Japanese Ships
p. 40 · Read in the full issue
Port Charges "Too High" For Japanese Ships
A COMPLAINT that port charges in New Zealand were too high was made by Mr. N. Nomura, Sydney repres entative of the Osaka Shosen Kalsha shipping line when he paid a visit to Wellington in May. The Co. runs a regular monthly service between Japan and N.Z., via New Guinea and New Caledonia.
“Sometimes port charges are much higher than the freight charges we obtain”, he said, “and on top of that we have the cost of discharging and loading. We would like to see port charges reduced to the amount of the freight charges if we do not obtain much cargo in a port. If, however, we load so much cargo that freight charges are higher than the port charges, then th,e standard rates could be charged”.
He instanced the loading of guano at Noumea or Walpole Island (New Cale donia) for N.Z. importers to show the disadvantage of high port charges. These cargoes were usually required at Wan ganui and New Plymouth, but the port charges there rendered it unprofitable to proceed direct unless sufficient induce ment for loading cargo could be obtained.