Associated Container Transportation (ACT)

Associated Container Transport (ACT) was created on the 12 January 1966 by five British shipping companies - Ben Line, Blue Star Line, Cunard (Port Line), Ellerman Lines and the Harrison Line. It was formed as a rival to OCL, with ACT member lines to participate in newly containerised trades where they had existing conventional liner services.

In August 1967, Blue Star, Ellerman and Port Line joined together to form the Associated Container Transport (Australia) or ACT(A) to containerise the Europe-Australia trade with Blue Star and Port Line taking a 42.5% share while Ellerman had 15%. Three containerships of 1,130 teu were ordered (ACT 1/2/3) with the third ship ACT 3 subsequently acquired by Australian National Line (ANL) and renamed AUSTRALIAN ENDEAVOUR.

The Europe-Australia container service was launched in partnership with OCL in March 1969, with ACT/ANL providing 3 ships and OCL 5 ships.  

Another ACT subsidiary, Pacific America Container Express (PACE) Line was formed in March 1971 for the ANZ-East Coast North America trade. ACT/ANL operated four 1,270 teu ships on this service (ACT 3/4/5 and AUSTRALIAN EXPLORER). 

Over the years, some of the ACT partners left and their shares were swallowed by Cunard, leaving Blue Star and Cunard as the remaining partners (with Cunard owning 57.5% of the pool). ACT was split up in 1991, with P&OCL (the successor of OCL) taking over the Europe-ANZ business and Blue Star keeping the US-ANZ business. Cunard, which had acquired Ellerman Lines in 1988, decided to abandon cargo shipping to focus on cruise ships and sold off its cargo vessel fleet in 1989-1991.