Rubbish or Riches? Ship’s ballast, commodities, and global mobility at sea in the 19th century cover art

Rubbish or Riches? Ship’s ballast, commodities, and global mobility at sea in the 19th century

Rubbish or Riches? Ship’s ballast, commodities, and global mobility at sea in the 19th century

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This episode delves into the history of ship’s ballast, extra weight which ships carried whenever they travelled without cargo. Today, ballast had become a metaphor, but until the early 20th century, ballast was a very concrete and crucial resource, millions of tonnes of sand and stones which ships transported around the world. When stowed in their hold, this ballast stabilized ships and was an essential component of global mobility at sea.
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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.