SHIPPING NEWS Quiet revolution in containers

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33753, 28 January 1975, Page 17

SHIPPING NEWS Quiet revolution in containers

(By

JOHN LESLIE)

A quiet revolution is underway, and in one way or another it will touch almost everyone in the country, according to a report by William Riley, which deals with cellular container ships.

A major rationalisation of New Zealand’s shipping services and ports will take place between now and 1978. with the start of large-scale containerisation of this country’s export-import trade with the United Kingdom, Continental Europe and the Western Mediterranean. This trade alone accounts for about 40 per cent of New Zealand’s trade relations, the report says. Containerisation. involves dramatic changes in current concepts throughout the whole chain of cargo transportation and handling and in road, rail, and port facilities and capacities. It means fewer ships, but much bigger and faster ones, each carrying much greater tonnages. This report gives a cohesive picture of the containerisation plans announced over recent months bv nine of the 13 shipping lines’ serving New Zealand’s trade with U.K.-Europe—four British, four Continental and the Shipping Corporation of New Zealand. The remaining four Continental have yet to announce their intentions. These plans mean a very sub- ' stantial build-up of New Zealand’s container services in addition to those of North America, already partly containerised, and plans for the containerisation of the trade with Japan. It is within this over-all picture of future needs that the expansion of New Zealand's container terminal facilities and in- . ternal transportation requirements have to be planned by the National Ports Authority, and ultimately agreed to and approved by the Government. On current planning for 1978 onwards, the lines envisage an average service frequently to New Zealand of one ship every five or six days, each making calls at two or three ports depending on cargo and space availability. , x . it is estimated that loaded container volumes (in the N.Z.-U.K. Europe trade! from 1978 will total about 88.000 per annum--55.000 northbound and ->3,000 southbound—with 61,000 through the North Island, and 27,000 through the South Island. Total container movements involved at New Zealand ports will greatly exceed these figures and is presently estimated to be 196.000 a year. This takes into account the requirements of loading, unloading and positioning of empties. ~ . Projections indicate that this level of containerisation of the European trade will represent about 55 per cent of total container movements at New Zealand ports for all containerised trades. , . _ Five 41,000 ton vessels, similar to the Remuera and capable of carrying 1414 20ft containers (a large proportion of which will be refrigerated), have been ordered from West German shipyards. Two of these vessels are for ACT two for OCL. and the ■fifth for the Shipping Corporation. A sixth vessel has recently • been ordered in the Netherlands by the Netherlands Ship-

ping Union Group (NSU) for the N.Z.-Europe trade. The 45,000 ton vessel, capable of carrying 2450 containers, will be operated by Nedlloyd within the integrated container services of the four Continental lines of AECS. Ship schedules for all lines’ vessels operating in the integrated service will be fully coordinated.

The level of the shipping lines’ proposed container services are based on the future marketing requirements of meat and dairy exports, which comprise approximately 80 per cent of total exports to the United Kingdom, and were initially agreed in principle with the Meat Producers’ Board and the Dairy Board—the four British lines’ contractual partners in the trade. ARRIVALS Fremantle Star (7.15 a.m.), Capt. W. J. Jones, Auckland (Blueport). Kangatira (6.5 p.m.), 9387, Capt. J. D. Cleaver, Wellington (USSS.). (Daylight.) DEPARTURES Kangatira (8.45 p.m.). 9387, Capt. J. D. Cleaver. Wellington (U.S.S.). EXPECTED ARRIVALS Rangatira, Wellington, today. (Daylight.) Maheno. Auckland. January 30. Atrevida, New Plymouth. January 30. Chilean Reefer. Auckland, January 31. Regent Fleur, Nagoya. January 30. Rangatira, Wellington, January 30. Rangatira, Wellington, January 31. Apollonian Grace, Auckland, January 31. Hawea, Wellington, January 31. Wenchow, Wellington, January 31. Itohamu Maru, No. 3, Japan, February 2. Holmdale. Chathams, February 2. U.S.N.S. Private John R. Towle, McMurdo Sound, February 2. PROJECTED DEPARTURES Abel Tasman, Auckland, today. Rangatira. Wellington, today. Bayernstein, Dunedin, January 29. Maheno. Sydney, January 30. Fremantle Star, Dunedin, January 30. Rangatira. Wellington, January 30. (Daylight). State of Rajasthan, Napier, January 30. Rangatira, Wellington, January 31. (Daylight.) Hawea. Dunedin, January 31. Apollonian Grace, Bluff. February 1- - . Itohamu Maru, No. 3, ——. Feb-

ruary 3. Regent Fleur. Bluff, February 3. Holmdale. —, February 4. Chilean Reefer, Bluff, February 4. — Atrevida. Wellington, February 4VESSELS IN PORT Fremantle Star, No. 1 Cashin Quay. State of Rajasthan, No. 2 Cashin Quay. Bayernstein, G.P.E. Abel Tasman, No. 2 East.