UNITED KINGDOM SHIPPING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23365, 3 December 1937, Page 16

UNITED KINGDOM SHIPPING

FOREIGN TRADE MOVEMENTS THREE-QUARTER-YEAR PERIOD HIGHEST FIGURES SINCE 1930 . <From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Nov. 6. The total volume of traffic in the foreign trade at United Kingdom ports during the period JanuarySeptember, 1937, exceeded that in the first nine months of 1936 by 9.0 million tons net, or 5.1 per cent., and was greater than in any corresponding period since 1930. The total of the arrivals and departures of British tonnage during the same period .was the highest since 1931. The aggregate movement of tonnage at United Kingdom ports in the foreign and coasting trades during September was greater than in any previous month of September, says the Board of Trade Journal. The net tonnage of the vessels that arrived at ports in the United Kingdom during September, 1937, with cargo for discharge at the port of arrival was 7,343,000 tons, or 14.000 tons (0.2 per cent.) more than in September, 1936.' Norwegian tonnage rose by 118,000 tons (30 per cent.) and French by 37,000 tons (14 per cent.), but decreases were recorded for all the other principal nationalities; German tonnage declined by 52,000 tons (12 per cent.), British by 46,000 tons (1 per cent.), United States by 26,000 tons (7 per cent.) and Dutch by 24,000 tons (7 per cent.). About 57 per cent, of the total net tonnage that arrived with cargo in September, 1937, was British, as against 58 per cent, a year earlier. The net tonnage of the vessels that arrived during the month at any port in the United Kingdom without cargo for discharge at that port (recorded as arriving in ballast) was 3,378,000 tons, an increase compared with September, 1936, of 509.000 , tons (17.7 per cent.). Except for Norwegian tonnage, which decreased by 2000 tons (2 per cent.), and Dutch, for which no change was shown, the tonnage recorded for each of the principal nationalities was greater than a year earlier, the largest increase (198,000 tons, or TO per cent.) being in respect of British vessels.

French tonnage increased by 122,000 tons (51 per cent.) and German by 91,000 tons (34 per cent.). There was also an increase of 95,000 tons (45 per cent.) in the tonnage of “ Other Nationalities,” mainly 'in respect of Greek, Danish and Swedish vessels. The British proportion of the total net tonnage that arrived in ballast declined from 66 per cent, in September, 1936, to 62 per cent, in September, 1937, while of the total British arrivals with cargo and in ballast the tonnage in ballast represented about 31 per cent, in the earlier and 33 per cent, in the later month. DEPARTURES

The net tonnage of the vessels that departed during September, 1937, from ports at which they had loaded cargo for abroad was 6,522,000 tons, or 681,000 tons (11.7 per cent.) more than in September, 1936. The tonnage under each of the principal flags was greater than a year earlier except in the case of United States tonnage, for which no substantial change was recorded. More than one-half of the total net increase was in British tonnage, which rose by 351,000 tons (9 per cent.), French, Dutch and German tonnage increased by 108,000 tons (33 per cent.), 77,000 tons (42 per cent.) and 52,000 tons (15 per cent.), respectively, while a rise.of 87,000 tons (11 per cent.) recorded for tonnage of “Other Nationalities” was mainly in respect of Greek vessels. The British share of the total net tonnage that departed with cargo was about 63 per cent, in September, 1937, and 65 per cent, a year earlier. The net tonnage of the vessels that departed from ports at which they had loaded no cargo for abroad (recorded as departing in ballast) amounted during the month to 4.376.000 tons, or 257,000 tons (5.5 per cent.) less than a year earlier. Br: : ;:h tonnage was lower by 221,u00 tons (9 per cent.), Dutch by 111.000 tons (32 per cent.) and German by 23,000 tons (6 per cent.). On the other hand, the tonnage of Norwegian and French vessels was higher by 96,000 tons (35 per cent.) and 29,000 tons (15 per cent.), respectively. The British proportion of the total net tonnage that departed in ballast declined from 55 per cent, in September, 1936, to 53 per cent, in September, 1937, and of the total British tonnage that departed the proportion in ballast was 40 per cent, in the earlier and 36 per cent, in the later month. There was an all-round increase in the coasting trade in September, as compared with a year earlier, the net tonnage of the arrivals and departures with cargo increasing by 13.000 tons (0.5 per cent.) and 9000 tons (0.4 per cent.), respectively, and the arrivals and departures in ballast by 67,000 tons (1.9 per cent.) and 88,000 tons (2.6 per cent.).