Shipowner Seeks Better Port Facilities In N.Z.

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30056, 14 February 1963, Page 12

Shipowner Seeks Better Port Facilities In N.Z.

(New Zealand Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, February 13.

The need for a review of New Zealand’s port facilities was stressed by die chairman of the Shaw Savill and Albion Company and die New Zealand Conference Lines, Lord Sanderson, tonight.

Part of the reason for the unsatisfactory turn-round of ships, particularly in the last five years, was port congestion, he said.

It was not simply a question of berths and equipment. The biggest problem was cargo transport in and out of ports.

“No shipowner is satisfied about anything,’' said Lord Sanderson. "Unfortunately, the turn-round ot ships in New Zealand ports has deteriorated over the last five years.

“It makes the trade considerably more expensive than it might be,” he said. Asked if shift work would meet the difficulty, Lord Sanderson said it would, but only if there was an adequate supply of labour.

“Two drifts would be better than working overtime, for with overtime the law of diminishing returns sets in.” he said. Lord Sanderson said that he had seen the plans for the new • all-weather loading facilities at Bluff and now he intended to see them working. “Has your business been affected by the ■ United States ban on ships that carry cargoes to Cuba?” Lord Sanderson was asked. “We have refused one or two parcels of cargo. We have had to say: ‘No can do’ because of the attitude of the United States in declaring such ships black,” he replied.

Asked about the economics of the present competition between British lines and Dutch, Lord Sanderson said: “The Dutch are breaking into the homeward wool trade with considerable success. I would not think they are getting very fat on it, but that’s for them to answer, not me.”

Asked whether the Common Market situation would affect the company’s building policy, Lord Sanderson said: “The dust will have to settle before it will be possible to give an intelligent answer.”

He said that since the end of the war the Shaw Savill Company had built 26 vessels, but as trade was now not so profitable, no new ships were being ordered. 'Hie company’s fleet, however, was one of the most modem in the world.

Some of the competitive prices offering for shipbuilding might, however, persuade the company to order more ships in “the not too distant future.”

Discussing the prospect of stable freight rates in the future, Lord Sanderson said it depended on many things —notably the absence of further inflation and the stabil-

ity of the trading structure. With improvements in the industry, rates could go down. He said streamlining committees in Wellington and London were "working like beavers” to pinpoint uneconomic practices and to produce new methods. During his three-week visit to New Zealand Lord Sanderson will have discussions with the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) and witih representatives of producer boards.