68

CAN A PORT HAVEA PERSONALITY?

Facilities are fine, and the Portof Houston is one of the mostmodern and complete ports inthe United States. But it takesmore.., it takes people. TheHouston shipping fraternity,from freight forwarders tolongshoremen, is famed for itscooperative esprit de corps.Houston has been called "thepeople port" because the peo-ple have made this one of thenation’s outstanding ports. Itis a port with personality.

PORTOF ][][ousrlION

Executive Offices:1519 Capitol Avenue at Crawford Street

Telephone: CApitol 5-0671

216

\S H 1 P S U P P L 1 E S

You never experience a delaywhen you order from TexasMarine because we carry one ofthe nation’s largest stocks ofmaritime supplies. We havespecial departments for deck& engine, provisions, electrical,steward sundries and fire pro-tection under one roof to giveyou quick service. TEXAS MARINE & INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY COMPANY

8050 Harrisburg ̄ P. O. Box 5218 ̄ Telephone: 713-WA 3-9771Houston, Texas 77012

f

HOUSTON’..,,., link in the chain o! Lykes 6 trade routes

Generations of LYKES shipping experience are

export-importback of to day’Strade.OUtstanding service to the~.--,,*~J~ L! N ESOur new cargo fleet is among America’s finest and

fastest with more 20-knot ships than any other ~~ ~=__ ~ ~.~single privately-owned fleet in the world. They iare regularly and dependably scheduled. ~ ¯ LYKES BROS. STEAMSHIP CO., INC.

Cotton Exchange Bldg., Houston, Texas

Offices and Agents in the United States and in Principal World Ports

U. K, LINE ¯ CONTINENT LINE ¯ MEDITERRANEAN LINE ¯ AFRICA LINE ¯ ORIENT LINE ¯ CARIBBEAN LINE

STEAMSHIP AGENTS & BROKERS6TH FLOOR WORLD TRADE CENTER

ESTABLISHED 1905 HOUSTON, TEXAS

FERN LINE ................................ GULF/FAR EASTNOPAL LINE ............... GULF EAST COAST SOUTH AMERICANOPAL WEST AFRICA LINE ................ GULF/WEST AFRICAHAMBURG AMERICA LINE ......... GULF/CONTINENTALEUROPENORTH GERMAN LLOYD ........... GULF/CONTINENTALEUROPEOZEAN/STINNES LINES ............ GULF/CONTINENTALEUROPESIDARMA LINE ....................... GULF/MEDITERRANEANMAMENIC LINE .... GULF/WEST & EAST COAST CENTRAL AMER.SCINDIA STEAM NAVIGATION CO., LTD ............ GULF/INDIA

PHONE CA 2-9961

REPRESENTINGOZEAN/STINNES LINES..SOUTH ATLANTIC/CONTINENTAL EUROPEBARBER MIDDLE EAST LINE ................ GULF/MIDDLE EASTFARRELL LINES ............................ GULF/AUSTRALIAMARINE EXPRESS LINE ...... GULF/EAST COAST CENTRAL AMER.KSC NEW YORK LINE .................... GULF/JAPAN/KOREAL. SMIT & CO.’s ............. INTERNATIONAL TOWING SERVICESMIT-LLOYD, N.V ...................... SUPPLY BOAT SERVICE

C. CLAUSEN STEAMSHIP CO., LTD...LIVESTOCK CHARTER SERVICE

HOUSTON ̄ NEW ORLEANS ̄ GALVESTON ̄ BEAUMONT ̄ ORANGE ̄ MOBILE ¯ BROWNSVILLECORPUS CHRISTI ¯ MEMPHIS ̄ DALLAS

CABLE ADDRESS: BIEHL, HOUSTON ¯ TELEX 077-412 ¯ TWX 910-881-1711

4. PORT OF HOUSTON MAGAZINE

"K" LINEKAWASAKI KISEN KAISHA, LTD.

TWO MONTHLY SAILINGSHouston, Galveston, New Orleans, Mobile

ON INDUCEMENTPort Arthur, Beaumont, Orange

Yokohama, Nagoya,JAPAN Osaka, Kobe

Taiwan, Hongkong, Bangkok, ManilaGULF AGENTS

KERR STEAMSHIP COMPANY, INC.CLEGG BUILDING, 506 CAROLINE

HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002

GALVESTON DALLAS NEW ORLEANS MEMPHIS311 Cotton Exchange 411 Cotton Exchange Clegg Bldg., 56 S. Front St.

Building 320 St. Charles St.

