Holcim NZ's cement carrier "Milburn Carrier II" is about to commence her final tour of duty around the traps before heading to pastures new.
As I type, she's en route from Nelson to Lyttelton - arriving this afternoon, after which her schedule reads:
Lyttelton - dep 1730/15
Timaru - arr 0600/16, dep 0730/18
Wellington - arr 0730/19, dep 1730/22
Nelson - arr 0530/23, dep 1730/23
Dunedin - arr 0800/25, dep 2230/25
Lyttelton - arr 1500/26, dep 0930/29, ending a 30-year career on the NZ coast.
Wish she could call at my home port of Onehunga again one last time, but Ports of Auckland put the skids on that prospect sixteen months ago. :-(
As the MC2 sets sail from Lyttelton, at the same time a little further down the coast, "Buffalo" will be embarking on her maiden cargo-carrying voyage from Timaru, destinations Wellington and Lyttelton. Arrives in the capital on April 30.
Cheers,
JR