Roll-on Ships For Tasman Run

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31123, 28 July 1966, Page 1

Roll-on Ships For Tasman Run

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 27. The Union Steam Ship Company plans to build two roll-on, rolloff cargo vessels for the trans-Tasman service.

The company said today that the ships could be in service by mid-1968 and would operate between Auckland, Wellington, Sydney and Melbourne. Studies on a similar service from South Island ports to Australia were being made.

The company had decided against operating a combined passenger roll-on cargo vessel because it considered passengers were well served by other shipping lines and airlines.

The two cargo vessels would provide a more regular service for general cargo. Thirty Union Company cargo ships were in full-

time service across the Tasman, but the company said maintenance of regular sailings was interfered with by delays in cargo operations

due to congestion, mainly in New Zealand ports, and weather. “Provision of time-tabled vessels to cater for the transTasman trade should prove of mutual benefit to the two countries,” the company said. Each of the new vessels would carry about 2500 tons

of cargo which would be loaded through a stern door on trailers or on the 12J-ton sea-freighter pallets already in service in the company’s Australian and New Zealand coastal services. There would also be space for cars and trucks on the ships. Auckland, Wellington, Sydney and Melbourne had been chosen as ports for the service because they provided the high-volume cargoes to justify high-capacity' vessels on a high-frequency schedule. The servicing of South Island ports where cargo volumes were considerably lower was under consideration. Mr F. K. Macfarlane, chairman and managing-director of the Union Company, said cargo trends between New Zealand and Australia, particularly between main centres, were such as to encourage the introduction of the new ships. fThe growth of trade after the export activity encouraged by the AustraliaNew Zealand Free Trade Agreement will be assisted by these specialised vessels,” he said. On the question of a combined passenger-cargo vessel, he said the company concluded after detailed study that passenger traffic was well, if not over-serviced, by airlines and overseas passenger lines currently operating transTasman and scheduling over 60 trips a year in each direction. Because the roll-on, rolloff ships would carry vehicles, tourists would be able to ship

their cars on them and be sure of a certain discharge date at the port of arrival.