"K" LINE New York INC.GENERAL AGENTS

29 Broadway, New York, N. Y. 10006

SWEDISH ATLANTIC- WILHELMSENSwedish Atlantic Line, Gothenburg, Sweden and Wilh. Wilhelmsen, Oslo, Norway L~

Regular Freight and Refrigerated ServiceFROM GULF PORTS

to

LE HAVRE - ANTWERP - GHENT - ROTTERDAMBREMEN - HAMBURG

OSLO - GOTHENBURG - COPENHAGEN -MALMOSTOCKHOLM - HELSINKI - GDYNIA

STRACHAN SHIPPING COMPANYGENERAL AGENTS

Houston Omce1400 Cotton Exchange Bldg. CA 8-1431

Other OfficesGalveston, New Orleans, Mobile, Miami, Port Everglades, Jacksonville,

Savannah, Dallas, Memphis, St. Louis,Chicago, Atlanta, Cincinnati

New York AgentsBarber Steamship Lines, Inc.

TheBANK LINE Ltd.Regular Service from

U. S. Gulf Ports to

Australiaand

New/ealand¯ Brisbane

¯ Melbourne

¯ Auckland

¯ Lyttleton

¯ Sydney

¯ Adelaide

¯ Wellington

¯ Dunedin

General Agents

BOYD, WEIR and

SEWELL, Inc.New York

i I II

Gulf Agents

STRACHAN

SHIPPING CO.

Houston - Galveston - Mobile

Memphis-New Orleans-Dallas

Chicago - Atlanta - St. Louis

Cincinnati

SEPTEMBER, 1968 5

In Houstonand the world’sbusiest portsSea-Landserves you better,saves y~llmoney.

SEA-LANDDELIVERS THE GOODS!

GUATEMALA LINESWEEKLY SERVICE TO GUATEMALA

Houston New Orleans

MARIA A. Sept. 17 Sept. 19MARIA A. Oct. 1 Oct. 3

AZTA LINECONFERENCE SERVICE TO: WEST COAST CENTRALAMERICA, CRISTOBAL, BALBOA, PUNTARENAS, CO-RINTO, LA LIBERTAD,ACAJUTLA, AMAPALA

Houston New Orleans

TAMPA Sept. 12 Sept. 9DINA U. Sept. 25 Sept. 23

SAGUARO LINETO SAVONA, GENOA, LEGHORN, NAPLES

ZETA Sept. 6

ANITA Oct. 15Sept. 10Oct. 11

Jan C. UITERWYK Co., Inc.OFFICES: Tampa, New Orleans, New York, Washington, D.C.,~Galveston

HOUSTON: 711 Fannin, Suite 315, Phone 713-228-9681

"BUSY HARBORS REQUIRE EXPERIENCED TOWING"

BAY-HOUSTON I’OWINa CO." THIRD GENERA T/ON OF TOWING"CORPUS CHRISTI ¯ TEXAS CITY ¯ GALVESTON ¯ FREEPORT ¯ HOUSTON

6 PORT OF HOUSTON MAGAZINE

PORT OFIIOIISTON

Volume 10

Official PublicationOf the Harris County Houston Ship Channel Navigation District

Directory OfPort Commissioners

And StaffFOR THE

Navigation DistrictHOWARD TELLEPSEN, ChairmanR. H. PRUETT, CommissionerE. H. HENDERSON, CommissionerW. D. HADEN, II, CommissionerFENTRESS BRACEWELL, Commissioner

J. P. TURNER, Executive DirectorGEORGE W. ALTVATER, Deputy DirectorC. E. BULLOCK, Director o/ Port OperationsHENRY M. BROADNAX, General Sales ManagerJ. L. LOCKETT, JR., CounselS. B. BRUCE, County AuditorVAUGHN M. BRYANT, Director o] International

RelationsLLOYD GREGORY, Director o] In]ormationRICHARD P. LEACH,

Director o/Engineering & PlanningGENE E. STEWART, Chie/EngineerJ. R. CURTIS, Terminal ManagerK. P. RODEN,

Manager o/Grain ElevatorW. J. STAGNER, Manager, Storage WarehousesDAVID C. DAvis, Superintendent,

Bulk Materials Handling PlantJ. K. HENDERSON, ControllerL. T. FRITSClI, Purchasing AgentA. B. LANDRY, Personnel Manager and

World Trade Building ManagerC. L. SHUPTRINE, Chie] Security OfficerW. E. RED~,ION, Maintenance SuperintendentW. E. WHATLEY, Administrative AssistantV. D. WILLIAMS, Administrative Assistant

SALES OFFICES

EDWARD P. MOORE, New York DistrictSales Manager

FRANK WARD, Assistant25 Broadway, New York, New York

HUME A. HENDERSON, Chicago DistrictSales Manager401 E. Prospect, Mount Prospect, Illinois

