The Port Of Montreal

Before WW2 and for years afterwards it was common for major ports to be in-land and ships started and finished their voyages by snaking up rivers to places such as Montreal and London.

From the neck of the estuary Montreal is about 180 miles up river, it is actually 1,000 miles from the Atlantic. After 2,500 miles across the Atlantic the 1,000 mile journey up to Montreal must have been relaxed as there was no threat of attack and no discomfort from Atlantic weather.

The last 80 miles are not tidal and it is fresh water. These days most major ports are on the coast as ships are too big and in too much hurry to snake up river.

The Dorelian was a general cargo ship of 6,431 gt. The modern equivalent is a container ship. The captain of the container ship Edith Maersk launched in 2007 would probably use the Dorelian in his bath. The Edith Maersk has gross tonnage of 170,794 but only requires a crew of 13, the Dorelian was certified to carry 73 crew.

The Edith Maersk is too big for Montreal however Montreal with its unique access into North America remains a thriving facility: ships of up to 55,000gt are using it, and it handled 12.4m tones of container merchandise in 2007.