Tasman containers
(N.Z. Press Association)
AUCKLAND, Sept. 3. 1 A joint roll-on and * container freight service ’ between New Zealand ■ and Australian - ports under the control of i Thomas Nationwide * Transport appears to be ’ a possibility now that the Union Steam Ship i Company take-over has [ been completed. Through the take-over, Thomas Nationwide Transport has acquired the Tasman roll-on freighters Maheno and Marama, and it might marry their service with a container service maintained by the Associated Steam Ship Proprietary, Ltd, of Australia. T.N.T. has a major interest in this company through its ownership of Bulkships,• Ltd. Approaches were made some months ago to the Auckland Harbour Board to see if it would be possible to accommodate Associated Steam’s 597&-ton container ship Kooringa at die port. The Associated Steam Ship I Company has a fleet of six
ships, mainly engaged in Australian coastal trades, and each of about 4000 tons gross. Bulkships,-Ltd, has six much larger ships of about 13,000 tons under its control. The Union Company fleet now consists of 40 ships, including two harbour tugs, with an average age of about 13 years. According to a company spokesman in Wellington future plans are likely to re-
sult in the company’s managing fewer, but more modem, ships with a greater carrying capacity than the fleet has at present. The Union fleet includes, besides the two Tasman rollon freighters, two coastal roll-on freighters, the Hawea
and Wanaka. It has one ferry, the Maori, in use and the new ferry, Rangitira, is being built The company spokesman said there were prospects of good profits in the Tasman trade with newer ships. No decision has been made on building a gasturbine roll-on freighter, although the company has not scrapped the idea. Earlier this year the company announced plans to build a gas-turbine ship of
about 4000 tons, capable of loading cargo in the roll-on fashion and of accommodating forklift trucks inher hull.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32703, 4 September 1971, Page 1
Word Count
319Tasman containers Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32703, 4 September 1971, Page 1
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