JOHN R. WEILER, Houston DistrictSales Manager

C. A. ROUSSER, JR.,District Sales Representative1519 Capitol Avenue, Houston, Texas

EXECUTIVE OFFICES1519 Capitol Avenue at Crawford Street

Telephone CApitol 5-0671P. O. Box 2562, Houston, Texas 77001

August, 1968 No. 8

Economy of Thailand Is Boosted By Firm .............................. 8

Colombian Port Trainees Study Here ............................... 10

Historic Ships Association Convenes Here .............................. 12

When 16, He Shipped Out As Ordinary Seaman ........................ 13

British Defence College Tours Port ................................ 14

Visitors See The Port of Houston ...................................... 16

Scene At The World Trade Club ..................................... 17

Congo Ships In Gulf Service ........................................ 18

The Houston Port Bureau Reports ................................... 20

Houston Steamship Agents .......................................... 29

Sailing Schedule of General Cargo Ships .............................. 30

Port of Houston Shipping Directory .................................. 31

THE COVER

The M.V. MOKOTO is swinging around in the Port of Houston Turning Basinto start its trip to Africa. For more about the Compagnie Maritime Congolaisesee Page 18.

The Port oJ Houston Magazine

TED SUMERLIN, Editor

Published monthly by the Harris County Houston Ship Channel Naviga-tion District, the PORT OF HOUSTON Magazine is distributed free to maritime,industrial and transportation interests in the United States and foreign coun-tries. This publication is not copyrighted and permission is given for the re-production or use of any original material, provided credit is given to thePort of Houston. Additional information, extra copies of the magazine oradvertising rates may be obtained by writing the PORT OF HOUSTON Magazine,1401 South Post Oak, Houston, Texas 77027.

SEPTEMBER, 19687

Economy

Is Boosted By FirmBy H. S. BONNEY

International Helations Representative

THERE ARE MANY untold stories of

U. S. businessmen who feel a compassionfor less fortunate people in other lands,but one of the most graphic unfoldedat the Port of Houston recently with thesailing of a ship loaded to the gunwales.In a very quiet way this goes to prove,although Communists doubt it, thatCapitalism does have a heart.

The ship was the AASE NIELSON.The firm behind it all was CalabrianCompany, Inc., a commodities tradingbusiness that has become internationallyknown in its 22 years.

Loaded with equipment, particularlyseed and grain bins, the ship was des-tined for Bangkok, Thailand, where thematerial was to be put to use in Cala-brian’s muhi-million dollar project thereby [. S. agronomists, also provided hythe New York company. They are assist-ing the Thai farmers and government inincreasing the output of one of the coun-try’s newest products, corn.

Strangely enough, Calabrian becameinvolved in Thai corn production in1962 when the United States’ A.I.D.requested the company to make a feasi-bility study of establishing a sugar re-finery in Thailand. While the refineryproposal proved indeed unfeasible, Cala-brian became the country’s unofficialsugar advisor and eventually becameinterested in the country’s corn yield--or lack of it.

Corn 10 years ago was unheard of inThailand. Now it approaches 1.5 millionmetric tons, and most of this was pro-duced without fertilizer.

Today Calabrian, under its program,provides long-neglected corn farmerswith credit, seed, fertilizer, tractors and,what they consider a strong necessity ina land ahvays wilhout it. agricuhuralknow-how and marketing.

Since the company started its projectin the summer of 1966, it has gained theblessing of the country’s governmentand farmers. It also has bought and ex-ported a portion of the golden grain--but not without problems.

From time to time the company-provided agronomists have felt com-pelled to carry firearms, especially inupper Thailand, where thcv not onlyhave been threatened but f’ired uponfrom ambush.

Many of the Thai-Chinese grainmerchants in that section of the countryhave taken umbrage at Calabrian’s low-profit approach to producing grain andtake little pains to conceal their aversionto what they consider "poachers" intheir territory.

Another problem presented itself whenCalabrian, after painstakingly explain-ing their plan to many thousands of

PORT OF HOUSTON MAGAZINE

farmers and advancing money for loansfor fertilizer and seed to a locally-pickedrepresentative, discovered that many oflhese "hankers" had fled the scene.Calahrlan-advanced cash in hand.

This maneuver, says one companyofficial, was over a $7.5,000 lesson, espe-cially since local Thai law officialstended to shrug the incidents away.

N~ vertheh,ss, Calahrian has succeededin establishing a dozen Rural Develop-ment Centers, comphqe with hrand newsilos, tractors, corn test plots, and teams ...................of Thai and American agricultural ex-perts.

And a nm~. credit plan was developedjointly with the Thai (;overnment’s Bank * °for Agricuhure and Agricultural Co-operatives. [nder this plan, Calahriandeposits money in the Thai Bank againstwhich farmers, approved by Calabrian,can draw loans at nominal interest ratesfor huying needed fertilizer, seed andrenting tractors.

