Casgliadau Arlein

Port bow view of M.V. SILVA PLANA entering Cardiff Docks. Tugs also in image.

The notion that landlocked Switzerland has a merchant fleet may sound strange to some, but the Swiss flag flying at the poop of the 6,316 gross ton Silvaplana proves that such a fleet exists! This 1956-built ship was owned by the Suisse Atlantique Soc. de Armaments Maritime of Basle and registered at that Swiss city. (Source: Shipping at Cardiff: Photographs from the Hansen Collection 1920-1975 by David Jenkins, 1993).

M.V. SILVA PLANA (8524gt). Built 1956 by 3-Maj Shipbuilding Industry at Rijeka,Croatia for Oceana Shipping AG., Chur, and managed by Suisse-Atlantique Societe de\Navigation Maritime SA, Lausanne. (She was Swiss registered and owned!). She ran aground on the Canadian side of St. Clair River in June 1964, and had to lighten her load before she could be refloated. 1969 – Sold to Capitano Francesco Massa, Genoa, and renamed CAPO MISENO. 1971 – Sold to Dot Giovanni Carosini of Genoa with no change of name. 1976 – Sold to La Camogliese SpA, Genoa, with no changeof name. 1977 – Sold to Overseas Shipping (Pte) Ltd., Singapore, and renamed HWA HO. She went aground in heavy storms, 125 miles NW of Pyongyang on 25th October 1980, while in ballast from Singapore to Chinnampo. This time, the hull broke in two and the vessel was declared a total loss.