Craig J. M. Carter

Stephenson Clarke Shipping Limited, established in 1730, in liquidation 26 July 2012,[3] was Great Britain's oldest shipping company. The company had specialized in short sea bulk cargo such as aggregates, alumina, grain, coal, fertilizers and steel.
Reverend Ralph Clarke, a vicar of Long Benton, Tyneside had two sons, Ralph and Robert Clarke. The boys went to sea, working their way up to being master mariners.

During their career at sea, they began to buy shares in ships, gradually making the transition from captain to owner. The company that would become Stephenson Clarke was formed when the brothers bought shares in a 300-ton sailing vessel. Thus the business was established in 1730, in the early years of the reign of King George II.

Stephenson Clarke had managed other owners' ships as well as its own. For several decades it managed the collier fleets of the Gas Light and Coke Company and other gas and electricity utility companies.

As of 2008, the Stephenson Clarke fleet consisted of 10 bulk carriers with a combined capacity of 68,238 tonnes deadweight (DWT). The ships had an average age of 21 years, with the oldest built in 1975, and the newest built in 2001. The ships were small, having between one and four holds apiece.They ranged in size from the Ardent with a capacity of only 1,180 DWT to the Dallington of 12,138 DWT.

All of the ships were single deck bulk carriers with open hatches and open holds. Several are small self load/unloading vessels of between 1,180 DWT and 2,800 DWT.These smaller vessels were fully self-unloading and equipped with excavators and small tractors.

While the fleet was capable of worldwide operations, it was focused on operations in Northern Europe, including the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, West Africa, Macaronesia, Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea.The company stated that keeping the ships in this area increased operational flexibility and efficiency.

On 25 November 2011 the fleet consisted of two ships, Durrington and Newcastle. A month later the company sold Durrington and by 26 July 2012 it had sold Newcastle. The company is now in liquidation, bringing an end to Britain's oldest shipowner.… (altro)