Barge Contracts May Be Sub-let

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32306, 26 May 1970, Page 19

Barge Contracts May Be Sub-let

(New Zealand Press Association) TAURANGA, May 25. Production problems may force Stars Jets, Ltd, to sub-let some of its jet barge orders to firms outside Bay of Plenty.

On his return from a fourweek business tour of the ' Pacific, a director of the firm, Mr L. A. Watson, said yesterday that Stars Jets could be hard pressed to cope with the demand. The company has signed contracts to supply 21 jet barges worth $1 million to buyers in New Guinea, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga, the New Hebrides and Australia. Mr Watson said the response from overseas organisations had been much better than expected. Few firms specialised in

aluminium fabrication, and some orders could have to go to firms in Auckland, Wanganui or Whangarei. Mr Watson said Stars Jets was almost certain to land a $4 million contract to supply 100 50ft aluminium barges to New Guinea. The barges would be used to transport up to 1000 tons of copra a day down the Fly River. The 50ft barges would be 16ft wide and powered by twin diesels, coupled to Hamilton jet units. Another director of the company, Mr R. A. Owens, said Mr Watson’s trip had been most successful. Yesterday, Mr Watson and Mr Owens and other members of the company visited A. A. Edwards and Sons, Ltd, Tauranga, where a 60ft steel barge is being built. This barge, the largest built so far, will weigh 35 tons and have a 60 ton payload. The 60ft barge is being bought by the Cook Islands Administration with the assistance of the New Zealand Department of External Affairs, for general trading between the islands.