CAB129-37 — Page 186

Page 186

Sir Reginald Robins, Member for Transport, East African High Com-

mission,

Mr. A. Dalton, General Manager, East African Railways and Harbours, Mr. J. R. Farquharson, Deputy General Manager, East African Railways

and Harbours,

Mr. Roger Norton, East African Commissioner,

Representatives of the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Food, the Colonial Office, and the Chairman and two Members of the Corporation.

Improvements to the Port

228. The Conference favoured a scheme for the construction of deep-water berths at Dar-es-Salaam and for other improvements to the port facilities. As the biggest commercial user of the port of Dar-es-Salaam the Corporation attaches great importance to these new developments.

229. Other measures were adopted for improving the port facilities. Addi- tional barges and lighters were provided. New cranes were erected and additional machinery and storage space was made available. An experienced port manager was appointed. All these measures, combined with a general reorganisation of the working of the port, increased the ability of Dar-es- Salaam to handle its traffic. It was agreed that Conference Lines traffic could be increased to 15,000 tons per month of which the Overseas Food Corporation's share was 4,500 tons general cargo, 1,000 tons vehicles and 1,000 tons of cement.

Shipping to Tanganyika

230. During the thirteen months ended March 31, 1949, a total of 95,474 freight tons of supplies and equipment for the Corporation was shipped to Tanganyika from the United Kingdom in 60 ships. This included 41,398 tons of general cargo, 15,906 tons of cement and 2,063 vehicles weighing 38,170 freight tons. Of the total 47,516, 36,952, 8,598 and 2,408 tons respec- tively were for Dar-es-Salaam, Lindi, Mikidani and Mombasa. The greater part of these shipments consisted of goods purchased directly by the Corpora- tion, but supplies purchased by Contractors for their own contracts or for common-user purposes are also included where the Corporation controlled priority of shipment and arranged the provision of shipping space. The total number of consignments was about 50,000 and of units of cargo about 320,000.

231. Shipment to Tanganyika was arranged of a wide variety of cargoes from 22 foreign and Imperial countries in all five continents. These included a whole shipload from Alexandria, carrying the majority of the remaining supplies from Disposals sources in the Middle East. Among other items were shipments of seed, of petrol and diesel oil from South Africa, water piping and other material from India, agricultural machinery from Canada and the U.S.A., and foodstuffs from Australia. Wherever possible, cargoes for the Southern Province were routed so as to avoid Dar-es-Salaam.

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Quicker Turn-round of Ships

232. The Corporation made a substantial contribution to the improvement of performance at all the ports concerned. Special arrangements were made to give quick turn-round to the special chartered ships. Lighterage, for operation by the Harbour Administration, was provided at heavy expense, and sufficient storage was maintained at Dar-es-Salaam to make it possible to clear the Corporation's cargoes quickly off the quays. The arrival of the more difficultyas planned in phases to avoid overwhelming the

port facilities.

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