No DATE
M/ 32 16 February 1973
260-TON HARBOUR DREDGE FOR MALAYSIA
The Australian Government is to give Malaysia a
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260-ton dredge for use in the harbours and ports of Sarawak.
SAnnouncing this today, the Minister Assisting the
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator D. Willesee, said that
the dredge, costing $ A545,000, would be provided under the
Australian aid programme.
The dredge has been designed and built by an Australian
Scompany, Kon-Tiki Engineering/ Pty. Ltd., of Killara, N. S. W.,
and will be used initially in the development of the port of
Kuching, and later at Sibu and other river ports in Sarawak
where there are substantial dredging requirements.
The vessel will be named " Barkuna" by Mrs F. E. Stewart,
wife of the Federal Minister foi Tourism and Recreation, at a
special ceremony near Sydney on Monday ( 19 February), which
will als6 be attended by the Acting High Commissioner for
Malaysia, J. r A. Faiz. ./ 2
-2-
The dredge will then be dismantled into 20 sections,
each weighing 12 tons, and shipped to Sarawak where it will be
put into use as soon as possible.
( Note for editors: the naming ceremony will be held at Epsom
Road, Chipping Norton, near Sydney, at 2.45 p. m. on Monday
19 February. You or your representative are cordially invited
to attend.)