SHARING GERMAN SHIPPING

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24820, 9 March 1946, Page 2

SHARING GERMAN SHIPPING

Britain, U.S., And Russia

VESSELS BEING TRANSFERRED (N.Z Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, March 8. Britain, , Russia, and the United States have approved of proposals to divide the German merchant marine equally among the three Powers. The transfer of vessels is at present taking place This is announced in a statement issued in London, Washington, and Moscow. The gross registered tonnage of the Gei man ships totals 1,189,600, worth more than £20.000,000. The statement, which was issued in London through the Foreign Office, says that the division was agreed on at a conference among the Powers in the middle of last year. A tripartite Merchant Marine Commission was then constituted and met at Berlin from September 1, 1945, to December 7, 1945, to prepare detailed plans. Its report recommended that the fleet should be shared on a basis of valuation of the tonnage at 1938 building prices, after making allowance for depreciation. Germany would be permitted to retain 200,000 deadweight tons, consisting entirely of ships under 2250 tons, for the maintenance of Germany’s peace economy. The Foreign Office added that the German fishing fleet, dredgers, port facilities; and inland waters transport would be the subject of a separate announcement.

The naval correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says: ‘’Britain has received 93 cargo ships, 17 cargo liners, eight passenger ships, 11 tankers, eight tugs, and 11 uncompleted vessels. The United States gets 167 vessels and Russia 183 vessels, of various types. “Among the modern liners assigned to Britain are the 17,000-tonners Potsdam, Pretoria, and Milwaukee. The last-named (renamed Empire Wavei»ey) was severely damaged by fire ac Liverpool on March 2. “The United States gets the 50.000ton liner Europa.” Britain and America will make appropriate allotments from their shares to Allied ur.tries whose merchant marines suffered heavy war-time losses, including France. Belgium, Greece. Norway. Jugoslavia and Holland. Russia /ill similarly provide for Poland.

A Brussels report says that the Inter-Allied Reparations Agency, after a nine days r session, announced that the principal committees had been established, including those for finance, merchant marine, inland navigation, German holdings abroad. German current production, and industrial properties. The merchant marine committee, which is considered the most important, will meet on March 26 to determine Allied shipping losses during the war and to assess the allocation to member Governments of German merchantmen available to the agency as reparations.