Dock dispute makes Aust. repairs likely

Press, 1 June 1988, Page 9

Dock dispute makes Aust. repairs likely

By

YVONNE MULDER

The holed container ship Forum New Zealand II is likely to go to Australia for repairs because of an industrial dispute at New Zealand’s only appropriate dry dock. The Jubilee floating dock in Wellington has been idle since March with the new owner and the watersiders unable to reach a settlement on wages and conditions. The Forum New Zealand II was able to sail to Australia in her present condition, said Mr Bill Porritt, of the marine division of New Zealand Line. Surveyors in the Ministry of Transport, the salvage association and Lloyd’s had all agreed the vessel was able to make the voyage without temporary repairs being necessary. Mr Porritt said he believed the watersiders and the owner of the Jubilee dock, a Nelson-based company, Nalder and Biddle, would meet today in an attempt to make the dock available. Lyttelton’s dry dock is too small for the 10,864ton ship and the Auckland dock is fully committed to Royal New Zealand Navy vessels. The Forum New Zealand II was holed when she ran aground in dense fog at Adderley Head, at the entrance to Lyttelton Harbour, on Sunday even-

ing. It was impossible to estimate the cost of the repairs until the ship was in dry dock, probably at Newcastle, said Mr Porritt. The ship is owned by the New Zealand Government, managed by the New Zealand Line, and was on charter to the Pacific Forum Line when the grounding occurred. The length of time the ship was out of action would not be known until an assessment of damage was made, said the general manager and chief executive of Pacific Forum Line, Mr John M a c -

Lennan. The Forum New Zealand II is due to sail for Napier today. If she could sail on to Brisbane on her normal run there would be very little disruption to customers’ cargo, said Mr MacLennan. The cargo bound for Papua New Guinea would be transshipped at Brisbane. The vessel would probably go south to Newcastle to dry dock and if everything went well she would be ready to resume on the run to New Zealand this month. Mr McLennan said no cargo had been damaged in the grounding and “not a drop of water entered the cargo space.” A huge hole in the forepeak of the ship is isolated from the rest of the ship by a collision bulkhead.