Northern Australia marine transport provider Sea Swift has announced a change in schedule for its Far North Queensland freight vessels in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The current domestic and international COVID-19 restrictions have led to a delay in the build of new vessel Newcastle Bay II in Indonesia, which has meant replacement vessels have had to stay in place for longer than planned.
As a result, Chief Executive Officer Fred White said Sea Swift has now altered the Trinity Bay, Albatross Bay, and Biquele Bay vessel schedules to ensure that delivery schedules remain unchanged for its Torres Strait and Cape York Peninsula customers.
“We’ve rescheduled the vessels as a response to the domestic and international influences and the likelihood of a protracted recovery period from COVID-19,” said Mr White.
“This will ensure we provide maximum capacity at the back end of the week for early the following week delivery. Therefore, we are re-scheduling the Trinity Bay to sail at the back end of the week.
“It is certainly unprecedented times we are all experiencing as a result the COVID-19 pandemic.
“However, our main focus is to continue to provide uninterrupted service to our customers, and we’re pleased to say that delivery schedules remain unchanged for our Far North Queensland remote communities.”
Effective Friday 8 May, Sea Swift’s interim COVID-19 shipping schedule will operate as follows:
“These necessary changes to our shipping network are only an interim measure to ensure the goods and services we provide remain unchanged and sustainable until the recovery period commences,” added Mr White.
Sea Swift has many years of experience providing essential services and project freight in Northern Australia, and makes a significant contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the region.
Sea Swift operates throughout the region’s remote coastal and island communities, with depots in Cairns, Weipa, Seisia, Horn Island, Badu Island, and Thursday Island in Queensland, and Darwin, Gove, Groote Eylandt, Maningrida, and Galiwinku in the Northern Territory.
Find out more about Sea Swift and its services at www.seaswift.com.au and www.facebook.com/seaswiftaustralia