VPRS 8003 Alphabetical Card Register of Shipping : Overseas Vessels (Refer to VPRS 8639 Microfilm Duplicate Reference Copy)

Full description

This series consists of an alphabetical card register of overseas shipping maintained by the Melbourne Harbor Trust Commissioners. The register appears to have been maintained primarily to record, for each visit of an overseas vessel to the Port, the charges made for various port services offered by the Harbor Trust.

A separate card was used for each vessel, the name of which was recorded on a tab at the top of each card. On the upper part of each card some details were recorded about the vessel, such as tonnage, length and whether it was an oil or coal burner. The remainder of the card was used to record details about:

- The times and dates of arrivals and departures of the vessel
- Where berthed and for how long
- Individual charges made for such services as
- shed rent/accommodation
- conveniences
- heating appliances
- use of cranes
- lighting
- labour
- supply of water, etc.
- The vessel's agent/s
- Details of charges made.

Entries were made in chronological order by date of visit, while the cards themselves were filed alphabetically by the vessel's name.

This series only records details of overseas vessels using the port. A separate alphabetical register was maintained for visits of interstate vessels (see VPRS 8004).

The card register appears to have been established circa 1930 and data was added to the register up to 1996. Further research is required to establish whether the card register was maintained in parallel with a computerized system from 1990 onwards.