In return. Calahrian hopes the farmerswill sell their now quality-controlled cornto them at regular prices. ~;Iuch of thiswill then be exported under a new planto various markets which Calabrian alsohelped dew’lop, particularly in Taiwanand Western Europe.

Meanwhile, Calabrian continues toship "project" freighters from variousU. S. ports loaded with the materialsslill needed to prime Thailand’s newcorn industry.

Calahrian officials maintain that theirgoal is nol 1o estahlish a monopoly onThailand’s corn exporls. They are con-fident the polential is enough for all.

Boosting the Thai’s production is theirbasic aim since all involved will thenhenefil, they say.

Among those on the U. S. side of thePacific Ocean vitally interested in theThai project is A. F. Persichetty, Cala-brian’s New York traffic manager, whomade a special trip to Texas to makesure that all the material needed inThailand was aboard the .4ASE :¥IEL-SON and in good shape when it sailedfrom the [-nited States’ third largestport--the Port of Houston.

ii ~ :

A. F. Persichetty, traffic manager of Calabrian

Company, Inc., of New York, and H. M. Broadnax,general sales manager for the Port of Houston

Navigation District, pause during a conference onshipping arrangements for the photo at the Hous-ton World Trade Club.

Inspecting the equipment behind them on Portof Houston Navigation District docks are C. A.Rousser, Jr., left, Navigation District sales rep-

resentative; J. R. Curtis, center, Navigation Dis-trict terminal manager; and William Atterberry,

co-owner of A&S Steel Buildings of Houston,suppliers to Calabrlan Company, Inc. of corn binsto be erected in Thailand by Calabrian employees.

i~:iiiiiii

SEPTEMBER, 1968 9

iii;ii~i~; iiilii

!!!ili!!!

COLOMBIANStudyOperationsHere

i!i!!i!iiiiiiii?¢iii!iiiAtop the Navigation District

Grain Elevator with the Port ofHouston Turning Basin in thebackground, ColombianTrainees Jorges del Castillo,left, and Daldo Bowie discussthe panoramic view of portoperations afforded by thestructure’s height.

PORT TRAINEESEach summer for the past three years

the Port of Houston Navigation Districthas received for training purposes portpersonnel from Latin American coun-tries.

This year this "Puertos Amigos" pro-gram, under the sponsorship of theAmerican Association of Port Author-itics, brought as trainees to HoustonJorges del Castillo of Cartagena andDaldo Bowie of Barranquilla, bothColombian port employees interested

mainly in warehousing and port opera-tions as carried on in the United States.

During the latter part of their train-ing, the administrative director for thePorts of Colombia, Dr. Jaime Ortega,traveled to the Port of Houston to ob-serve the training and familiarize him-self with the techniques of warehousingin transit sheds and other warehouses ofthe Harris County Houston Ship Chan-nel Navigation District.

George Wilson (in the hardhat), assistant terminal managerat the Navigation District’swharves, explains to Daldoand del Castillo the methodsused by the District in buildingits own pallets.

Del Castillo and Bowieapply facts and figures on con-tainerization as to the loadingscene they have justwitnessed in the background.

10 PORT OF HOUSTON MAGAZINE

Del Castillo and Bowie--aftermore than three weeks of

training and hard work--receivetheir Certificates of Completion

from the hands of Port Com-mission Chairman Howard

Tellepsen in luncheon ceremoniesat the World Trade Club inHouston’s downtown World

Trade Center.

The two Colombian porttrainees became deeply involvedin warehousing management for

many days under the abledirection of Wallace J. Stagner,

Navigation District warehousemanager, on the right.

Bowie and del Castillo stridealong Navigation District Wharf

17 observing the equipmentbeing loaded aboard ships

and watching the techniquesused by Port of Houston steve-

dores and longshoremen.

\

Dr. Jaime Ortega, administrativedirector for the Ports of

Colombia, left, enjoys his tourof the Houston Ship Channel

wharves and industries aboardthe Port of Houston Naviga-

tion District’s inspection vessel,the SAM HOUSTON. With

him is Robert Malka, a Navi-gation District computer

programmer who served asinterpreter for the Colombian

official during his stay.

SEPTEMBER, 196811

HISTORIC SHIPS ASSOCIATION CONVENES HERE

Members of the Historic Naval Ships Asso-ciation met in Houston in August to discuss theirmutual problems. Highlight of the three-day con-vention was a trip on the SAM HOUSTON fromthe Houston Turning Basin to the Battleship TEXAS,first of the states to save its namesake battleshipas a museum. Representing the Battleship MASS-ACHUSETTS are, from the left, Jack Cossidy, Cap-tain Jim Gavin, Joseph Feitelberg and PatrickHarrington.

