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LIGHTER ABOARD SHIP DEVELOPMENT. "LASH SHIPS''
This aspect of seaborne cargo carriage was briefly referred to in last year's report and it
was stated at that time that amongst the possible reception ports in the United Kingdom, the
River Medway was being seriously considered.
In fact the world's first lash ship M/V "ACADIA FOREST" arrived in the Medway to discharge
"lash lighters" on the 4th December, 1969. She berthed at No. 2 Buoy within the jurisdiction
of this Authority, having arrived from New Orleans via Rotterdam.
Following the receipt of health clearance and the issue of pratique, discharging operations
were commenced. The vessel has a carrying capacity of 73 x 450 ton loaded lighters. On her
first visit to London she discharged 28 lighters all of which contained baled wood pulp. These
lighters were then distributed to various wharves in the river by tugs.
The lighters had originally been loaded in various "mill ports" along the length of the
Mississippi River,part of which is an endemic sylvatic plague area. They were all inspected for
evidence of rodent activity, and any other health problem that could be associated with this form
of transport. No rodent infestations or health hazards were encountered.
M/V ACADIA FOREST" of Kristiansand was built in Japan and operates under the management
of the Central Gulf Steamship Corporation of the United States of America. She is 860 feet
long, has a beam of 107 feet, and a draft of 37 feet when fully laden to her 43,500 ton capacity.
The vessel is expected to carry out a monthly service to the River Medway, and further
similar ships are already on order. As this new trade develops it could well be that "lash lighters"
containing food commodities will, in due course, arrive in the port. This form of importation will
present the same problems as the control of containers carrying foodstuffs, and will have to be
dealtwith in a similar way.
The 43,500 ton "ACADIA FOREST", the first ship of its kind in the world which carried 80
floating container—barges. A 510 ton mobile gantry crane on board ship lifts the barges out of
the hold and lowers them into the water at the stem of the vessel. They are linked together and
towed by a tug and leader barge to riverside wharves without the use of expensive deep water docks.
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