Union Company may sell roll-on ships

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33938, 3 September 1975, Page 3

Union Company may sell roll-on ships

i (N.Z. Press Association) i I WELLINGTON, I September 2. Consideration was being given Io the sale of ( two roll-on ships, the! [Wanaka and Union. [Wellington, the assist-' ant manager of the Union Steam Ship Company (Mr D. C. Jury) said today. The Wanaka has been laid: 'up at Dunedin for several [ , months and the Union Wellington, purchased little more; [than 12 months ago, is still' ! trading. i “We are having a look at [a proposition for the sale of! .'the Wanaka," Mr Jury’ said. “The Tasman trade has [shown no significant sign of: j picking-up,” he said. “It is [ [going on an up and down ! course.” The volume of trade would not justify keeping the. Union Wellington, but there were! no plans to withdraw the | Wanaka’s -sister vessel, the Hawea. from service or any] other,-of the roll-on shins. The LTnion Wellington would be surplus when the new ship. Union Melbourne, which was due to be commissioned at Hamburg on Monday, arrived. The two Tor class roll-on ships, which were being built in Scandinavia, would be Improving. — The Speaker : [and member of Parliament | for Nelson (Mr Whitehead), was now able to be out of bed for short periods, a Nelsoh Hospital spokesman said yesterday. Mr Whitehead was now quite comfortable. I — (P.A.)

taken on a charter basis, Mr i Jury said. They would bei: ready for delivery in July, I 1976, and February. 1977, [; The company has two other' roll-on ships, the 12,500-1: tonne LTnion Rotorua and Ro-1 toiti, which will be launched!! I:

from Whyalla this November and next July respectively. Increases hl freight -rates averaging 7.2 per cent for Union Steam Ship Company Tasman and Pacific Islands services were approved today by the Department of Trade and Industry: The department said this afternoon that the application ; hacT been approved under delegated authority from "the ’ Price Tribunal to offset increased costs arising from devaluation. The increases range from, 5 to 10 per cent. The main roll-on trade. I

where most of the devalua-i ition costs have been felt, ish ! subject to an increase of 8.5 [j per cent. The increases will take ef-i feet from next Monday. The department said that New Zealand coastal trade j rates were not affected.

i The Union Company yesI terday announced an interim (increase of 8 per cent on I cargoes carried from AustraI lia, also to compensate for (devaluation.