[ALAN TYLER]

I,ve just been browsing through the gallery and to my surprise, out of the eighteen ships I sailed in between 1963/75, all but two were British built. One in France the other in Norway. Whatever happened to all our shipbuilders? Come to think of it what happened to our once great Merchant Navy. I,m glad to be able to say I played a little part in it !!

[d.r.wing]

It was cheaper to build abroad, then it was cheaper to contract out then no need for British trained crews. Then loss of great British Merchant Navy. Technology has also reduced the need for watch keeping and therefore smaller crews. I suppose it will not be long before all ships are radio controlled from a shore base like all those little boats on the village pond

[Hawkeye]

Off all the ships I've sailed on, only one was British built - Europic Ferry. All the others have been built in S. Korea, France, Holland, Norway & Germany.

[ALAN TYLER]

This now gets me thinking, are the foreign built ships better than British built. Obviously I would think the accomodation would be superior to what I was used to 6 berth cabins (Cunard). Though later in my career it was single berth cabins. Will the foreign ships have a longer life span? Basically though no doubt it all comes down to cost!!