| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1898 |
| Defunct | 1985 |
| Headquarters | Manchester, England |
Key people | Robert B. Stoker (1932–79) |
| Products | Shipping services |
| Revenue | £30 million (1974)[1] |
Number of employees | 2,150 (1974)[2] |
| Parent | Furness Withy (1970–80) |
| Website | www |
Manchester Liners was a cargo and passenger shipping company founded in 1898, based in Manchester, England. The line pioneered the regular passage of ocean-going ships along the Manchester Ship Canal. Its main sphere of operation was the transatlantic shipping trade, but the company also operated services to the Mediterranean. All of the line's ships were registered in the Port of Manchester, and many were lost to enemy action during the First and Second World Wars.
A successful switch from traditional to container shipping in 1968 was relatively short-lived, as the subsequent introduction elsewhere of much larger container ships meant that the company's ships, which were restricted to a maximum length of 530 feet (160 m) imposed by the ship canal's lock chambers, could no longer compete economically. The line ceased operations in 1985.
