Writ for $3M served on meat ship sent back by Iraq

Press, 10 April 1980, Page 1

Writ for $3M served on meat ship sent back by Iraq

The 4628-ton refrigerated meat carrier Pacific Fruit, which arrived at Lyttelton on March 21 from Timaru for repairs, has been served with a writ for almost SUS3M on behalf of her charterer, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, of Japan.

The writ contains two claims, one for $U52,550,806 and the other for SUS4OO,C?3, relating to alleged breaches of the charter arising from the shipping of meat to Iraq. The claims specifically relate to the return of a cargo of meat, the condition of the meat, and the costs involved in the return voyage after the meat had been rejected by the Iraqi authorities. The vessel, which was damaged in a collision in the Strait of Singapore before arriving at Timaru, delivered a cargo of meat to Iraq about two months ago but the meat was rejected by the Iraqi health authorities.

On the ship’s return to

New Zealand the meat was unloaded at Timaru, where it had originated, before the vessel was sent to Lyttelton for- repairs, which included the provision of a new lifeboat. The writ was served on the vessel by a Christchurch solicitor, Mr T. M. Abbott, acting for the Wellington solicitor for Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Mr C. R. Carruthers. A warrant was also served placing the ship under arrest and in the custody of the registrar of the High Court at Wellington.

Mr Abbott said he was not aware of any step’s having been taken by the owner of the ship, Great Pacific Navigation, of Tai-

wan, to have the writ lifted and the warrant revoked. The vessel has a Taiwanese crew and is under the command of a Captain Tsao, who could not be reached yesterday for comment. A spokesman for the New Zealand agent for Great Pacific Navigation, Dalgety Shipping, said Dalgety had relinquished its connection with the Pacific Fruit after the serving of the writ and warrant. A spokesman for Seatrans Consolidated (New Zealand), Ltd, said it appeared likely that his company would take over as agent for the vessel. Some repair work remained to be done on the ship, which allegedly drifted into an oil tanker off Singapore, and it was hoped that she would be able to sail in ballast for Tasmania on April 14. The Pacific Fruit was built in 1964 and named the Brunsholm. Since 1972 she has also been known as the Lily and the Ronirel.