Bulk Containers For Sea Freight

Chronicle (Levin), 15 December 1948, Page 6

Bulk Containers For Sea Freight

Press Association)

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AUCKLAND, Dee. 14. ' In an effort to regain trade lost b,y , tlie transfer of eargo to air freight, the New Zealan^l Shipowners ' Federation is , advocating the use of large'bullc containers for the carriage of flimsy types of packages by sea. In a letter received by the Auckland Ilarbour Board, the federation statcd that.the transfer of substantial quantities of cargo to air freight, could be partly attributed • to the ' danger of pillaging. "The view is taken by the owners of cargo that any addition by way of freight for air carriage, is offset by the redueed eost 6f packaging and certainty of the goods arriving in an unpillaged state," said the letter. Large bulk containers could be packed on the wharves at th'e sliips' sides or in sheds at the port of shipment and unpaclced on' the wharves at the portof destination. .The question of wharfage on bulk containers and also on the attitude towards their nse, had been discnssed with offieials of the Wellington Harbour Board, stated the federation. However, the board had sought wharfage on the containers as well as on the cargo, an attitude unfavourable to the plan. In recent years shipowners had had to make very substantial pavments as the resuli of pillage of cargo. The shortage of goods had been a material reason for the inereased pillage cost and a shortage of suitable • packaging tnaterials during the war liad contri-N buted to the ease of pillaging. The ■ federation had been frustrated in an endeavour-to form a standard packaging code under the h'tandards Lnstitute. The federation 's letter was referred to the board, in eommittee. "