Record Tonnage Likely At Lyttelton Today

Press, Volume C, Issue 29513, 15 May 1961, Page 10

Record Tonnage Likely At Lyttelton Today

There were 25 vessels within the port limits of Lyttelton yesterday afternoon —15 berthed at the wharves, six anchored in the stream, and another four anchored off the heads. With the arrival of the 26,000-ton Dominion Monarch this morning, there will be a record tonnage of shipping in the p0rt—158,799 tons, as against the previous record of 137,555 tons in March.

Of the 25 ships in the port yesterday, 16 were overseas or inter-colonial vessels, and the rest coastal traders, including the inter-island steamer express Hsnemoa. Many vessels were short of labour on Saturday. The Port Dunedin reinforced her limited labour force with a crew gang. The Port Melbourne also used a crew gang, but had no labour apart from this. The Swedish freighter Cumulus had one gang, while the coasters Tiroa. Holmlea. and Holmburn were only partly manned. The inter-colonial freighter Komata was idle. A Dutch freighter, the Van Neck, with cargo from the east, will now by-pass Lyttelton, proceeding from Wellington to Timaru. Another Dutch vessel, the Friesland, with West European cargo, is now delayed, and will not arrive from Wellington until tomorrow or Wednesday. This will make but a brief respite, as the pile-up of ship, ping continues. The arrival of the Dominion Monarch, the largest regular trader to Lyttelton, this morning, will cause some reshuffling in the inner harbour. Two vessels will be shifted from Gladstone Pier to make room for her —the Komata, which is expected

to move to the oil berth, and the Mystic, which is expected to move to a berth at present occupied by the Glanely. The Glanely will have to anchor in the stream for two days while the Mystic endeavours to complete loading to sail for Dunkirk. Another overseas vessel, the Sydney Star, may sail today or tomorrow. Apart from the projected departures of the coasters Kopara, Tiree, and Holmlea. and the Chatham Islands trader Holmburn. there is Kttle indication of immediate relief to the congestion at Lyttelton. Several vessels are still expected in the next few davs, including the new Islands trader, the Moana Roa, making her first South Island visit. It is thought in ship-

ping circles that further diversions may occur. In the wake of the port congestion, and extreme labour shortage, it may be assumed that a shortage of railway waggons could soon develop. There are also the problems of accommodating ships within the inner harbour itself. The 25 ships within the port limits yesterday comprised 132,336 tons. The arrival of the Dominion Monarch (26.463 tons) will increase this figure to 158,799 tons, well ahead of the previous record port tonnage. This total does not take into account the expected arrival of two coastal vessels, the Motu and the Maunganui, and a small, inter-colonial trader, the Babinda. all of which are believed to be approaching Lyttelton.