PANAMA ROUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 75, 26 September 1945, Page 8

PANAMA ROUTE

SHIPPING DIVERTED

HOMEWARD VIA CAPE HORN

The British Ministry of War Transport has issued an order diverting shipping from the Panama Canal route. Ships returning to Great Britain from New Zealand must now travel via Cape Horn, according to advice received, by the Ministry's representative in New Zealand, Sir Alexander Roberts. Similar instructions have been issued in respect of ships from Australia.

It is not expected that any serious upset of shipping schedules will occur. The difference round Cape Horn is about 900 miles longer than v.a Panama, or from two to three days' steaming. Shipping between New Zealand and Britain travelling through the Panama Canal has been paying canal dues in dollar currency at the rate of nearly £300,000 sterling a year. Shipping between Australia and Britain has involved a much greater sum. Payment of the dues has been made in London.

While the Ministry's order remains in force shipping from New Zealand will therefore revert to the old "Round the Horn" route. Homeward-bound oilburners and Diesel vessels from Australia will also travel via Cape Horn, but coal-burners from Australia will go via South Africa. Outward-bound oil-burners and Diesel vessels travelling to Australia will come through the Suez Canal, and coal-burners via Cape Town.

The routes used by ships outward bound from Britain to New Zealand will be either Suez or Cape of Good Hope. The latter; route is about 1000' miles shorter than the Suez route. It is not expected that many ships returning from New Zealand will go via Suez in view of the longer distance involved—l7oo miles longer than via Panama.

Immediately the announcement was made, shipping offices in Wellington were besieged with inquiries from passengers, including a number of wives of American servicemen, who were to go to Panama and from there disembark for the United States.

It was stated today that the order does not apply to ships running under Sea Transport Regulations. Their instructions will continue to come through naval channels. The routir? of the Rangitiki will not be changed.