King Island calls for big harbour fix

BEEF producers and the King Island Council want Grassy Harbour upgraded to attract bigger ships and a larger share of the freight market.

Cattle farmers have told a Legislative Council inquiry into King Island shipping services that livestock shipments had been cancelled because the ship the State Government secured to service the island was not up to the task.

They also said the cost of sending their cattle off the Bass Strait island had increased since the Investigator II took over the run.

In its submission, the King Island Beef Producers group said freight had made up 3 per cent of farm operating costs when the Currie abattoir was running. Since the abattoir closed freight makes up 26 per cent of their costs.

About 40,000 head of livestock are exported off King Is- land every year and livestock makes up 60 per cent of the island’s freight task.

The SeaRoad Mersey made its final sailing to Grassy on April 4 and was replaced by the SeaRoad Mersey II, which proved too big for the port.

The Investigator II was then chartered through TasPorts subsidiary Bass Island Line to service King Island until the end of August.

In the meantime, TasPorts continues its worldwide search for a replacement vessel.

King Island Council said the uncertainty was worrying residents and dissuading investment.

“This uncertainty is having a negative impact on our island’s businesses and residents and council seeks the subcommittee’s assistance in gaining clarity on the future of sea freight,” the council said.

The committee will hold public hearings and private site visits on King Island on Mon- day and Tuesday. More hearings will be held in Hobart next Thursday.

In its submission, the State Government said any vessel involved in the regular Bass Strait shipping service would be too big for the Grassy port.

“It should be noted that there is a long-range body of work being carried out by Infrastructure Tasmania on the expansion of Grassy port,” the submission stated.

“However the size of the current and projected freight task on and off King Island falls far short of any large-scale investment proposal anytime soon.”

Meanwhile, King Island’s airport will be upgraded under the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund.

The airport will soon have a dedicated freight precinct to streamline freight, reduce congestion and separate passenger movements from freight handling activities.