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The Disinfection Station at Denton Hospital is, by arrangement with the South East Metropolitan
Regional Hospital Board and the Dartford Hospital Management Committee, made available
to the Port Health Authority for the disinfection of clothing, bedding, etc., and, if necessary, for
the cleansing of persons.
Arrangements have also been made for disinfected bedding from ships in the docks of the
London Area to be sent to the disinfection station at Plaistow Hospital.
Very Large Crude Carriers (V.L.C.C.'S.)
Health clearance procedure, as in previous years, was maintained and no difficulties were
encountered.
The number of vessels dealt with increased by 50%, but no case of infectious disease was
reported on any vessel engaged in this traffic during the year.
Summary of V.L.C.C. Movements affecting the Port Health Authority during 1970 (1969 figures in
brackets)
(a) V.L.C.C's arriving direct to Thameshaven District 7 (10)
(b) V.L.C.C's arriving after lightening at Lyme Bay 10 ( 4)
(c) V.L.C.C's arriving after lightening at Seine Bay 8 ( 3)
(d) V.L.C.C's arriving after lightening at Rotterdam 5 ( 3)
Totals: 30 (20)
On six occasions V.L.C.C's were lightened at Lyme Bay, and Health Declarations were
received from them via the lightening vessels; the V.L.C.C's themselves did not enter the Port of
London.
LIGHTER ABOARD SHIP DEVELOPMENT ("LASH'' SHIPS)
The arrival of the world's first "Lash" Ship into the Medway in December 1969 was referred
to in last year's annual report.
This service from New Orleans operated throughout 1970, and in September m.v. "ACADIA
FOREST" was joined by her sister ship, m.v. "ATLANTIC FOREST" in this latest form of cargo
transport.
Between them, during the year under review, these two vessels made 14 voyages from the
U.S. Gulf Ports to their mooring in the Medway, which is situated in the river between the Isle of
Grain and Queenborough. On each voyage "lash" lighters were discharged with cargoes destined
for wharves on the Thames and Medway and other lighters containing export cargoes, having been
marshalled at Sheerness awaiting the arrival of one of the "Mother" Ships, were taken aboard.
A total of 311 lighters were discharged from these vessels into the waters of the River
Medway within the District, most of them containing wood pulp. Other cargoes carried were 7
lighters of synthetic resin and 2 lighters of ferro chrome and between October to December 19
lighters of soy bean meal for manufacture into animal feeding stuffs.
All except five of this total were subsequently discharged within the Port of London, the
others being towed up the Medway into the Port of Rochester.
As a routine the barges were examined for rodent infestation or any other matters of port
health significance, but no problems were encountered.
Whilst no food cargoes arrived by lash lighter during 1970, such cargoes are expected during
1971.
A rough estimate suggests that over 100,000 tons of cargo were imported by the "lash"
system at Sheerness in its first year of operation.