LITTLE ACTIVITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27080, 14 May 1949, Page 9

LITTLE ACTIVITY

PORT OF OTAGO TEMPORARY POSITION BUSY PERIOD AHEAD In the past few days there has been little shipping activity at the Port of Otago and, on present indications, no wharf labour will be required at all from this morning until Tuesday, for there will be no ships needing attention in that time. This slack period, however, will only be temporary. Indeed, if the large number of vessels expected next week adhere to their present schedules, an extremely busy period lies ahead for the local waterfronts. The present spell of comparitive inactivity has arisen mainly because of rain, which has delayed shipping movements in most of the northern ports. At present there is only one vessel in port, the coastal freighter Kurow, which is berthed at the Rattray street wharf, and she is expected to sail for Bluff this morning. The only ship due to-day, and the only one before Tuesday is a tanker, the 8231-ton Neritopsis, which does not use wharf labour.

On Tuesday and in the following three days, however, no fewer than 16 vessels are due at this port. These include 10 overseas, two inter-colonial and four coastal ships. And in the next four days three more are expected. In commenting on the large number of ships expected and the extremely busy period apparently ahead, the local manager of the Waterfront Industry Commission, Mr Matheson, said that many of the vessels .would almost certainly arrive several days after their present scheduled times, which would prevent any congestion in the wharves. Shipping schedules, he explained, were liable to be altered from day to day. As an instance, he said that more heavy rain might fall. All the same, he added, all the wharf labour available would probably be needed to work what vessels did arrive.

The first four vessels are expected on Tuesday. They include the coastal freighter Waipiata, the trans-Tasman refrigerated cargo ship Viti, and two overseas craft, the Kaituna and Haparangi, both of which are owned by the New Zealand Shipping Company. The Kaituna, which has a gross tonnage of 4914, is coming from New Yojk, via northern ports, to unload general United States cargo, after which she will begin loading for the United States and Canada. The 11,280ton Haparangi, which is one of the new Norfolk class of refrigerated cargo ships, will discharge general cargo from Liverpool at Port Chalmers. Five of the six vessels expected on Wednesday are from overseas ports, the other being the coastal ship Holmdale. One of them, the Ventura, is a steamship of the Matson Line, units of whose fleet do not often visit Dunedin. Direct from Australian ports, she will load wool and other general cargo for the Pacific coast of America. A similar vessel to the Scottish Prince, which loaded wool on the coast recently, the Malayan Prince is coming from northern ports to load wool for the United Kingdom and the Continent. Dunedin may be her final port before sailing overseas. Another New Zealand Shipping Company vessel, the Stafford, will unload Canadian cargo, loaded at St. John, and the Bank Line’s Roybank will discharge a mixed cargo from Gulf ports. A large American tanker, the 10,448-ton Pipe Spring, is the other vessel due on Wednesday. Motor spirit and Diesel fuel oil comprise the bulk of her shipment from Bahrein Island. From Japan via northern ports, to load wool and other cargo for Manila, Hongkong, Shanghai, and Japan, the Eastern and Australian Steam Ship Company's 7608-ton Nankin is the only overseas ship due on Thursday. An inter-colonial freighter, the Waitaki, is coming direct to this port from Melbourne and the Storm and Wainui, both coastal ships, are due from Wellington. Included in the cargo of about- 900 tons carried by the Waitaki arc 10 sheep and 4 dogs. After discharge, she will load a small cargo before sailing for Lyttelton. Wellington, Bluff, and thence back to Melbourne. , , , , Bringing 6200 tons ot phosphate from Makatea-, the Holmbury, owned by the Alexander Shipping Company and at present under charter to the British Phosphate Commission, is due on Friday. More than two-thirds of the phosphate will be discharged at Ravensbourne and the rest will be taken to Dunedin. The Denholm Line’s Hollypark, with steel, iron, coke and general cargo from Australian ports, is also expected on the same day. In the next four days only three vessels are scheduled to arrive, the coastal boat Waimarino, from Auckland, the New Zealand Shipping Compand’s Sydney Star, from Bluff, and the Wilnelmsen Line’s modern cargo liner Tourcoing from Scandinavian and African ports.