La Colina

The 'La Colina' was a Port Talbot - size ore carrier, built at a French shipyard in 1958. She was one of the many ore carriers commissioned by the British Iron & Steel Corporation, (BISC), to be owned by various well-established shipowning companies and chartered to BISC under 10 or 15-year contracts.

The 'La Colina' was owned by Buries Markes Ltd., London, a subsidiary of the French company Louis Dreyfus et Cie., who themselves had a very similar ship, the 'Philippe L.D', also seen on the Ship Canal.

This size of this ore carrier was ideal for delivering ore to Irlam Steelworks, as well as to other steelworks in the UK where ship sizes were restricted. The dimensions were based on the lock at Port Talbot.

After the end of her 15-year charter, the 'La Colina' was sold in 1974 to a Yugoslav company and renamed 'Sutomore'. After a further sale and renaming in 1988, she went for scrap at Alang in 1989.

Buries Markes ships had names which are Spanish words with the prefix 'La'. 'Colina' is the word for hill.

Text courtesy of Ken Lowe