disruption was reportedly kept to a minimum as container ships arrived fully laden with bulk goods, including the delayed arrival of an ambulance for the hospital.

And Bermuda is to get an interesting German visitor next week when the weapons research ship Planet calls on Monday with 22 scientists on board.

Meyer Agencies reported the arrival of the Somers Isles from Florida on Sunday morning carrying 77 containers. Among them were five refrigerated containers and several items of loose cargo, including three portable trailer offices for Government's new secondary school site at Prospect, 35 bundles of lumber, 78 bundles of steel, one dump truck, one boat and, finally, King Edward VII Hospital's new ambulance, which did not make it to the docks in the US in time for the ship's last voyage. The hospital has recently been left with just one operational ambulance because of repairs to others.

The Somers Isles left Monday morning.

Meyer also reported the arrival of the Bermuda Islander on Wednesday morning.

She off-loaded 61 containers, including eight refrigerated ones. She is due to depart this afternoon, providing it does not rain.

And the US Navy supply ship Strong Cajun called yesterday, berthing at Marginal Wharf in St. George's until today, Meyer said.

Customers did not seem to be greatly inconvenienced by the customs officers' unofficial industrial action, an agent said, though freight was being cleared as much as one hour slower than usual.

Container Ship Management's Oleander off-loaded 146 containers, including 30 refrigerated ones, two cars, a construction machine, and a large turbine for Belco. She was in Monday morning and left Tuesday.

"We lost about a half-an-hour getting cleared with customs,'' an agent said.

Only around 15 of 143 customs officers were working the docks and airport on Monday and Tuesday due to a protest over the hiring of a non-Bermudian spouse of a Bermudian as one of six new $33,618-a-year officer trainees. The Customs officers' union has threatened more severe action in the summer at the height of the shipping/cruise season if their demands are not met.

John S. Darrell agency reported a quiet week. But it is expecting a cement ship from Venezuela to call at the end of the week with cargo for the Bermuda Cement Company.

Harbour Radio had nothing out of the ordinary to report.

WAITING GAME -- Hamilton docks were temporarily jammed with containers early this week after nearly all the 143-strong team of customs agents called in "sick'' protesting management hiring practices. Freight truckers waited up to an hour longer than usual for their goods to be cleared.