PORT OF TIMARU

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18912, 29 January 1927, Page 9

PORT OF TIMARU

A RECORD YEAR. At yesterday's meeting of the Timaru Harbour Board the harbourmaster, in presenting his report, stated: "I have pleasure in reporting that the year just closed (1926) from a shipping point of view has been the heaviest and most successful year ever experienced by the port of Timaru and I wish to place on record my appreciation of the services rendered bv my staff, whose "willing cooperation at all times has helped very considerably in bringing a record year to a successful termination. There have been times during the year owing to the sise Of the modern shipping when it has been difficult to berth ships where 'they could work successfully, and do justice to the. port. T am pleased to say, however, that there have been no stoppages, and at the same time I would like to point out that berthage in a port like Timaru, where heavy moorings are> in use and have to be rearranged for each particular ship, is not of the same value as berthage of equal length in ports whore heavy moorings are not necessary. Consequently the work of this port is more difficult and cannot be compared with other ports where heavy moorings are not required." The net tonnage , of shipping which entered the port Of Timaru for the past yoar reached a total of ">70,030 tons, eclipsing all previous records. The shipping tonnage has materially increased as will be seen from tho following tabic: Year Net Tonnage. 1918 .. .. 170,244 191!) .. .. 232,597 1920 .. .. 253.827 1921 .. .. 318,36S 1922 .. .. 438.377 1923 .. .. 467,(592 1924 .. .. 532,140 1025 .. .. 504,14S ; 192G .. .. 570,030 The above figures wcro one of the many sound arguments in favour of harbour improvement. The dredged approaches had been maintained and were to-day in very good order, thereby very largely contributing'to the success of the year by allowing large ships of moderate drafts to enter and leave the ports without waiting for high water. Tho gross tonnage of shipping entering and leaving the port, on tho last day of the year was 43.351j tons, which constituted a record for one day's work.