Transatlantic, Göteborg, revolutionized the RO-RO concept with the Paralla Ramp

The Early Days of RO/RO

In developing countries, ingenuity was key when transporting trucks onto smaller vessels. Solutions ranged from rickety piers and thick planks to larger ferries equipped with bow and stern ramps. There was even a brief period of pallet ships with side doors, where loading and unloading occurred with forklifts at conventional docks—hardly faster than over the side and down into the hold.

The next step was the introduction of pure cargo ships with stern ramps. The first such ship in Denmark was DFDS’s Somerset, built at Helsingør Shipyard in 1966. A common feature of these ships was that they required a specialized RO/RO dock where the ramp could be deployed. This worked well in larger ports where such facilities existed, but for ports without RO/RO docks, these ships were practically useless.

Transatlantic Thinks Big

Transatlantic, a Swedish shipping company, had long been engaged in shipping between Australia and the U.S. West Coast. In the late 1960s, the company operated five conventional vessels on the route, but it was clear that this would not suffice in the face of growing competition. This marked the beginning of the PAD III project, a major effort to revolutionize the RO/RO concept. The plan involved both ship design and the vehicles required for efficient cargo handling. Per Carlsson, the second-generation owner of Transatlantic, was deeply involved in the project. He visited Australia multiple times and sought to interest the British container shipping consortium, ACT (Associated Container Transport), in joining the PAD project.

Carlsson envisioned the introduction of at least three ships with a new design, and in 1969, ACT agreed to take ownership of one. At that time, Transatlantic’s own ship, Paralla, was already on the drawing board, set to be built at the Eriksberg shipyard in Gothenburg. The ship was to be 199 meters long, 28.7 meters wide, and 9.56 meters deep, with a deadweight of 20,500 tons and a 19,000 kW engine.

What was groundbreaking about Paralla was its long stern ramp, angled at 45 degrees to starboard. This ramp could be lowered onto a dock five meters below and two meters above deck level, with a width of seven meters—the exact length of a 20-foot container with some margin. The ramp ended up being 36 meters long and consisted of three segments. In total, the technical department produced 600 construction drawings for the ship, whereas a conventional vessel would only require about 200.

The Evolution of RO/RO Handling

As well as designing the ship, Transatlantic had to rethink the trucks required for handling RO/RO cargo. They approached major manufacturers like Caterpillar, Hyster, and Clark, but all turned them down, citing the small market for such specialized equipment. It was a small Swedish company, Lidhults Mekaniska Verkstad (LMV), which primarily built logging machinery, that agreed to take on the challenge. This partnership marked the beginning of a global market under the new name, Kalmar Industries.

On the shipyard side, Eriksberg faced the challenge of building something entirely new. The ramp—referred to as CAE (Cargo Access Equipment)—was a major hurdle. They had two options: MacGregor, which had revolutionized traditional hatches with its “patent hatches” (folding hatches that ran on eccentric wheels), or Asca, a collaboration between Swedish shipyards Eriksberg, Götaverken, and Kockums. The Asca solution was deemed the best, and it won the bid. In 1970, Asca was acquired by Finnish Navire Cargo Gear, which would become the supplier. In 1973, Transatlantic itself bought half of Navire, gaining a share in the revenue generated from the ramp that would become widely used in the following years.

Ships that Roll Out

Paralla, named after the moon in Aboriginal language, was delivered on time in January 1971 (at the same time as there was a bit of grief because Transatlantic reported a loss for the first time in 35 years). Allunga (meaning “the sun”) was delivered to the Australian partner in May, and the final ship in the trio, Dilkara (meaning “the rainbow”), was handed over to ACT in October. A keen observer will note that the the first letters of the three ship names – Paralla, Allunga, and Dilkara –  form PAD.

The second-generation RO/RO ships were delivered between 1972 and 1973, with five ships in total: Barranduna (for Transatlantic), Lalandia (for EAC), and three for Norwegian W. Wilhelmsen: Tricolor, Tarago, and Tombarra. During this period, European-Australian shipping faced fierce competition from Soviet vessels. This led British shipping companies to form OCL (Overseas Container Line) and ACT, with the Scandinavian companies facing the choice of joining under unattractive terms or continuing independently.

In October 1969, Transatlantic, EAC, and Wilhelmsen formed ScanAustral, and in a press conference, announced their intention to order five ships of the Paralla design. This move sent shockwaves through the UK and Europe, as it threatened their control over the freight market. The ships, delivered between 1972 and 1973, were praised for their flexibility and marked a major success for ScanAustral. The motto “Your Line of Choice” became its motto.

Eriksberg’s Decline

However, Eriksberg shipyard faced severe financial difficulties during this period. Increased labor costs due to union demands and rising material prices took a toll on the company. By 1975, the Swedish government took control of the shipyard for SEK 1,000, merging it with neighboring Götaverken and other major Swedish shipyards under Svenska Varv. The last ship from Eriksberg was delivered in 1979, and by the early 1980s shipbuilding in Sweden had come to an end. Today, the iconic red portal crane at Eriksberg remains as a landmark, now surrounded by residential buildings.

A Revolutionary Ship Design with Lasting Impact

Despite the challenges faced by shipyards and shipping companies alike, the Paralla-type ships revolutionized the RO/RO industry. The five ships from ScanAustral have been in service with the U.S. Navy since 1985/86, under the names starting with “Cape.” Lalandia, for example, became Cape Douglas. Although these ships were of high quality, they were eventually replaced by newer, more flexible designs that allowed for simultaneous loading and unloading.

In 1977/78, ScanCarriers—formed through a merger that included New Zealand—ordered two ships from Mitsubishi’s Nagasaki yard. These new vessels, Boogabilla (for Transatlantic) and Tourcoing (for Wilhelmsen), were a step forward in terms of design and capacity. The ship type continued to evolve, and by 2013, nearly 70 vessels of similar design were delivered from various shipyards.

Today, almost no large RO/RO vessel is built without a slanted ramp, a design innovation that traces its roots back to the pioneering work of Transatlantic and its partners. The Bullaren, a Transatlantic West Africa route vessel, was sold to Dannebrog Rederi in 2005, eventually operating under several flags before being scrapped in 2012.

Transatlantic’s Paralla and the ships it inspired were instrumental in shaping the future of RO/RO shipping, demonstrating how innovative design and strategic partnerships can transform an industry.

Article by courtesy of Michael Brauner Clausen