEEN MARY as the harbor becomes alive with maritime activity.
(Photograph Ted Scull Collection)

The piers nearby and the waterfront at Battery Park was lined with thousands of people who came to say "farewell" and watch the mid-day spectacle as the famous liner sailed by.

The crowd lining the waterfront at Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan island.
(Photograph Harry Kuell)

R.M.S. QUEEN MARY passes lower Manhattan and The Battery.
(Photograph Harry Kuell)

In her commercial career QUEEN MARY carried over 2 million passengers and steamed almost 4 million miles. When QUEEN MARY sailed passed the Statue of Liberty she received a salute from another transatlantic liner. S.S. UNITED STATES departed from her berth just after QUEEN MARY and was passing The Battery in lower Manhattan as the QUEEN sailed by Lady Liberty for the last time.

S.S. UNITED STATES salutes as she passes lower Manhattan.
QUEEN MARY was just passing the Statue of Liberty at that time.
(Photograph Harry Kuell)

R.M.S. QUEEN MARY bids New York a "Last Farewell".
(Photograph Ted Scull collection)

Many of the various water craft including tugboats and excursion boats accompanied QUEEN MARY to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. There all the boats stopped and tied down their horns in one last farewell as QUEEN MARY, alone with all her whistles returning the salutes, steamed under the bridge and out of New York Harbor for the last time.