NEW MEAT FLEET

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12080, 20 October 1933, Page 2

NEW MEAT FLEET

■■ BLTJ E STAR -BINE;. FIRST SHIP. LEAVES LONDON. (U.P.A. by Elec. TeL Copyright) LONDON, Oct. Iff The Tuscan Star (5718 tons) left London on Friday to inaugurate the Blue Star Line’s New Zealand meat •service. The Australian Press Association learns that the Blue Star Line will enter the Australian trade in October, 1934. The details are not settled, but it will not mean any increase in tonnage, as Blue Star liners will ■’eplace other companies’ steamers now in the trade.

Special arrangements will he made to carry chilled beef.

Advice was received in Wellington on September 30 that the Blue Star Line was going ahead with plans for entering the Australian and New Zealand shipping trade, and that orders had been placed for tw o new motorsbips embodying all the latest ideas of construction. In connection with other ships of the line, they will trade regularly with Australia and the Dominion. The new vessels will be of 15,000 tons and will have a service speed of 17 knots, being probably the largest in the refrigerated trade. It is hoped they will be ready for service in October of next year. The Blue Star Line already owns about 30 large steamers, including 11 vessels of more than. 10,000 tons, the largest being the Arandora Star (14,700 tons). The Tuscan Star, which i s inaugurating the. service, has refrigerated space amounting to 557,548 cubic feet. New freight contracts for the carriage of frozen meat, dairy produce and fruit from New Zealand to the United Kingdom have been arranged in London.

It is generally understood that the Blue Star Line has been included in (he New Zealand freight contracts and that monthly services will he run.