“Aramoana Competitive For Most Cargo”

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29880, 21 July 1962, Page 15

“Aramoana Competitive For Most Cargo”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 20.

The rail ferry Aramoana would be competitive for most lines of general cargo from Timaru in the south to Napier or Gisborne in the north, the commercial manager of 'the Railways Department (Mr I. Thomas) said today. For some lines, it would be competitive from Dunedin and even Invercargill to Auckland.

But the department had not expected the ferry would be able to compete over the whole length of the country for all types of freight Mr Thomas said the ferry could well be competitive for many types of goods from Wellington to Dunedin. bu* in general, it would be serving the southern half of the North Island and the northern half of the South Island “The picture is not a simple one as the various charges depend on the relationship between bulk and weight of goods. “From Christchurch to the North Island, the Aramoana will be competitive for all except the light and bulky types of goods like plastics and millinery—goods running about 240 cubic feet to the ton.

“The air freight charges for these types of goods are low and most of it already goes by air.” General cargo ran about 120 cubic feet to the ton, and in thi* range the ferry would be competitive for as far south as Timaru. Mr Thomas said the sea freight rates from Auckland to Wellington were almost the same as for AucklandDunedin Rail charges, Auckland to Wellington, were roughly £9 a ton. Sea charges from Auckland to Dunedin were about £6 10s a ton, including wharfage.

“The longer the distance, the more difficult it is for rail traffic to compete with sea traffic.”

The charges could also depend on the various ways of measuring cargo. "The department has experts travelling round the country visiting the people wljo ship goods. These experts weigh samples of their goods and give them an exact picture of how the rates compare for those types of goods ” Asked whether the department believed a second rail ferry would be needed, Mr Thomas said:

“We have a very considerable quantity of goods at the moment for the ferry, but I’d like a bit of experience with the first ferry before answering questions like that one.”