Board Asks For Third Tug

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30559, 30 September 1964, Page 1

Board Asks For Third Tug

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. Reports from marine advisers have convinced the Whangarei Harbour Board that it cannot continue to berth large tankers at the oil refinery port with the required degree of safety unless it has a third tug.

Today the board petitioned Parliament to allow the introduction of a bill empowering it to raise money for the purchase of a new tug. The petition, presented by the Minister of Health (Mr McKay) was referred to the local bills committee. In the petition the board says that throughout the world oil companies are finding that on long hauls tankers exceeding 50.000 tons are the best proposition. “Some companies have informed the board they will be operating tankers of at least 90,000 and 95,000 tons between the Persian Gulf and Whangarei,” the petition says. The result of being underpowered in the number of tugs available could be damage to either a tanker or the tanker jetty with consequences of national importance . . . “as the refinery could be compelled to close down,” it says. “The risks involved in this matter only became clearly evident on September 4 when the board’s tugs berthed the Naess Champion, a ship with a total displacement ‘weight of 140.000 tons.” The board says a Whangarei Harbour Board Empowering Bill had been prepared but it was not possible to give notice and deposit the measure in the time required by standing orders.