Representing the U.S.S. ALABAMA, now inMobile, are Mrs. Cecil Cuevas, Admiral WilliamV. Davis, Jr., Mrs. Jack Tipler and CommanderTipler.

The Cruiser OLYMPIA, Admiral Dewey’s flag-ship in the Spanish-American War, is now berthedat Philadelphia. Representing that vessel are PhilEgan, Randy Knight, Captain Casper J. Knight,Jr. and James Kelley.

12

Hosts at the convention were the delegatesfrom the Battleship TEXAS. From the left are Mrs.Belle Dunn, Mayor Richard Gusman of Bay City,Mr. and Mrs. Mack Webb of El Campo, AdmiralJoe Hutchinson, Mrs. Murray Ezell of Port Neches,Mrs. Lloyd Gregory and Mr. Gregory, chairmanof the Battleship TEXAS Commission, and Mrs.Ellen Tatroe.

PORTOF HOUSTON MAGAZINE

Another In A Series Men Who Make The Port Of Houston Hum

Meet David C Hofmcen, J,,

When l I i, He Shipped HulAs Hrdmary Seaman

By LLOYD GREGORYInformation Director

D x~tD (5. HOL~L:t’~, Jl~, dislriet traffic manager of StatesMarine-Isthmian, Agency. Inc., bad a rugged initiation:

A high school youth of ]6, he, one summer shipped out ofMobile, Alabama, as an ordinary seaman, and for four monthssailed the Seven Seas. He was on a ship of Swayne and HoytLtd., based in San Francisco.

Mr. Holman, one of the best known and most popularmen in the shipping business at the Port of Houston, isenthusiastic about the Port of Houston:

"Our agency is handling a lot of construction and drillingequipment bound for Persian Gulf, Mediterranean, and RedSea ports. We recently shipped two complete and giant oildrilling rigs to Algeria."

Ahhough it does NOT enjoy a gow~rnment subsidy, theStates Marine-Isthmian Steamship Line owns 50 ships, andcharters 60 more, Mr. Holman said. Joe Davies of Houstonis vice president ira charge of Texas operations.

Mr. Holman rcmemhcrs vividly the highlights of hisversatile career.

When he was working in the Mobile office of Swavne andHoyt that line brought through the Panama Canal ihe red-wood lumber to build many railway trestles.

He recalls service as general freight agent for the GulfPacific line, and remembers when he was commercial agentfor the Texas Package Car Co., operating in connection withthe Mallory Line, serving primarily New York, Miami,Houston.

From 191l to 19¢6, Mr. Holman worked for the NavyBureau of Shipbuilding at Mobile, where the Watermancompany was turning out mine sweepers and destroyers.He returned to Houston in ]946 and joined the originalBloomfield Steamship company, organized by Ben Bloomfield.Mr. Holnlan was first auditor, and then traffic manager.

When Bloomfield sold to Waterman, Mr. Holman stayedon as traffic manager. When Waterman was bought byMcLean Industries, Dave became Texas sales manager. Heremembers a fateful day in May, 1956, when a convertedtanker, SS Maxton, was the first container ship to call here.Since then, the Port of Houston has been the Southernterminus for Sea-Land, Inc.. first large scale containeroperators.

When Waterman was sold in May, 19@1, Mr. Hohnanjoined States Marine-Isthmian.

Mr. Holman is past president of the Propeller Club, Portof Houslon; a member of Houston Traffic Club; one of theorganizcrs of the now flourishing World Trade Club, andmembership chairman.

Mr. and Mrs. Holman fish at every opportunity. "[ taughther how, and now she out-fishes me," Dave lamented.

The Holmans have two children, a son, David C. HolmanIII, who teaches Spanish at Andv Anderson Junior High;a daughter, Mrs. Mary Edwina Eh(er, and five grandchildren. DAVID C. HOLMAN, JR.

SEPTEMBER, 1968 13

British Defence College Tours Port of Houston

Aboard the SAM HOUSTON, Port of HoustonNavigation District inspection vessel, senior officersof the British Commonwealth, an Imperial DefenceCollege group visiting Houston last month, applaudas George W. Altvater, deputy director of theHarris County Houston Ship Channel Navigation District,and Captain I. G. W. Robertson of the British RoyalNavy, tour leader, exchange salutations during aninspection tour of Port of Houston wharves andindustries. The guests were served a Texas style barbecuelunch while on board the SAM HOUSTON.

Posing for the photographer against a SAM HOUSTON mural depictingPort of Houston activities are, from the left, are Group Captain E. L.Frith of the British Royal Air Force and deputy tour leader; David Esterson,vice consul for information, Great Britain consulate general; and W. R.Clark of the Australian Department of Immigration.

