In 1968 the London & Rochester Trading Co Ltd (L&RT) placed orders for eight single-hold low-air-draught coasters with builders in the Netherlands and the UK. The four Dutch vessels were built by the Conoship group to a design which was to prove popular with several other British owners, while the UK contract for four ships was won by the Hull yard of Drypool Engineering & Drydock Co Ltd (Drypool).
The order was the first attempt for several years by a British yard to design and build a low-air-draft seagoing coaster. Despite their success in this instance, they were to be eclipsed by Dutch and German builders, who subsequently designed improved versions of of this type of