"Slow Ship Turn-round Adding To N.Z. Costs”

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29798, 14 April 1962, Page 12

"Slow Ship Turn-round Adding To N.Z. Costs”

(A' ,Z. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, April 13. To help in reducing costs to meet overseas competition, the Government should “pursue vigorously the question of speeding up the turn-round of ships on the New Zealand coast,” says a remit carried at the annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce in New Plymouth today.

Mr J. West (New Plymouth) said his chamber was conscious of the vital necessity, on the one hand, of seeking new markets by vigorous and concerted national endeavour and, on the other hand, of the need for costs, whether they were involved in production, handling, or freight, to be at levels that would enable New Zealand to compete with other exporting countries. “We have no complaint with the quantum of remuneration at present enjoyed by any section of the community, but we have a complaint with that element in our costs (and it is a substantial one) brought about by waste—waste in manhours. waste due, we feel, to lack of reasonably full utilisation of available harbour facilities throughout the country, and waste of time spent by overseas ships on the New Zealand coast,” said Mr West.

“It is known by all that serious delays in shipping are eventually reflected by higher freight rates which in turn result in lower returns to primary producers for our exports,” Mr West continued. Serious congestion had occurred in the past at New Zealand ports and could do so again in the future. How-

ever, harbour boards throughout the country bad displayed forethought in their planning.

Statistics tor 1960 showed that the average gross number of days on the New Zealand coast for overseas refrigerated ships, loading and discharging, was 54. In an endeavour to reduce the figure and those applying to inter-colonial and coastal vessels, Mr West made the following suggestions: Special attention should be given to methods Of loading vessels where minimum offshore based labour services were required, as serious delays occurred to ships of all classes, which worked over a 59-hour .week span, while ancillary services worked for less than 40 hours.

The question of shift work, particularly at peak periods, could be investigated. This would achieve greater usage of existing harbour pliant, facilities and labour potentials.

The costly and lengthy delays which prevented harbour boards tram raising money like other local bodies should be abolished, and the Government should give first priority to harbour board requirements for finance and import permits, said Mr West. Too much time was lost during wet weather. Strate-gically-sited shelter would enable most types of cargo to be handled in inclement weather, Mr West said.

An incentive scheme calculated to reward waterfront workers according to results achieved, could be considered. At present the system did not encourage workers to avoid loss of time on work ancillary to the actual loading and discharging operations.

Mr A. R. Sim (Wellington) said it was a thoughtfully prepared remit and deserved complete support. New Zealand port facilities could strangle export trade, he said.