In the aft salon of the SAM HOUSTON ready to sign the inspectionvessel’s guest registration book are, from the left, Brigadier Z. C. Bakshi,MVC, VSM, of the Indian Army; and Colonel George D. Hughes, U.S. AirForce escort officer for the visiting British Imperial Defence College group.

14

Talking over the visit of the senior officers of the British Commonwealthto the Port of Houston are, from the left, Robert McMurrey, protocol officerof NASA which the group toured earlier; Brigadier G. W. D. Crookenden;and J. K. Henderson, controller for the Port of Houston Navigation District.

Shown discussing the tour of the Port of Houston in the forward salonof the Navigation District’s SAM HOUSTON are, from the left, Ed Fay,international trade consultant and vice president of the Houston Branch ofthe English Speaking Union; Colonel J. K. Mulinge, MBS, of the KenyaArmy and Lt. Col. K. E. Moore, officer in charge of the Houston Naval &Marine Corps Reserve Training Center.

PORT OF HOUSTON MAGAZINE

George Altvater, left, deputy director of the Port of Houston and hostaboard the SAM HOUSTON for an inspection tour of the port by theBritish Imperial Defence College, chats with Air Commodore S. J. Dastur

At the railing of the SAM HOUSTON to observe passing Houston ShipChannel industries are, from the left, Commander Herbert L. Ogler, exec-utive officer of the Rice University NROTC unit; Brigadier D. R. Carroll, OBE;and C. E. Bullock, director of operations for the Port of Houston’s Navi-gation District.

of the Indian Air Force, center, and Captain I. G. W. Robertson, tourleader for the visiting senior officer group of the British Commonwealth.

Enroute down the Houston Ship Channel on board the SAM HOUSTONfrom the left, are Wing Commander D. P. Hall, Royal Air Force (JuniorDirecting Staff); H. M. Broadnax, general sales manager for the Port ofHouston Navigation District; and Captain A. M. Synnot of the RoyalAustralian Navy.

~!~i’1%Port of Houston docks and ships are in the background as this trio

observe the bustling port activity and Houston Ship Channel industries.From the left are Captain W. G. McC. Burn, British Royal Navy; GroupCaptain D. C. H. Simmons of the British Royal Air Force; and CommanderA. G. Taylor, commanding officer of the Houston U.S. Coast Guard Station.

Under a brilliant August sky and with the Lone Star of Texas state flagflying behind them are these SAM HOUSTON guests during the BritishImperial Defence College’s recent visit to the Port of Houston. They are,from the left, Col. W. P. King, senior U.S. Army advisor in Houston; H. kEmmett, British Ministry of Defence, Army Department; T. R. D. Addal,Ministry of Interior, Ghana; and Geoffrey Kilburn, repersentative of DaltonSteamship Co.

SEPTEMBER, 1968 15

Visitors See Port of Houston From the Sam Houston

With the British Union Jack flying from the starboard yardarm, the Portof Houston’s inspection vessel SAM HOUSTON had Capt. A. C. Sparks,right, nautical advisor designate of the Blue Funnel Line of Liverpool, aso guest recently. Captain Sparks is visiting ports all over the world whereBlue Funnel Line ships put in, and in Houston his host was J. S. Gumina,manager of Furnest-Withy, Ltd., agents here for the Blue Funnel Line.

Recently making the tour of Port of Houston wharves and industries onthe Houston Ship Channel were these two Farm Bureau Federations fromthe states of Arkansas and Ohio. The groups debarked from the SAM

Members of a Japanese Business Management Study Team to the U.S.A.line up aboard the Port of Houston’s SAM HOUSTON inspection ship fortheir grouF picture last month during a tour of the port facilities. The groupincluded executives from some of Japan’s top industrial concerns. Host forthe group’s Houston visit was Pat Robertson, upper right, president ofCoastal Construction Co. who showed them construction projects underwayalong the Ship Channel.

16

Recently paying a visit to Houston was Ernest A. Arvidson, executive vicepresident of the Uddehalm Steel Corporation, shown here with JosephRosenbloom, commercial officer for the Swedish consul general in Houston,aboard the SAM HOUSTON. The steel firm, celebrating its 300th anniversarythis year, is establishing a Houston office to cover the Southwest.

HOUSTON at San Jacinto Battleground where they visited the battleshipTexas, and the San Jaclnto Monument, followed by dinner at the SanJacinto Inn.

Aboard the Navigation District’s inspection vessel SAM HOUSTON recentlywas this Houston group taking a tour of the Ship Channel and viewing itsindustry. From left are: Fletcher Stoval, southwest sales manager of theTerminal Division, General American Transportation Corp.; John E. Curry,sales representative of the Tank Car Division, General American Trans-portation Corp.; Sam Portnoy, serv.ces traffic manager of Occidental Chem-ical Co.; C. E. Franklin, director of Supply and Distribution, OccidentalChemical Co.; and Kenneth Hessler, general traffic manager of OccidentalChemical Co.

