WORLD SHIP SOCIETY

They were a unique and once very popular type of ship: the passenger-cargo liners. More than 12-berth passenger-carrying freighters, some of these combo ships, as they were often dubbed, carried as few as 30 passengers; others, as many as 400. They offered comfortable quarters, many amenities, and one-class accommodation; but they still were not classified as actual passenger liners. Belonging to well-known shipowners such as American Export, Blue Funnel, Farrell, Grace, and Zim Lines, their heyday began just after the Second World War, in the late 1940s, and continued until the 1960s. But in the end, as air travel and containerization took hold, they were no longer practical or profitable. One of Bill Miller’s latest books is “First Class Cargo,” which covers many of these passenger-cargo ships. At our March meeting, PONY Branch members and guests were entertained and enlightened as Bill led them on a journey to the likes of Marseilles and Melbourne, Hong Kong and Durban aboard these fascinating vessels.