BERTHAGE FOR BIG VESSELS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3801, 18 January 1927, Page 36

BERTHAGE FOR BIG VESSELS.

AUSTRALIAN CLAIM REFUTED.

WELLINGTON, January 11,

In a recent number of a .well known Australian weekly paper it was claimed that the berthing of the Norwegian whaling ship N. T. Nilsen Alsonso, which was possible at Queens pier, Hobart, could not have been done with safety at any other wharf in Australia or New Zealand with the exception of two in Sydney. This ship is the largest of her kind in the world, and was at the time drawing 32ft bin forward, and over 34ft 3in aft, giving a mean draught of 33ft Sin. The maximum depth a the deepest wharves in Auckland was given as 30ft, Wellington as 31ft, and Port Chalmers •"« 30ft. These figures are not correct. The harbour master of Wellington (Captain J. Dawson) points out that the Norwegian ship at her (maximum draught could have been accommodated with ease at several wharves here. The depth of the water on both sides of the Pipitea wharf ranges from 46ft at the outer end to- 36ft at the inner end. The depths at Kings wharf are 41ft to 34ft and 38ft to 34ft, and at Glasgow wharf 37ft to 34ft and 34ft to 33ft. Captain Dawson mentioned ships that have left here drawins' deep water, such as the Corinthic in 1917, drawing 33ft 6in aft, and the Armagh in 1923 drawing 33ft 7in When H.M.S. Hood was berthed at Pipitea wharf in 1924 she was drawing 30ft forward and 33ft lin aft. Others drawing 32ft and a few inches over are too numerous to mention.