The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1928. OVERLOADED SHIPS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 July 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1928. OVERLOADED SHIPS.

The problem of the overloading of ships, to which reference was made in a cable message on Tuesday, is one that is seldom in evidence in New Zealand. The Shipping and Seamen Act provides that overloaded ships, whether British or foreign may be detained, and that the master of any ship is liable to a heavy fine in respect of such an offence. It will be recalled that several years ago the master of an oil tanker arriving at Wellington in an overloaded condition was fined on several occasions. Aspects of the problem of overloaded ships, notably the depressing effect on freight markets., are discussed by a shipowner in an interesting article in “Lloyd's List.” He remarks that “The report that the Argentine Government is at last taking steps to prevent or attempt to prevent, the evil of overloading, will he much welcomed in most quarters. That tonnage has left the River Plate overloaded has in many instances been proved. All the cases, or practically all, are of foreign Hag, and one flag is prominent. It cannot he gainsaid that there has been previous neglect on the part of the Argentine authorities, but they are not entirely . to blame, for it may at once be pointed out that the captain demands from the shipper the amount of cargo he requires, and it must of necessity be presumed that he is acting under instructions from liis owners. If the matter were carefully looked into,” he continues, “it would be found that in. many ehses the vessels were old and were once under the British flag. It would l>o interesting to know whether the former owners have taken any interest in such vessels since they left their flag, and whether they have any record of cargoes recently carried, and have compared them with the cargoes previously loaded under their ownership. If the British owner did this he would be very surprised at the differences; he would be quickly forced to the conclusion that he was being seriously handicapped by unfair competition, and lie would readily jump to the conclusion that here perhaps was an indication of one way of lessening the amount of tonnage which is trading on the world's markets. If the .present state of affairs as regards overloading were treated more strenuously, and if heavier penalties were inflicted by all Governments, substantial relief would be afforded to ton-nage-glutted markets. But action must not be confined to British owners and the British Board of Trade. Without exaggeration of facts, it could probably be proved that many a vessel is at present carrying between .hrec hundred and four hundred tons more eargo than she previously did. If such a practice is widespread—and few will doubt that it is—the effect it has on the markets where it is most common can be easily imagined. Supposing at a modest estimate, that ten ships leave the River Plate ports per week fthe Plate is by no moans the only market in which the evil exists; other markets, and especially the Black Sea, are to an equal extent to blame) overloaded to the extent of 400 tons per ship, then over 200,000 tons of illegitimate cargo are being carried yearly. Further, the fact must not be overlooked that the carrying of this extra cargo makes it possible for owners who countenance it to cut their rates of freight, to the very serious detriment of other owners, who abide by the Very necessary legislations as to leadline. A remedy for this bad state of affairs would help shipping considerably, but, apart from the remedy, this attempt to npalvte the evil

may bring borne to British owners the folly of selling old vessels to foreigners and allowing themselves to be left to pay the penalty of grossly unfair competition, Naturally enough there arc owners, who, in their anxiety to keep their fleets up to date as the best possible freight-earning propositions, make a practice of getting rid of their old vessels, but they might well consider the alternative of running the old ships themselves as long as possible, and then seeing that they are sold for the scrapyard direct as soon as they are no longer a practicable commercial proposition. There is far too much tonnage sold abroad, and it is tonnage of this typo, and not the new tonnage of go-ahead firms that generally ruins markets. The question of old tonnage is well belore underwriters at the present moment, and perhaj>s their decisions, though no doubt severe at the moment and unpopular with owners of old vessels, may ultimately help to solve the problem of the world’s suporllous tonnage. The question of overloaded and old tonnage is worth serious consideration and demands more stringent action by those who have the power in their hands to deal with the matter, he they underwriters or shipowners. The result might not he very great, hut it would be a step in the right direction, and, apart from certainly helping unfair competitian, it might ultimately succeed in getting rid of a lot of old tonnage which at the present time is merely a burden to tlio shipowning industry in general”