PORT OF HOUSTON MAGAZINE

Alex Finney of Humble Oil & Refining Company, left, paused en routeto lunch with Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Smith at the World Trade Club. Mr.and Mrs. Smith have recently returned from a trip around the world.

5EENE .AT THE

Korean Consul General Kwang Soo Ahn introduces Mrs. Ahn to DavidBeckwith, assistant to the mayor, one of their many guests helping observeKorean Independence Day at an evening reception August 15 at the WorldTrade Club in Houston’s World Trade Center. Looking an is Ahn’s assistantand receptionist, Wendy French.

Other guests of Houston’s newest consul general, Kwang Soo Ahn, duringthe Korean independence Day celebration at the World Trade Club, in-cluded, from the left, Carl Bond, editor of Gulf International Trader;Danish Consul General Bernhard Daugbjerg; Clyde McGraw, president ofthe Houston Chamber of Commerce; W. Marvin Hurley, executive vicepresident of the Chamber of Commerce; and Houston Attorney Elliot Johnson.

Relaxing at the World Trade Club after a series of meetings are R. L.Massey, left, supervisor of foreign traffic of Dow Chemical Internationalat Freeport and J. D. Peterson, distribution engineer for Dow Chemical inMidland, Michigan.

Talk was not all business when these three shipping executives met atthe World Trade Club. From the left are W. F. Arnett, vice president of theWest Gulf Maritime Association, Lewis Homburg, vice president of StrachanShipping Company and John Masterson, assistant manager of the Bay-Houston Towing Company.

SEPTEMBER, 1968 17

Heavy machinery is being loaded on board theMOKOTO by the stiff legged crane at Long ReachDocks.

CONGO SHIPS IN GULF SERVICE

Crewmen May ’Sign On’ for Two Years OnlyTo Permit Turnover of Seamen

One of the newest maritime com-panies now sailing to U. S. Gulf portsis affiliated with one of the oldest fleetfirms in the world.

The relative "newcomer" is Com-pagnie Maritime Congolaise (CMC) andthe "oldtimer" affiliate is CompagnieMaritime Beige of Antwerp (CMB).

Last March the MAURICE MPOLOcarried the flag of the Democratic Re-public of the Congo into Houston andother Gulf ports for the first time.

The CMC’s service in the Gulf isknown as the Belgian-African Line Ser-vice. The sales and solicitation agent inthe Gulf is Hansen & Tidemann, Inc.,and Delta Steamship Lines is the firm’s

18

husbanding agent. In New York the gen-eral agent for CMC is the Belgian Line,Inc.

Presently there are three ships in theCompagnie Maritime Congolaise: theMPOLO, the JOSEPH OKITO, both10,000 tons, and the fleet’s only pas-senger-freighter, the 12,000 ton PAT-RICE LAMUMBA.

The MPOLO serves the U. S. Gulfand West Africa; the JOSEPH OKITOcarries cargo from East Africa to Ant-werp, and the PATRICE LAMUMBAtakes passengers and cargo from theCongo ports of Ville and Matidi to Ant-werp.

In the U. S. Gulf-Africa service, twoCompagnie Maritime Belge ships, themotor vessels MOKOTO and MOL1RO,join CMC’s MPOLO in transportingcargo between the two continents ofNorth America and Africa.

The first voyage of the MOKOTOfrom Houston earned for the two com-panies involved the highest payingrevenue from any CMC or CMB on asingle voyage. Its cargo was U. S. TitleOne Aid goods, including flour, rice,tobacco, cotton, automobiles, tires, indus-trial machinery and chemicals.

The CMC was incorporated at Kin-shasa 22 years ago, in 1946, and the

PORT OF HOUSTON MAGAZINE

Congo shareholders at that time owned10 per cent of the stock. But, in Juneof 1966. an agreement was signed be-tween the Democratic Republic of theCongo and CMC and CMB making theCongolese government a major share-holder of the company.

In 1967 tile Congo gow’rnment alsopassed the necessary maritime laws per-mitting the CMC to sail under the Con-golese tlag. In May of this year theMPOLO became thc first Congolese flagw’sscl to visit the Port of Houston.

The ~essels currently operated bv theCMC are being purchased from" theCMB on a hmg term basis and plansare being made to increase the CMCtteet considcrably in the near future.

According to John Cassity, official ofBelgium Line. Inc. in New York, theCMC’s U. S. general agents, a total of882 Congoh,se personnel constituted 23per cent of the CMC-CMB officers andseamen operating the two companies’Vess(~ls.

These men. officers and seamen, taketraining programs at a base head-quartered at the Leopold Docks in Ant-werp, Belgium. One of the CMB shipshas a Congolese master and many serveas officers in both companies.

