SHIPPING TRADE

Evening Star, Issue 20585, 10 September 1930, Page 12

SHIPPING TRADE

THE LOADLINE CONFERENCE WINTER SEASONAL ZONE Pre*» Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, September 9. (Received September 10, at 12.35 p.m.) The Loadline Conference decided that the northern boundary of the southern winter seasonal zone shall be from the east coast of South Africa at latitude 30deg south, along the Rhumb line, to the west coast of Australia at 35deg south, thence along the south coast of Australia to Cape Arid, thence to Cape Grim (Tasmania), thence along the north coast of Tasmania .to Jiddystono P.oint, thence to the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand at longitude 170 deg cast, thence along the west south-east coast of the South Island to Cape Saunders. IMPORTANT DECISIONS UNIFORM LOADING RULES. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 9. (Received September 10, at 1.30 p.m.) The full text is now issued of the International Loadline Convention, which was signed unanimously on behalf of twenty-nine countries at the recent London conference. The convention, if ratified, will take effect from July 1, 1932, and will apply to all merchant ships of 150 tons gross and over engaged on international voyages. It lays down definite rules for the loading of ships according to the part of the world in which they may be. The United Kingdom delegates say in their report that the cohference contained technical and nautical representatives of all tho principal maritime nations, whoso considered opinion is that tlie new rules are a marked improvement on anything which lias gone before The United Kingdom delegates are satisfied that the new rules will raise the standard of safety of. merchant ships throughout the world and draw attention to two outstanding points; namely, the protection of deck openings and the introduction for tho first timo on British ships of special loadlines for timber ships and tankers. The extreme importance of protecting all deck openings in bad weather is recognised by all seamen, and the rules on this subject are made more definite than ever before. Uniform loading rules for the ships of all nations are established for the first time. [Tho delegates from forty countries attended the Leadline Conference, which commenced on Juno 16 in London. The conference sat in camera, and one subject for consideration was the proposal that the winter loadline should be on the thirty-fifth parallel’ at Albany.]