Cinderella-like ship

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34133, 21 April 1976, Page 12

Cinderella-like ship

Like Cinderella, the Shin Sakura Maru has a habit of periodically undergoing rather dazzling transformations. She turned up in Lyttelton this week in the guise of a relatively humble Pacific trader to pick up a cargo of frozen meat and vegetables. But almost overnight she could be transformed into a glittering show-case of all that is best in Japanese industry and culture. Owned by the Japan Industry Floating Fair Association the Shin Sakura Maru

iiwas built in 1972 for the I dual purpose of being both a floating exhibition and a general cargo vessel. Her first trip as a floating' exhibition was to Europe in i 1972, followed by a visit to i the east and west coasts of; 1 Africa in 1974. l i Next on the list will be ■: the Persian Gulf, the Middle ‘ East and the Black Sea. i scheduled for October this; : year. i In between times she has! been operated by Mitsui ■ O.S.K. Lines running a reefer cargo service mainly - between Japan and South America. i The ship’s forward cargo

(hatches double as display < areas for exhibitors. All told. ..the ship provides 3391; (square metres of display! ■space on three decks. The aft end is given over. ;to passenger and crew ac-j jeommodation, huge reception) (lobbies equipped with es-l Icalators and exquisitely dec- 1 ) orated banquet halls and ) lounges. ) Specially treasured is al (mural covering almost the) I entire wall in a select! lounge used for entertaining visiting dignatories. Featur-I ing ancient Japanese musical 1 i instruments, the mural is covered in golf leaf. However, as far as most!

of the crew are concerned. , she is just another ship and they potter about with rouItine duties like janitors in a deserted Las Vegas night .club. I The Shin Sakura Maru is I the second such ship to be I built for the floating fair association. The first was sold in 1972 and now works as a passenger vessel between Japanese ports. According to chief officer K. Akatsuka, “Sakura" means “cherry blossom.” “Shin” simply means “second” or “number two.”