smallships

Inquiry on P-NG smallships

Papua - New Guinea wants to streamline its coastal shipping so it can get a better deal from modern unitised cargo carriers. It will set up a commission of inquiry to look at the whole matter.

Main problem is that P-NG’s domestic ports haven’t kept pace with the modernising of the ships now working the coasts. Unitised cargo carriers have replaced most of the old freighters, and territory domestic ship ping has now reached the point where firm licensing policies are needed to prevent freight wars.

Now, the P-NG Administration is trying to reconcile a policy of en couraging more domestic shipping while preventing cut-throat compe tition which would work against the outstations and the territory com munity generally.

The inquiry is expected to produce as quickly as possible a report on which the new Department of Trans port can base licensing and operating policies.

In the meantime there will be re striction on vessels attempting to enter the coastal trade.

For reports on P-NG's present shipping difficulties, see pp. 91, 95.