Grimaldi Liverpool Agency commemorates 43rd anniversary of Atlantic Conveyor tragedy

On 25 May, Grimaldi Liverpool Agency, which manages the UK Commercial Operations for Atlantic Container Line’s (ACL’s) North America Service, joined the Office of the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, the British shipping company Cunard Line and the Royal Navy in a solemn Service of Remembrance held at the city’s Parish Church. The ceremony marked the 43^rd anniversary of the sinking of the Atlantic Conveyor, a British merchant vessel struck by missiles during the Falklands War on this day in 1982.

Following the church service, a wreath-laying and dedication ceremony took place at the Cunard War Memorial in front of the historic Cunard Building. In a poignant update to the monument, the numerals “1982” were formally added to honour the loss of life aboard the Atlantic Conveyor, ensuring the tragedy is permanently etched into the city’s wartime legacy.

In the spring of 1982, at the height of the Falklands conflict, the British Government requisitioned civilian ships to support a Royal Navy task force sailing to the South Atlantic. Among them were the Atlantic Conveyor and Atlantic Causeway—both owned by Cunard and operated by ACL, now a Grimaldi Group company, which was partially owned by Cunard at the time. The ships were rapidly converted into makeshift aircraft carriers, enabling operations for helicopters and Harrier jets from their forward decks.

Tragedy struck when the Atlantic Conveyor was hit amidships by two Argentinian-launched Exocet missiles. Despite swift evacuation efforts, the incident claimed the lives of 12 men, including six Royal Navy personnel and six civilians. Among them was the ship’s Master, Captain Ian North, a veteran of the North Atlantic.

“This remembrance is not only a tribute to those who served and were lost aboard the Atlantic Conveyor, but also a reflection of Liverpool’s enduring maritime legacy,” said John Perry, Managing Director of Grimaldi Liverpool Agency. “The addition of ‘1982’ to the Cunard War Memorial stands as a permanent marker of bravery, sacrifice and service.”

The heartfelt participation in the commemoration ceremony underscores Liverpool’s deep historical connections to the sea, commerce and national service in times of conflict.