RECEIVING CARGO

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 298, 10 September 1920, Page 8

RECEIVING CARGO

RECOMMENDATIONS TO OVERCOME WHARF CONGESTION.

A conference between representatives of tho Wellington Harbour Board, tho shipping companies, and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce was recently held with a view to doing away with the long queues of carls often to be Gcen waiting lo dischargo outward cargo at ship's side. The conference lias made the following recommendations:— AH outward cargo must be booked at shipping company's office and boat notes stamped before goods are sent to wharf. The shipping companies stress the necessity of booking as early as possible. \lthough cargo will bo bookod several (lays before boat is advertised to sail, boat-notes will not bo stamped until the shipping company is reasonably certain at what hour the vessel will bo ready to receive cargo. Cargo ofTering will be classified by the shipping companies into several groups as may best suit requirements. Present suggestion is: Class I—Heavy goods; timber. Class 2—Oils. etc. Class il-Gonpral cargo. Class 4-Pcrishable goods, spirits, tobacco, etc. Spccial-Any goods which ship may want at a definite tinio for stowago purposes. When booking cargo, shippers are reouircd to Rivo definite particulnis of fcirm j.c-'.vmiinbertof paragon, njoasirjomcnt, weight, contents, etc. , The shipping company will then classify on system bc-st suited to particular vessel on the loading berth. Shipping companies may require shippers to present separato boat notes for each classification of cargo. When notes aro stomped the clarification will be noted on boat note. I\.U. In this connection shippers are requested as far as possible to load goods for each port on soparato vehicles. Where possible tho shipping companies will divide tho loading hours into time zones, and boat notes will then }>o stamped with time at which, cargo must be at shin's side. For obvious reasons this course can only bo adopted under the most favourable conditions. Immediately it has liwu decided that a vessel cannot bo ready to rereivo cargo at times indicated 011 boat mites, notice boards will bo exhibited at shipping company's office, and also at enlninco of Queen's Wharf, staling approximate limes at which shipments ot various classes of cargo .will then be received »■ the ship. It is imssiblo Hint hi" formation can also bo rung through to the principal carrying companies, ISy liiis means any queues which form will not be composed of all I lie cargo for the shin, but only of a particular class °'' , rhe Harbour Hoard will only admit to wharf carts having notes stamped inl accordance with (ho class of cargo then being received or within the tinio stated on boit notes. In the caso of a time Sono it must be distinctly understood that through unforeseen circumstances all times may have to. bo advanced. Carters not arriving to tune may bo turned back to como 111 after all other carts have discharged. Tho following points must be remembered. and whero necessary observed: Tho shipping companies, Ilarboui Boayl, and shippers linvo not control over tho weather, neither have they control over the cause which sometimes result in labour shortages 011 the vatorfrolit; citlher of the forecowe will wreck the most carefully laid plans. There is not a certainty of accommodation in the, sheds or inward and outward cargo but where available opportunity should always bo taken of storage to relieve queues, even at increased cost of handling. Merchants are sometimes able to obtain storage under Bv-law >10, and for certain non-pillagable lines are rccommended to, make further use of this bylaw. If cargo 6paco is booked and not uspd f.lio ahippin? companies have »hc right to chargo for tho unused portion. Anv cargo taken to wharf 111 excess of that booked may be sent back. Shippers aro asked to give eve 17 assistance to the shipping companies and the Harlxnir Board in their endeavour lo systematise tho receiving of cargo. ,\fter some initial experiments aro caii'ied out it is hoped to formulate a definite system of zones, and a small committee will lie set up, to whom all complaints ami suggestions may be made.