Aoranci’S Last
p. 125 · Read in the full issue
Voyage
Orient Line Plans a Test
[7HEN the RMS Aorangi left / Sydney on April 16 for Auck land, Suva, Honolulu, Van iver and return, she was on her it Trans-Pacific trip. Her owners ve announced that, despite sub ies from Australia, New Zealand d Canada, and heavy passenger iffic, she is unprofitable.
Vlost people believe that this — i last regular Trans-Pacific ship ig service—is being abandoned cause the Aorangi is worn out. at is a pleasant fiction for icialdom.
Actually, the Aorangi is being ihdrawn because she is on Aus lian articles; and no shipping vice on earth could stand up in initely, under trans-Pacific con ions, to the rapacity and un operativeness of the Communist den Australian Seamen’s Union, i the laziness and indifference of stralian seamen and waterside rkers. The age of the Aorangi is contributing factor—but not the in factor. ifter this, the Pacific —so far as i be seen now—will be without scheduled service between Aus lia and North America. Some pping companies—notably, the •penter interests, have indicated t they may organise a service, there is nothing definite.
March, with much publicity, the Orient Line —the powerful md efficient concern which runs ers between Australia and bain —announced that it would cr the Pacific trade with the 00-tons modern liner Oronsay ir Aorangi drops out. But this, yet, does not mean very much. he Oronsay will make a time e run between Australia and th America early in 1954; and Dably another similar run later 1954; but the cautious Scottish
directors say that any future ser vice will depend upon the results of those two voyages.
The Orient Line will have a big advantage over the Canadian-Aus tralian Line, because the Oronsay is on English articles, so that the staffing and running of the ship have some relation to economic conditions. Therefore, as the Oronsay is a favourite with travel lers, the Oronsay’s voyages should be profitable, where the Aorangi ran hopelessly in the red.
It would appear that in the latter half of this year, and during part of 1954, while Orient Line is mak ing the test, there will be no trans pacific shipping service.