N.Z SHIPPING LINE

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26395, 13 April 1951, Page 8

N.Z SHIPPING LINE

SHIPS ON SERVICE TO BRITAIN LESS TIME AT PORTS PROPOSED (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 12. The New Zealand Shipping Company’s Rangi-class liners, delayed in the Dominion by the waterfront strike, will spend less time at United Kingdom ports on their next homeward trips, so that they can maintain their strict schedule. This was announced by the company in Wellington to-day. Because they maintain the New Zea-land-Panama-Great Britain passenger services, the Rangi liners are classed as "schedule ships,” which means that if at all possible they sail on dates arranged usually a year ahead, even if freight has to be left.

The Rangitiki will spend less time in the United Kingdom on her next homeward voyage because she is not due to sail finally from Auckland until May 5, after arriving in Wellington on March 4. If she leaves on schedule her turnround will be 62 days instead of the normal time of less than 50 days. There is a possibility that those Rangi ships which spend less time in the United Kingdom on their next homeward trips will be turned round for New Zealand lightly loaded. The company stated to-day that it still hoped that the Rangitoto, now on the New Zealand coast, might be turned round to schedule. However, that wou’d depend entirely on the availability of labour. She arrived at Wellington from London on March 26. The average time for the turn-round in New Zealand of the Rangi-class liners was somewhere near 50 days.