CALLS AT JAMAICA

Taranaki Daily News, 9 December 1931, Page 9

CALLS AT JAMAICA

STEAMERS TO DOMINION. REDUCING BUNKERING COSTS. Arrangements have been made for the steamers of the- Shaw, Savill and Albion Company in the regular service between England and New Zealand, via .Panama, to call at Jamaica, West Indies, on the outward and homeward run to replenish their bunkers. Hitherto the steamers of the company have usually bunkered at Cristobal, at the Atlantic end of the Panama Canal. Now, owing to the change in the relationship -between sterling and dollars, it is found cheaper for the vessels to be coaled at Execution Dock, Port Royla, Jamaica, and one result of the change will be that cargoes of British coal will need to be transported to the island. By these developments Jamaica will gain the advantage of additional communication by large British liners; passengers to and from New Zealand and Great Britain will have the benefit of another very interesting ’ port of call on the voyage; and work will -be provided for British miners, and for the seamen in the British ships which carry the coal to the bunkering station. The company’s liner lonic, now at Auckland, bunkered at Jamaica on the voyage to New Zealand, and she will also call at Jamaica on the return voyage. The liner Corinthic also bunkered at the same port when she was recently proceeding from New Zealand to London. The Tainui, which left Southampton for Wellington last week, will bunker at Jamaica on the voyage to New Zealand, and she will also Ibunker there on the return voyage.’ The Raranga, which has arrived at Bluff from London in ballast, came to New Zealand via the Cape of Good Hope, instead of via Panama, and she bunkered at Capetown. On the voyage from New Zealand to London she will proceed via the Panama Canal route and bunker at Jamaica. The company’s steamers Herminius and Tairoa are en route from London to New Zealand, in ballast, via the Cape of Good Hope, and they also bunkered at Capetown. On the return voyage from New Zealand will bunker at Jamaica. The Matakana and the Pakeha, which are scheduled to load in New Zealand, will proceed to London via the Panama Canal, and will both bunker at Jamaica. The alteration of the route of so many steamers will mean that America will lose a large amount of money which will go to British merchants. The decreased value of the pound sterling and the high canal dues at Panama have caused other shipping companies to alter the routes of their vessels, a number of motor-ships having proceeded recently from New Zealand to England via Cape Horn and called at Las Palmas or Dakar for •bunkers.

The New Zealand Shipping Company’s motor-ship Opawa, the Shaw, Savill and Albion motor-ship 'Zealandic, and the Commonwealth and Dominion Line motor-ships Port Alma and Port Fairy were despatched from. New Zealand for London via Cape Horn. In addition, the Commonwealth and Dominion Line will despatch six motor-ships and eight steamers from New Zealand for England via the Cape Horn route, instead of through the Panama Canal, during the next six months.