GOVT SEEKS NEW VESSEL

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34000, 14 November 1975, Page 3

GOVT SEEKS NEW VESSEL

Press Association) WELLINGTON. Nov. 13. Two Government marine officials are overseas to look at several roll-on vessels, with a; view to buying a suitable one for the coastal trade. They are the Deputy Director of Marine (Mr H. D. M. Jones), who designed the] four rail ferries and other i Government ships, and Mr J.i Critchley, the regional en-i gineer surveyor of the Marine I Division of the Ministry of] Transport.

Also overseas is the technical manager of the New Zealand Shipping Corporation (Mr George Richie), who’ will meet Mr Jone's'and iMr (Critchley in. Europe. Shipping circles believe V ■ that the Ministry of Trans-p ;port men are looking for a suitable replacement for thei: unprofitable Rangatira. and i that the ship required would(: ibe a freighter carrying no{i [Passengers. il A senior official of the, ■Ministry said today that he ■ i would not comment: at pre- 1 (sent on what trade such a ■ I ship, if purchased, was in- i I tended for. i | He would not specify the It ■ nature of trade the new shipß might be engaged in. other' than that it might comple- ; ment the roll-on freighter, , [Coastal Trader. ( ■ The Coastal Trader runs,; : weekly'on a round trip from-, Auckland to the South Island e 'and back. So far, said the official,], ■ four ships in Scandinavia , have been inspected and re- ; ports on them sent back to: [New Zealand. Others are also . |to be looked at. i A senior official from the ’ ■ Shipping Corporation said ' that Mr Ritchie’s meeting,! with Mr Jones and Mr Critch- 5 ley would be incidental. a Mr Ritchie was in Europe to attend to details in con- . nection with the building of;, the corporation’s new’ container ship and was looking; s at aspects such as refrigera- ■ s tion and accommodation. t