for 6,000-ton ship
p. 116 · Read in the full issue
Nauruans place order for 6,000-ton ship
The Nauru Local Government Council has signed a contract with British shipbuilders for a 6,000-ton d.w. refrigerated inter-island vessel, to be delivered by Decem ber, 1968.
THE Nauruans also plan to order several bulk phosphate car riers, of from 25,000 to 30,000 tons, although no decision has yet been made on who will build them.
The order for the 6,000-ton ship was placed in July following a visit to Europe and the UK by a party led by Nauru’s Head Chief Hammer Deßoburt, and includ ing one of the council’s economic advisers, Mr. Ken Walker (PIM, July, p. 101).
The order was placed in Scot land with Henry Robb, of Leith, for an undisclosed price. The Nauruans and their advisers (who included Mr. Vin Browne, manager in Australia of the Nauruan shipping projects) had also visited West German yards.
The new ship will initiate a service between Australia and Nauru, and carry tourists as well as refrigerated cargo. Present plans are for her to operate every three weeks between Sydney, Papua-New Guinea, Honiara and Nauru. She would carry phos phate on the southbound run, direct to an Australian east coast port.
She will have European officers and probably a GEIC crew. The bulk carriers are a longer range plan. The Nauruans may order two or four of them, although the first order will be for one.
As from July 1, this year, the Nauru Local Government Council took over ownership of the rich Nauruan phosphate deposits from the British Phosphate Commis sioners. The Nauruans are pur chasing the assets of the BPC over the next three years, at a cost of about $2O million.
Current phosphate reserves on Nauru are 59,5 million tons, which means that at an annual extraction rate of two million tons (fixed in the agreement), the deposits will last another 30 years.
The Nauru Local Government Council is currently establishing its own Nauru Phosphate Corpora tion to operate the industry.
For the next few years the Nauruans plan to use the BPC’s existing phosphate ships for cart ing the phosphate, and also ships chartered by the BPC. They plan to buy their own bulk carriers so they can eventually phase out this arrangement, although no doubt much will depend on how things go in the next few years.
The 6,000-ton ship has little to do with the phosphate take over. The Nauruans have for years wanted a vessel of their own, as they feel there is much work for one in their area.
Without doubt the Gilbert and Ellice Islanders, who make ex cellent crews but who have a poor economy in their own islands, will appreciate the extra marine work that will be offering in nearby Nauru.
Head Chief DeRburt.