1.
AERIAL V.."Tokyo Bay" under way (2 shots)
0.22

2.
GV United States wharves with containers and idle ships (5 shots)
0.32

3.
AERIAL GV..New York waterfront with liner in port
0.35

4.
GV Passengers handle their own baggage during dock strike (2 shots)
0.43

5.
GV Singapore harbour PULL BACK TO show "Nihon" moving toward berth
0.51

6.
CU Dock hands handling hawser
0.53

7.
CU Stern of ship
0.54

8.
HIGH SHOT..container being unloaded from "Nihon" at Singapore
1.01

9.
PULL BACK FROM CU.. container on lorry
1.07

10.
GV Singapore dockside with "Nihon" in port and container handling vehicle along wharf
1.12

11.
TRVEEL SHOT..Europort with stacked containers
1.18

12.
GV Container lorry approaches container terminal
1.26

13.
CU "Europe Container Terminal" sign
1.28

14.
LV Container lorry along wharf
1.31

15.
GV Container lorry past containers
1.44

16.
GV Container lowered
onto ship
1.50



Initials ES. 1320 ES. 1540



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The continuing British dock strike, which on Tuesday (1 August) prompted the cabinet to consider calling a state of emergency, has thrown attention on the problems caused on
docks around the world by the advent of the container.

The threat of redundancies which has come with the container age in Britain is a
root cause of the present strike. It was also a major factor in the stoppages on
both coasts of the United States during the letter half of last year.

The opening of container terminals in Australia and New Zealand were also
accompanied by labour difficulties -- but this has not been the case
everywhere.

Most Asian ports have moved smoothly into the era of the container, and the huge
container complex outside Rotterdam (Europort) is claimed to have near-perfect
labour relations.

This Visnews compilation shows scenes in the United States during the 1971 dock
strike, the new Singapore container terminal -- a source of national pride --
and the container terminal outside Rotterdam.

SYNOPSIS: Container ships have brought a world-wide revolution in methods of
international freight handling. But in some places their arrival has been marked
by prolonged and bitter labour disputes - emphasised by the present British
national dock strike. Container ships need fewer stevedores to work them -- and
some dock unions see them as bringing a threat of redundancy.

Like Britain, the United States has felt the wrath of the docker at the advent
of the container era.

Containers weren't the only issue at stake during last year's crippling strikes
on both coasts -- but they were a major factor.

The United States dispute directly affected millions of Americans. These were
passengers from a cruise liner - forced to handle their own baggage because of
the dock strike.

In Singapore, the container age arrived this year with few problems. The modern
terminal on Singapore Harbour is an object for national pride. The container
freighter "Nihon" was the first to use the terminal, and container handling went
ahead smoothly. Other parts of Asia too have seen a smooth arrival of container
loading -- but both Australia and New Zealand were plagued by lengthy dockside
disputes. Few world container ports saw the arrival of their first container
ships go as smoothly as Singapore.

An almost perfect record for industrial harmony is held at the huge container
complex outside Rotterdam, known as Europort. In terms of cargo handled, these
wharves are some of the busiest in the world. The port was created for the
container age - and much of Western Europe's container traffic passes through
here. Located just a hundred miles from the strike-bound container ports of
Britain, Europort provides an interesting contrast in its trouble-free record.