SHIPPING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 59, 3 December 1919, Page 2

SHIPPING

NEW VESSELS FOB AUSTRALIA. Now that tho work of transporting troops from Europo lias been practically completed, more vessels are becoming available for civilian uses, although conditions are still far from normal. Host of tb? great shipping lines (states tho Sydney "Herald") are now able to announco fairly regular sailings to and from the United Kingdom and America, and 6ome aro Advertising big programmes. The demand for tonnage in Australia is still great, and f?w vessels leave without full holds. A serious difficulty, however, is being faced by owing to congestion in -England preventing a ship from getting a berth for months. As a result of thi6, owners are faced with a big loss tlironqili delay or sailing their vessels to Australia in ballast. This is hampering Australian trade causidernbly, but is expected to be shortly overcome.

Daily announcements are being mods by thsi shipping companies of vessels, owing to the great demands, being placed on the Australian trade, or steamers being built to the special requirements of Australia.

Several new lines have been established during the past feiv months, and a number of-others aro in process of establishment. Most of these aro owned and controlled by America, who lias, owing to its enormous building- of war tonnng? and the seizure of German interned vessels. become a great shipowning nation. The agents in Sydney for flic P. and 0. branch line, Messrs. Gilchrist, Watt, and Sanderson, recently 'received advice from iibeir principals of the building of five new sfeamers. Th?so iiro being specially constructed for the Australian trade. They -will havo n tonnage of 15,000, and lie fitted with refrigerating machinery of n largo capacity. The dfvicc's for tho speedy and economical handling of cargo will be of tho very latest, and the vessels generally most modern. They will also . curry paswnger accommodation. Mie vessels have been nanied Bnllc.nit, Bomligo, Bnradine, Balranald, and Barrabool. Tho Oceanic Company will curly next year run a regular thrcc-wwkly servico to Han Francisco. The steamer Sierra, which was requisitioned by tho American / Government for war work, has now bom / returned to bet- owners, and is being reconditioned in New York, after which sh|> will return to Wic Australian trade.