Every day at the ports of Britain, coastwise colliers load up with coal, for delivery by sea to gas works, power stations and industry.

But coal is needed before even the colliers themselves can be built. Behind every ship in these yards are the hands and skills of workers in other industries. The steel foundrymen who shape the metal. The coke oven workers who fed the furnaces. And the miners who dug the coal for coking.

This is Sunderland, on the River Wear, yard no. 397. Another ship for the coastwise trade. Into her go years of experience of designing and building small ships for special jobs. British shipbuilders, three years after the war has ended, are once again building half the world's ships. These colliers are as important to us as luxury liners.

'Pompey Light' and 'Pompey Power' launched and fitted out. 'Birchwood', loaded to carry best Durham coking coal south. Coal made them - to work for coal!