Freighter’s last run

Press, 11 April 1977, Page 15

Freighter’s last run

An old campaigner on the New Zealand coast, the P and O freighter Strathlairg, is making her last visit to Lyttelton. For the past six years, she has serviced the New ZealandPersian Gulf trade, but at the end of this run she will be disposed of. The Strathlairg, built in 1951, was formerly the Chakdina, one of 12 vessels specially built for the British India Company. For most of her years, she was on the Australia-India-United Kingdom run. Typical of the vessels of her era, she is full of woden panelling and brass fittings which would cost a small fortune to reproduce today. The Strathlairg is commanded by Captain James McCowan, who is also preparing to retire after 38 years at sea.

Captain McCowan went to sea in 1939 and spent the war years in the merchant navy. In 1943, he was torpedoed in the North Atlantic while in the New Zealand Shipping Company freighter Empire Whimbrel, but nobody was very interested in that sort of thing" now, he said. ARRIVALS Saturday Sunday Union Melbourne <'7.53 a.m.),i 4043, Capt J. D. Cleaver. Auck-i Hand (U.S.S.). Vishva Bindu (9.20 a.m.i, 5355. Wellington (Dalgety). Chevron Venice (6.49 a.m.). .Wellington. DEPARTURES Saturday Nil. Sunday 1 Nil.

i EXPECTED ARRIVALS > Auckland Star, Auckland, today. , Coastal Trader, Auckland, toi day. • Strathiomond, Auckland, today. • Marama, Wellington, April 12. Star Victoria, Vancouver, April t 12. PROJECTED DEPARTURES Coastal Ranger. Wellington, today. Coastal Trader, Dunedin, today.Union Melbourne, today. Holmdale, Chatham Islands. ,| April 12. ■i Marama, April 12. ■ Panaghis Vergottis. April 12. , Strathlairg. Auckland. April 13. VESSELS IN PORT . Strathlairg, Cashin Quay No. 1. Panaghis Vergottis. No. 2 East. Holmdale, No. 3 East. Zealandic. No. 3 West. H.M.A.S. Perth. No. 4 West. Vishva Bindu, No. 7 East. Coastal Ranger, No. 4 East. Union Melbourne, No. 2 West. I