In 1960, when Bangladesh was still known as East Pakistan, a cyclone left a ship, the SS Clan Alpine, beached near the port of Chittagong.

Since then, ship-breaking has become Bangladesh’s main source of steel.

In 1947 The Admiralty Ship Welding Committee undertook some interesting research work on the River Fal near Falmouth.

The research was to establish the fundamental differences, if any, between rivetted and welded hull ships.

Using two cargo ships: Clan Alpine and Ocean Vulcan, the former almost entirely rivetted and the latter welded, the research committee carried out sea-going observations and still water bending stress tests.

The bending tests were carried out first on Clan Alpine, then subsequently on Ocean Vulcan.

Stresses were produced by flooding holds and measuring the strains by twisting the ships in still water.

CLAN ALPINE down by the bows for trim cycle, i.e simulated pitching.

Back Row left to right   J Prince - Purser      A. Crichton and D Funnell - Cadets     J Morris - 3rd Eng     R Flint - 5th Eng     A. Lawson - 2nd Eng     J Driscoll - 4th Eng

                                            D. Varley - Carpenter     R. Bews - Chief Officer

Front Row left to right    P. MacArthur - 3rd Officer       C. Ross - Chief Engineer    Mrs. Ross     Capt. F. Harris - Master     A Logan - 2nd Officer

Clan Alpine was a 7,168 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1942 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as Empire Barrie.

She was sold to Clan Line Steamers Ltd in 1947 and served with them until 1957 when she was sold to Bullard, King & Co Ltd and renamed Umvoti (3).

In 1959 she was sold back to Clan Line and renamed Clan Alpine.

She was sold for scrap in 1960 and wrecked in a cyclone in October 1960 at Chittagong, East Pakistan, finally being scrapped in February 1961.

Clan Alpine

Small Water Colour

by Jim Rae