FREIGHTER "AMERICAN RACER", FREIGHT BEING LOADED, SIGN "HOME RUN", CRANE, FREIGHTER LEAVES PORT.


1.
GV SS American racer at quayside
0.05

2.
GV loading operation on quayside
0.10

3.
SV and GV container being lifted off
0.16

4.
CU winch
0.20

5.
TV container loaded into ship hold
0.27

6.
CU sign on container "home run"
0.29

7.
LV & SV container into hold (2 shots)
0.43

8.
SV crane operator
0.45

9.
TV container lowered into hold
0.50

10.
SV ships flags
0.51

11.
SV & TV American Racer sets sail
1.01



Initials SAW/BOB/BJ



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Surplus American military supplies - ranging from vehicles to medical refrigerators and surgeon's gloves - were loaded on a freighter in Japan and Okinawa recently for return to the United States.

The cargo is part of a Defence Department project known as "Operation Home Run" which aims to distribute useful was surplus materials to welfare agencies back in the United States.

On this occasion the freight was shipped on the SS American Racer and the value of the consignment was estimated at $ 6.5 million dollars (GBP 2???? million).

Schools, hospitals and old people's home will benefit under the scheme which utilises military supplies no longer needed in South East Asia as military operations in the area are phased out.

The shipment of the American Racer - the first of what is expected to be a massive programme of re-using military supplies - arrived in California this week.