"ملف 29/22 I حبوب غذائية إلى الشارقة ودبي" [و‎‎٩‎٧] (٦٨٢/١٩٣)

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From Gray, Mackenzie & Co. Ltd.,
Bahrain.
To
No. L/124
Dated the 14th February, 1944
Political Agent,
Bahrain.
We have to acknowledge receipt of your letter No.
C/31o of the 13th instant, and are surprised to note that
M.W.T. have expressed great concern in the matter of discharg
ing vessels at ports in the Persian Gulf, as they are well
aware of the conditions here and at the other ports in Arab
Sheikhdoms.
example of the discharge of a large cargo, and the speed of
discharge was governed by three factors. Firstly, the weather,
which, as you know, was particularly bad during this vessel's st
stay, and considerably hampered the working of craft alongside
the ship. Secondly, during this period, two vessels, the
"Nawab" and "Mars" wore also discharging and these vessels were
given priority over the "Caithness" with M.W.T. agreement.
Thirdly, the Bahrain Customs were unable to remove the cargo
from the pier as fast as we could place it alongside and
consequently the craft could not be unloaded as quickly as
possible. These factors are applicable to any vessel calling
at Bahrain with similar cargoes.
are all, more or less, affected by the weather, particularly
Dubai and Sharjah where it is absolutely impossible to work
a ship in rough weather and v/here there are, in any case, few
boats all of which are small. The presence of other vessels in
these ports which are not equipped to handle more than one or
two at a time, is also a decisive factor in the rate of dis
charge, and this too, applies in some respects to Bahrain
where very considerable cargoes are now being handled.
Everything possible, however, is being done to
expedite the despatch of all vessels.
In regard to Bahrain, the S.S. "Caithness" is an
The other ports, Kuwait, Dubai, Sharjah and Muscat
Yours faithfully,
for Gray Mackenzie and Company Ltd.,
(sd.) J.M. Campbell
Manager.