SHIPPING NEWS

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32981, 29 July 1972, Page 9

SHIPPING NEWS

Master former U-boat captain

There were some pleasant reunions when a German shipmaster, Captain Hans Weiss, aged 61, of the Hapag-Lloyd cargo liner Essen, on her first voyage to Lyttelton, berthed at Cashin Quay yesterday morning. Captain Weiss was in the same berth, in command of the Worms, only last October. Trained in sail, Captain Weiss served aboard the barque, Pamir, and other sailing vessels.

Captain Weiss, who has a son at sea as chief officer in the same shipping group, is married to a Bavarian. They keep a flat in Hamburg for convenience when his ship is there, but their real home is at Tergensee, a small town near Munich. Mrs Weiss makes voyages with her husband from time to time.

After leaving New Zealand last year, the Worms made a voyage from Germany to New York, then clockwise round South America calling at main ports. While at Punta Arenas, in Magellan Strait, Captain Weiss, and Mrs Weiss, flew over Cape Horn in a four-seater plane, said the captain. Splendid weather and a millpond sea made the experience memorable, he added. For many years, Captain Weiss traded to South America. He speaks English and Spanish fluently, and French tolerably well. An officer of the German Naval Reserve, Captain Weiss served in submarines in the Second World War for six years. For the last two years and a half of the war. Captain Weiss commanded submarines. At the surrender, he commanded U 1052, and was a British prisoner for a brief period. He was well treated by his British captors, he added.

The 6821-ton, 19-year-old Essen is a single-screw steamer which Captain Weiss joined last March. Mrs Weiss is not aboard this trip; she is making the most of the northern summer. There are two engineers’ wives aboard, however. The Essen is a flushdecked vessel with a raised fo’c's’le head.

The Hapag-Lloyd group is the result of an amalgamation in recent years of the famous Ham-burg-Amerika, and Norddeutscher Lloyd Lines. Captain Weiss joined the Ham-burg-Amerika Line in 1933. The Essen was formerly a HamburgAmerika vessel. On this voyage, she loaded at Hamburg, Bremen, Antwerp and Rotterdam. In New Zealand ports, she is discharging chemicals, machinery, spirits, fertilisers and 38 cars, mainly Mercedes Benz models, plus seme B.M.Ws, Rovers and Peugeots. She is simultaneously loading for return. When the Essen leaves Timaru for Dunkirk, she will have 2000 tons of bulk tallow (a large load), 18,000 bales of wool, pelts, hides, seed and general cargo. Her crew is predominantly German, with three Chinese and an Austrian. An older vessel, she is of a type fast disappearing, but is a sound, seaworthy ship, and well found. # * ®

The Union Steam Ship Company's former intercolonial freighter Waimate, recently sold to the Eastern Shipping Company of the Philippines, has been renamed Eastern Planet, the Press Association reports. Her new owners took delivery at Auckland last week. The 21-year-old ship sailed for Tauranga to load pulp for the Philippines. * * * ARRIVALS Essen, (6.56 a m.), 6821, Capt. Hans Weiss, New Plymouth (Guthrey). „„„ _ . Dido, (6.57 a.m.), 1589, Capt. R. Watkln, Auckland (N.S.S.). DEPARTURES Bulk Explorer, (4.20 pm.), 11,656, Capt. Aage Golid, Bluff (Kinsey). (Bulk.) Holmlea, (4.40 p.m.), 1106, Capt. D. Henlgan, Wellington (U.S.S.). EXPECTED ARRIVALS Rangatlra, Wellington, today.

Athelvlscount, Marsden Point, July 30. Holmlea, Wellington, July 30. Rangatlra, Wellington, July 30. Zaida, Wellington, July 30. Wanaka, Auckland, July 31. Purmerend, Auckland, July 31. Rangatlra, Wellington, August 1. Holmdale, Chathams, August 1. Taupo, Wellington, August 2. Ecuador Maru, Bluff, August 3. Kashlma Maru, Nauru, August 4. Maheno, Wellington, August 4. H.M.N.Z.S. Canterbury, Pago Pago, August 4. Britannic, Wellington, August 6. Natko Nodilo, Auckland, August 7. Canopic. South America. August 7. Star Taro, Nauru, August 7. Hawea, Melbourne, August 8. Tlmaru Star, Wellington. August 8. Shansi, Wellington, August 8. Nessbank, Wellington, August 9. Straat Clarence, Napier, August 9. Frubel Europa, Napier, August British Hazel, Nelson, August 12. Holmburn, Brisbane, August 16. Japan Totara, Wellington. August 17. H.M.A.S. Vampire, sea. August 18. Rosario Maru, Wellington, August 18. Straat Colombo, Wellington, August 19. Suevic, Wellington, August 20. Tiber, Wellington. August 21. Caroline, Christmas Island, August 22. Straat Clement, Napier, August 22. Regent Cosmos, Napier, August 24. Montreal Star, Wellington, August 24. Wenchow, Wellington, August 24. lonic, Wellington, August 25. Carpentaria, Singapore, August 25. Protoapostolos, Wellington, August 26.

PROJECTED DEPARTURES Rangatlra, Wellington, today. (Daylight.) Cumberland, Port Chalmers, to-

day. Dido, Auckland, today. Straat Luzon, Dunedin, today, Rangatlra, Wellington, July 30. Athelvlscount, Dunedin, July 31. Holmlea, Wellington, July 31. Wanaka, Dunedin, July 31. Baron Forbes. Dunedin. July 31. Rangatlra, Wellington, August 1. (Daylight.) Zaida, Auckland, August 1. Purmerend, Wellington, August Waikare. Auckland, August 1. Holmdale, ■, August 3. Ecuador Maru, Wellington, August 3. Maheno, Sydney, August 4. Taupo, Dunedin, August 5. Kashlma Maru, Bluff, August 8. Britannic, Gisborne, August 8. H.M.N.Z.S. Canterbury, Tlmaru, August 8. Hawea. Dunedin, August 8. Star Taro, Dunedin, August 9. Shansi. Tauranga, August 9. Nessbank, Napier, August 8. Canopic, Napier, August 10. Tlmaru Star, Dunedin. August 10. Natko Nodilo, Dunedin, August Straat Clarence, Bluff, August 11. British Hazel. Dunedin, August 13. Frubel Europa, Bluff, August 15. Holmburn, Onehunga, August 18. Japan Totara, Dunedin, August 19. Straat Colombo, Tauranga, August 21. H.M.A.S. Vampire, Auckland,

August 22. Rosario Maru, Dunedin, August Tiber," Dunedin. August 23. Straat Clement, Dunedin, August 23. Suevic, Dunedin, August 23. Caroline, Timaru. August 24. Regent Cosmos, Wellington, August 26. Protoapostolos, Dunedin, August 29. lonic, Tlmaru, August 29.

VESSELS IN PORT Essen, No. 1 Cashin Quay. Cumberland, No. 2 Cashin Quay. Baron Forbes, G.P.E. Dido, No. 1 B.W. Waikare, No. 3 West. Straat Luzon, No. 7 East.