All Conoglese crewmen are paid onthe same wage-scale as the Belgiumerewmembers. One note of interest is

A plaque from the Port of Houston is presented to Captain Van Isaker, master of the MAURICEMPOLO, when his ship arrived on its maiden voyage in May. Bob Bacon of the Houston JuniorChamber of Commerce made the presentation.

SEPTEMBER, 1968

that. because of tile relatively high in-come that can he sent back to his familv,a Congolese cre~,man may sign up fortwo vears but cannol succeed himself,thus making room for anothcr seamanto share the same benefits with hisfamily.

At the Congo ports all n’rminal andstew’doring operations are done by Con-golese officials and laborers

The general agents for bolh CMC andCMB in the United States. BelgiumLine. Inc.. is headed by Eric de Spirlet,president, who hohts maritime and busi-ness administration degrees from Ant-werp University and who has been withthe company since 195:1.

A unique office of the Belgium Line,Inc. general agents is its only interiorU. S. branch located in Chicago. Thisoffice is headed by Richard W. Websterwho also joined the parent company in1954. This branch is specifically in-terested in encouraging exporters in theMid-West to use CMC-CMB freighterservices to West Africa, particularlythrough the Congo and Angola markets.

The MOLIRO is ready to lift cargo from a railcar at the Port of Houston to its hold for thevoyage to Africa.

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THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION hasrecommended extension of I.C.C. operatingauthority to permit seventy-one motor car-riers to handle iron and steel articlesmoving through the Texas Gulf ports topoints in the Southwest including Texas,Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and New Mex-ico. The matter (MC-4964, Sub. 35, etc.)involved was whether or not these carrierswere properly certificated and authorizedto handle iron and steel articles includ-ing: plates, posts, angles, forms, sheets,rounds, channels, beams, ingots, piling,billets, blooms, reinforcing rods, bars,wire mesh and pipe, in bales or bundles,weighing 2,000 pounds or more "each whichrequire the use of special equipment."The proceeding developed that the motorcarriers already had the authority tohandle single pieces, unbundled, weighing2,000 pounds or more. This finding shouldeliminate the doubt and confusion existingconcerning these carriers’ authority tohandle this traffic and make additionalmotor service avaiable to shippers usingthe Port of Houston.

THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION hasconcluded to suspend the proposed Cancel-lation of Absorption of Wharfage or Toll-age. The rail carriers filed amendmentsto their freight tariffs pertaining towater’borne traffic which would have elim-inated their absorption of wharfage chargespresently being absorbed. The shipsidefreight rates generally include an additiveto take care of such absorptions; however,the rail carriers did not propose to re-duce their shipside rail rates to the ex-tent of the wharfage charges. W. E. Fincherof the Houston Port Bureau and othersfiled protests and petitions to suspendthose tariff provisions with the Inter-state Commerce Commission and that bodyhas suspended the August i effective dateand will conduct an investigation as tothe reasonableness of the rail carriers’proposed action.

THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION hasset hearing dates for the purpose of cross-examination and presentation of rebuttal

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evidence in the railroad Ex Parte 259 in-crease proceeding. This increase rangingfrom three to ten percent was originallyfiled to become effective June 24; how-ever, the I.C.C. suspended the effectivedate for seven months and entered into aninvestigation as to its reasonableness. Aninterim increase approximating three per-cent was granted the rail lines under ExParte 259-A pending disposition of theoriginal filing. The schedule of hearingsbegins September 9 with Sub. No. 2 cover-ing railroad costs and revenue need andwill proceed through three other hearingdates covering some ninety different com-modity groups with the last hearings setto commence October 7. The shipping publicreaction to this proposed increase, fol-lowing closely upon the heals of the lastincrease effective August 19, 1967, isevidenced by the wide variety of commod-ities listed upon which some six hundredprotests were filed. The rairoads havepetitioned the I.C.C. to advance the listedhearing dates maintaining that those dateswill cause them to lose so much revenue asto place them in a precarious financialsituation.

THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION hastaken cognizance of the matter of acutecar shortages existing in certain areaswhere rail carriers are unable to furnisha fair supply of freight cars to shipperslocated on their line and that because theexisting car service rules, regulations andpractices of the railroads are inadequatethere is an inequitable distribution offreight cars throughout the country. As aconsequence, the I.C.C. has issued ServiceOrder 1002 appointing R. D. Pfahler Di-rector and N. Thomas Harris AssistantDirector, Bureau of Operations, I.C.C.,Washington, D.C., as agents vested withauthority to issue car distribution direc-tions with respect to location and reloca-tion of empty cars and to make directionswith respect to car service as will bestpromote service in the public interest.The order became effective August 9, super-sedes conflicting rules, and is scheduledto expire November 30.

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