A stalemate that had threatened to leave Flinders and Cape Barren islands without a freight service has been temporarily resolved.
The shipping company that had been servicing the islands, Furneaux Freight, was at odds with state-owned TasPorts over loading and unloading services used at Lady Barron Port.
The company had said it would cease its stevedore and shipping activities at the end of this month.
But the Government has struck an eleventh-hour deal to keep the freight moving.
Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding said the Government had led successful negotiations.
"Furneaux Freight has now committed to continue shipping to the islands from its Bridport base under a 60-day trial of a new deal," he said.
"Key to the deal was an agreement that secured a short-term, third-party stevedoring service at Lady Barron Port.
"Australia's most prominent stevedoring companies QUBE Ports will provide this service."
The State Government said it would provide $50,000 worth of shipping contingency funds towards costs incurred during the two-month trial.
Flinders Island Mayor Carole Cox said it was "extremely important" for livestock producers that freight services continued uninterrupted.
"We've had a relatively dry end to the winter and a relatively dry start to spring, so certainly livestock producers are at the moment making plans to move as many animals as they can," she said.
Topics: sea-transport, industry, states-and-territories, flinders-island-7255View the original article here
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar