TWO MORE SHIPS DIVERTED

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14639, 7 April 1948, Page 3

TWO MORE SHIPS DIVERTED

CONGESTION AT AUCKLAND Twenty Overseas Vessels In Pert / __ Landing Of Preference Cargoes (P.A.) Auckland, today. Two mere ships have been diverted to southern ports because of congestion at Auckland. The Danish motor-ship Selandia, which was expected at Auckland from Frederikstad on April 23, has been advised by her company to make her full discharge at Wellington instead. The Matson Line vessel Sonoma, after waiting in the stream since Saturday, sailed last evening to New Plymouth. The Sonoma, which arrived from San Francisco via Suva on Friday morning, was sent back into the stream after landing at Export Wharf her preference cargo of 5000 cases of bananas and 1000 cases of citrus fruit, loaded at Fiji. Three other ships have been diverted from Auckland in recent weeks. Early last month, during the wharf dispute, the Port Line’s 8700-ton motor-ship Pert Wyndham did not fulfil her programme of coming to Auckland from Wellington to complete loading. A few days later, the New Zealand Shipping Co.’s motor-ship Orari, which was expected at Auckland from Newport, Monmouthshire, was diverted to Port Chalmers. The Blue Star Line’s 7350-ton motorship Saxon Star, carrying more than 1000 tons of cargo from South Africa, was expected at Auckland last Friday, but was diverted to’ Wellington. Twenty overseas ships will be in the port this morning. Six of these will be in the stream. The motorship Durham, which arrived from Liverpool on March 24, was given a berth at Western Wharf on Friday. With the arrival early this morning of the tanker Dovrefjell, the Durham will have to return to the stream.