Liverpool's coasters

摘要

Although it might be better known for its transatlantic liners, Liverpool was also a major centre for the UK coastal trade. The opportunities for coastwise cargoes generated or consumed locally made the port attractive for coaster owners, who moved from other areas and prospered. Its only rivals were Glasgow and London, but neither could boast of the 70 or so companies which ran coasters from Liverpool at one time or another. Doing justice to them all is impossible in the space available, so a number specialising in the bulk trades have been selected to show the diversity of the experiences of Liverpool's coastal ship owners.