Shipping News Deep draught ships favour Lyttelton

Press, 6 September 1980, Page 26

Shipping News Deep draught ships favour Lyttelton

Lyttelton’s popularity as a deep water port and, consequently, as first port for heavily laden vessels from overseas, was . proven again this week. The Ficus, a 19,274-ton Shell tanker, arrived in port on Thursday from Singapore, drawing 11.45 m (374 ft of water, possibly the deepest draught vessel to enter Lyttelton. .

After discharging a portion of her cargo of various petroleum products and subsequently lightened, she sailed yesterday for Napier. It is thought that, until the arrival of the Ficus, the deepest draught vessel to have used the port was another Shell tanker, the Felipes, in November last year. The Felipes came into port with a draught of 11.42 m. The. deep water feature of the Port of Lyttelton attracts not only heavily laden tankers, but also bulk cargo l vessels as a first port of call in New Zealand. :

This was again demonstrated yesterday with the arrival of the phosphate carrier Louisa which came to Lyttelton direct from Christmas Island to: discharge 6500 tonnes of bulk phosphate before sailing to Timaru. ARRIVALS Union Hobart (7.7 a.m.) 4376, Dunedin (U.S;S.).; ■ Louisa" (9.23 a an.) 15,903, Christinas .Island ; (British Phosphate Commission). / DEPARTURES Ficus (6.23 aan.) 19,274, Napier (Dalgety). -?■- Union Hobart (10 p.m.) 4376, Wellington (U.S.S.).

EXPECTED ARRIVALS Union Lyttelton, Dunedin, 7 a,m. today (Gladstone Pier)..Marama, Sydney, Wellington, 2.30 pan. today (Gladstone Pier). ■ Austral Pioneer, Melbourne, 6 a.m. today (Cashin Quay No Holmdale, Chatham Islands, j. 3 p.m. today (No: 3 West). Amokura, Marsden Point, 6.30 a.m. tomorrow. Coastal Trader, Auckland, Sei tember fi. ■: Kotuku. Auckland, September ! Lake Eyre, Bluff, September 8. Union Lyttelton, Wellington, Septembers.. Coastal Trader, Dunedin,. Ser tember 10. Nedlloyd Madison, Wellingtot. September 10. Wild Flamingo, Bluff, Septembe 13. Altis, Auckland, September 14. Coastal Trader, Auckland, September 15. Fua Kavenga, Tauranga, Septe' • her .15/ ■■..■..■ ■ Anco Enterprise. Panama, Sc tember 15. • ; ‘ Coastal Trader, Dunedin, Sep2 tember 17.' Austral Lightning. Papeete, Set tember 17. - ' PROJECTED DEPARTURES Ngakuta, Nelson. 11 a.m. today Austral Pioneer, New Orleans, : 6pun. .today. Louisa, 'Timaru, 6 p.m. today. Union Lyttelton, Wellington. „ 8 p.m. today. Coastal Trader, Dunedin, September 8. 4 ' Amokura, Dunedin, September 8. Union Lyttelton, Dunedin, Mel- . bourne, Sentember 9. K ° tl ber ’ 9 New pl y mouth > SeptemCoastal Trader, Auckland, September 10. Marama, Tauranga, Svdney, September 10. .. Holmdale, Chatham Islands, September 12. Coastal Trader, Dunedin, Septem- ■ ber 15. Coastal Trader, Auckland, September 17. VESSEL IN PORT Ngakuta. No. 3 East.