Shipping Australia is saddened to inform the industry of the passing away of Frank Needs.
A former ANL employee and manager, a Shipping Australia member and colleague, and a generally well-loved and much-liked industry figure, Frank passed away peacefully in his sleep from natural causes sometime on Monday night / early Tuesday morning.
Described by former colleagues as “a man once met always warmly remembered,” Frank was a long-serving ANL employee who rose to the position of NSW State Manager. He was a shipping man through-and-through during an era when industry veterans viewed this new-fangled system of containerisation as a specialist, hands-on, sector. It was regarded as an area that required exceptional interpersonal skills and an astoundingly detailed practical knowledge of the business, both of which Frank possessed.
Frank was closely associated with Shipping Australia during his career. He served as the NSW State Chairman and he was an active player in the affairs of the various Liner Conference Committees.
For many years after his retirement from ANL, Frank played an active voluntary role in the production of the Shipping Australia’s magazine.
“He was a people-person who could hold court in any pub. Frank was politically switched-on and controversial but he will most keenly remembered for his all-round sporting knowledge which led, in some quarters, to him being affectionally referred to the “Minister of Sport”. He was a true blue Aussie,” a former colleague fondly recalled.
With the ever diminishing number of such loveable characters, Frank’s passing should genuinely be recognised as the sad loss of another industry colleague directly involved in the innovation of international liner container shipping in Australia.
A funeral will be held for Frank at St Andrew Church, Roseville, NSW followed by a gathering at the Roseville Golf Club on Monday 31st May.
