Six months in Suez

Press, 27 July 1976, Page 21

Six months in Suez

, Shipping News

Few would relish six months incarceration in a freighter trapped in the Suez Canal, tut for Captain KarlHeinz Prissel, master of the Friesenstein, it was a fate his sea career had meted out before. Captain Prissel, who' brought the Friesenstein into . Lyttelton for the first time ‘ yesterday, commanded one j of the relief crews on one of the 14 vessels caught in thei, Bitter Lake when the Suez ( Canal was closed in 1967. | For the six-month tour of j duty the crew was. officially, not permitted to travel more than 500 yards h from the ship. ( Captain Prissel went to? sea snortly before the Sec- J ond World War in the Ger- < man liner services to the: Far East and North America. When war broke out his 1 vessel took refuge in In- < donesia but, when Germany ’ invaded the Netherlands, he , was interned by the Dutch • colonial authorities. When the Dutch retreated before the Japanese in In- 1 donesia. they took their 1 internees with them. As a < result Captain Prissel spent 1 what he calls the best years of his life, between 19 and 1 25, in internment camps. In contrast his Suez stay I was almost a holiday. i. The 14 crews, from eight; nations, pooled their inge- s nuity to find ways to pass 1 the time. They came up with • the Bitter Lake Olympics

and competitions were held in 13 events, including rowing, sailing, shooting, archery, the 50 metre dash (twice up the deck), and high jumping. Captain Prissel’s present command is one of four sister ships run by HaphagLloyd. Another three were recently sold to Ecuador. The Fnesenstein was built for the Far East liner service before the introduction of containers. She now serves in the trade between Europe and the west coast: of South America. ARRIVALS Kuaka 112.34 p.m.), Capt. D. Lochhead, Marsden Point (U.S.S.i. Coastal Trader <3.19 p.nt.i, 2501). Capt. R. Tindall. . Dunedin 'Shipping Corp, of X.Z.i. Union Auckland (3.42 p.m.), 12,782, Capt. P. Bennett, Cape Thevenard iL'.S.S.). DEPARTURES Iron Arnhem 14.45 p.m.i. 4307.> Capt. D. A. Angelatos, Australia: iSeatrans). is.. Frado’' 11 30 p.m.i. 2500. Capt. R. Tindall. Auckland (Shipping Corp, of X.Z.i. tXeerr o /<.-v w ai.' Marasumi Maru, Japan, July 28. uua cuauiam ,s,«nas, July: 28. Free title Star, Wellington. July I 28. Stra Agulhas. Wellington. July 28. Sea Guardian, Auckland. July 29J Luu bytiney, Melbourne, July; 29. New Zealand Star, Timaru, July ;

Karetu, Tauranga. July 30. Prima, from sea. July 30. Uiib -« bsdnev. Wellington, Jul} 31. Imilchil, Auckland. July 31. Baynunah, Wellington. August 1. PROJECTED UtPARTUKfcS Zeaiandic. Napier, today. Kuaka. Dunedin. July 28. Star Capella. Bluff, July 28. Karepo. Tauranga, July 28. Uni<—< Sydney Wellington. July 29. Lutetian, July 29. Japan Totara. New Plymouth. July 30. Union Sydney. Dunedin. July 31. Vishva Bindu, Dunedin, July 31. VESSELS IN PORT Lutetian. Cashin Quay No. 2. Star Capella. G.P.E. Karepo. No. 1 Breastwork. Nyati Moke, No. 2 East, r riesenstein. No 2 East. Japan Totara. No. 3 West. ' T awhera No. 5 East. Union Auckland. No. 6 West. Visma Hindu. No. 7 East, ’•'ea’andir No 7 West. Kuaka. oil wharf.