Big Shipments Of Coal From Port Of Greymouth

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 March 1948, Page 4

Big Shipments Of Coal From Port Of Greymouth

Although slight restrictions on the draughts of the larger vessels are still necetiary, the Greymouth bar has shown 'no further deterioration and it is likely that 10,000 tons of coal, from Grey district and Buller mines, will be shipped from the port this week —the highest total for a long time. With the Westport harbour unworkable through bar shoaling, the coal shipping trade in the meantime has become a Greymouth monopoly and unices the weather deteriorates, big figures will be reached by the week-end.

Fears that the Heavy seas experienced towards the end of last week might cause further shoaling on the Greymouth bar proved groundless and soundings on Sunday disclosed that there had been no loss of depth. At high water yesterday there was 21ft 6ins of water on the bar, sufficient for the larger types of vessels, with slight, restrictions on the amount of cargo carried. Westport Crisis

The position at Westport, however,' is grave. At low tide on Saturday there was only sft 6in. of water on the bar, or only half that available at Greymouth. For all practical purposes the port is closed and is likely to remain so until a major flood occurs in the river. As much of the coal produced at the Buller mines as possible is being railed to Canterbury or to Greymouth for shipping but, according to Buller reports, the Railways Department can handle only a little more than half the total output. The result is that coal stocks are accumulating and the coal industry is facing a crisis. It is not expected that there will be any further deterioration as regards the Greymouth bar so long as the weather remains favourable, although a few inches of depth may be lost as the tides approach the neap levels. Today there are three large “K” vessels in port, all scheduled to load coal for Auckland and between them they will lift 7500 tons for the northern port. Unfortunately, loading did not proceed as quickly today as is desired, under the circumstances. Only two of the four cranes now available on the Grey mouth wharf are suitable for use on the larger types of vessels and one of these last evening developed a mechanical defect, which put it out of action until this afternoon. The other crane was engaged this-morning on loading the Kaimiro. and the Kiwitea and Karepo could not be worked. Labour Available Two other large vessels are due before the week-end, the Kartigi to load a full cargo of about 2,500 tons of coal for Wellington and the Kakapc, to load coal, timber and posts for Gisborne. There is stated to be labour available to work all of these vessels, but the crane position limits the number of gangs which can be engaged at one time, as occurred today. Every effort will be made to dispatch the Kartigi before the weekend and her departure to schedule will bring the week’s coal export to over the 10,000-ton mark—more than the total production of the Grey district mines.

With the special efforts being made by the Railways Department to transport as much of the Bullei’ district coal to the East Coast, the Otira tunnel freight figures are also expected to be high this week. The new electric crane ordered' by the Greymouth Harbour Board and now in the course of construction in Wellington, would have been of great benefit in speeding the turnround of vessels this week and the need for increased loading facilities has not been stressed so forcibly for some time. In November last, 8463 tons of coal were shipped from Greymouth in a week, but there is every indication that this figure will be exceeded by the equivalent of the full cargo of one of the larger types of vessels, this week.