Korean shipmaster keeps in touch

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32996, 16 August 1972, Page 17

Korean shipmaster keeps in touch

Seafarers, because of their calling, make use of overseas toll calls more than most people. Aboard some modern overseas vessels calling at Lyttelton it is possible to talk by radio-telephone to the other side of the world, but this is usually used for business calls.

When he went ashore at Lyttelton yesterday morning, a South Korean shipmaster telephoned his wife in Pusan for a three-minute conversation. Captain S. K. Kim. aged 44, said that the delay was only one hour, and he liked to keep in touch. Captain Kim, who commands the 14,672-ton, Liberian-registered bulk carrier Caroline, which is discharging Christmas Island phosphate, said he had no set pattern for telephoning home but did so fairly regularly. At present he does not see much of his home city, but receives regular mail and writes regularly in return. Captain Kim did not speak to his four children yesterday because they were on summer vacation. They are a son, Iltong (19). at university, Yunhi (17). a daughter at high school, a boy, Jintong (15), at medium school, and Kunghi (13), a girl at the same school. If Captain Kim learns by mail that the children's studies are not progressing as favourably as they might be. he makes a telephone call to Pusan, no matter where his ship is abroad, and gives his views. When possible, his wife travelled with him, but the family was the first duty, he said. During such trips, the grandparents mind the children, in accordance with Asian custom.

The Caroline, one of a fleet of 87 bulk carriers, tankers, and conventional cargo vessels : engaged in world-wide charter i trade, has a South Korean crew. I Many such crews are seen in Lyttelton. She is owned by Maritime Overseas Corporation (New l York). Captain Kim said that South i Korea had more than three mil-

lion tons of merchant shipping, all cargo vessels, apart from a few small coastal passenger craft. Deck officers and engineers were scarce but the availability of seamen was not quite as bad. South Korean vessels traded world-wide. Conditions and wages in these ships were not quite up to the standard of ships such as the foreign-owned, luxuriously ap--1 pointed Caroline, he said. There was one marked differ-

■ ence between South Korean meri chant vessels and those of other ■ nations —the taking of wives to sea was not permitted. Captain Kim said he was not sure why—nearly every other nation today , permitted the carriage of wives, j and in some cases, children. 1 Although there was always the I telephone, air mail, and regular leave, he still missed his family.

A visitor at Lyttelton this i afternoon, on a routine operational cruise, will be the Bathurst class minesweeper: H.M.N.Z.S. Inverell (Lieutenant-! Commander T. C. M. Raven,R.N.Z.N.). She will sail for Auckland on Friday, and the same’ day H.M.A.S. Vampire will arrive • from Sydney. ARRIVALS Parera (6.2 a.m.), 823, Capt. G. L. Porter. Timaru (U.S.S.). j Rangatira (6.45 a.m.). 9387,1 Capt. J. D. Cleaver. Wellington: : (u.s.s.). : Natko Nodilo <6.58 a.m.), 8852. i i Capt. Z. Vidas. Dunedin (Kinsey). British Hazel (7.48 a.m.), 12,964,j Capt. F. Homer. Nelson: i (Dalgety). (Tanker.) Holmlea (9.36 a.m.). 1106. Capt. : E. Savage. Wellington (U.S.S.). DEPARTURES Rangatira (9.15 a.m.), 9387, Capt. J D. Cleaver. welling* i ton (U.S.S ). (Daylight.) Taupo (4.30 p.m.). 8219, Capt. E. F. H. Allen. Napier (P and O (N.Z.), Ltd). EXPECTED ARRIVALS Rangatira. Wellington, today. Wanaka, Dunedin, today. H.M.N.Z.S. Iverell, Wellington, today. Rangatira Wellington. August 17 (daylight). Kashima Maru. Nauru. August 17. Straat Luzon. Dunedin. August 18. ■ Katea. Tauranga, August 18. f Frubel Europa. Bluff. August 18.

Awanui, Auckland, August 18 (Dock 5). Parkhomenko, Auckland, August 18. Japan Totara, Wellington, August 18. H.M.A.S. Vampire, Sydney, August 18. Suevic, Wellington, August 19. Hawea, Dunedin, August 22. Straat Colombo, Wellington, August 23. Chevron Venice, sea, August 23. Montreal Star. Wellington, August 24. Wenchow, Wellington. August 24. Tarawera. Auckland, August 25 (survey). lonic, Wellington, August 25. Straat Clement, Napier, August 25. Belita, Nauru, August 25. Regent Cosmos, Auckland, August 28. Carpentaria, Singapore. August 28. Holmdale. Suva. August 29. Abel Tasman, Timaru, August 30. Protoapostolos, Wellington, August 31. Straat Cumberland, Wellington, August 31. Maheno, Wellington, September 1. Japan Rimu. Wellington. Septem-

ber 2. Auckland Star, Wellington. September 3. Tiber, Nelson, September 4. Hamburg Maru, Wellington, September 6. Wien. Wellington, September 7. Woosung, Wellington, September 7. Zaida. Wellington, September 8. Wenchow, Wellington. September 9. Oakbank. Wellington. September 13. Karetu. Dunedin, September 14. PROJECTED DEPARTURES British Hazel Dunedin today. James Cook, sea. today. Caroline. Bluff, today. Holmlea. Wellington, today. Rangatira. Wellington, today. Wanaka, Auckland, today. Parera, Wanganui, today. Frubel Europa, Auckland, August 17. Rangatira. Wellington. August 17. Parkhomenko, Tauranga. August 18. H.M.N.Z.S. Inverell, Auckland, August 18. Kashima Maru, Bluff, August 19. Katea. Dunedin. August 19. Straat Luzon, Wellington, August 19. Awanui. Tauranga, August 21. Japan Totara, Dunedin, August 22.