Freight rate to L.S. up

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33687, 9 November 1974, Page 18

Freight rate to L.S. up

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, November 8. Shipping freight rates to the East Coast of North America will rise by 29.42 per cent from January 1, the New Zealand Meat Producers Board and the New Zealand Dairy Board said in a joint statement today.

“A substantial part of the increase relates to the effects of the slow turn-round in New Zealand ports, whose container handling rates are significantly below those achieved in North America,” the statement says. “There has been a serious deterioration in New Zealand handling rates in 1974, even compared with those of 1973.” With Government approval, the boards had agreed with the lines to a provision in the contract whereby a remission of the “turn-round surcharge” would be granted

J and carried forward into the i j next year’s negotiations if the container handling rate per 'available ship-hour improved 1 to equal the 1973 New Zealand handling rate. I This provision could save . more than SI .5m in 1975, and be just as effective an earner i of overseas exchange as exports to the same value. ; As container movements through the East Coast-North America trade accounted for ! | only about 4 Oper cent of i total container traffic, the I boards felt that not only the I farming sector, but the whole I New Zealand economy, would I benefit greatly by avoiding ' wasteful expenditure resulti ing from factors entirely i-within the control of all those I (associated with waterfront I handling.