Purchase Of Tug For Timaru Urged

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30971, 29 January 1966, Page 1

Purchase Of Tug For Timaru Urged

(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU, January 28. The Timaru Harbour Board is considering buying for the Port of Timaru a tug which will cost more than £lOO,OOO, but less than £140,000.

A recommendation by the harbourmaster (Captain A. Grieve) that the board obtain a twin-screw tug of 1000 horsepower, as well as fire-fighting equipment, was considered at the monthly meeting of the board today. The secretary-manager (Mr N. de V. Lawrence) will report to the next meeting on the means of financing the purchase. Captain Grieve said that within the next year or two the trend would be towards vessels of 600 feet and more trading between New Zealand and the United Kingdom on the meat trade. “The marine superintendents of the Conference Lines will not allow such vessels to use Timaru unless there

is the facility of a tug. Two vessels of the Blue Star line are at present prevented from using the port for this very reason,” said Captain Grieve. Captain Grieve said that over the last 10 years the port had acquired new berthage, land reclamation and meat loaders.

With this development had come an increase in overseas trade of more than 100,000 tons, and a 100 per cent increase in the number of overseas vessels to use the port. In 1965, 37 per cent of the overseas' vessels to work the port were in the 500 ft to 572 ft range.

In addition, it was expected that bulk phosphate vessels would use the port in the future, and that these vessels would reach a length of 610 feet, said the harbourmaster.