Former Stateship 'Sina' delivers big container shipment at Broome

8/6/95

The port of Broome in the State's North-West is preparing to handle its biggest-ever shipment of containers when the former Stateship 'Sina' berths today.

Transport Minister Eric Charlton said the vessel was on charter to Sealink Transport Pty Ltd, as part of the Government's commitment to settle the Fremantle waterfront dispute.

Sina will deliver 96 containers of general cargo, including cement, stockfeed, groceries and beer.

Two project contractors in the Kimberley especially will welcome Sina's arrival at Broome. The Ord Hydro Project and a supermarket development in the town will take delivery of a big consignment of cement product.

Mr Charlton said unloading the containers from the vessel would present a sizeable challenge to the wharf's cargo handling facilities.

The ship's crane would lift the containers on to trucks on the wharf and they would be delivered to Sealink's freight depot four kilometres away.

A purpose-built electric overhead gantry would move the boxes off the trucks at the freight terminal, where they would be deconsolidated, loaded on to road trucks and consigned to the end user.

"Sealink had demonstrated the effective co-ordination of one type of sea/road transport operation to the North-West," Mr Charlton said.

"This example and all the options put forward by other transport operators will be assessed by the Government's newly established task force."

Chairman Stuart Hicks and the task force members will examine in detail the transport needs of these communities following the cessation of Stateships' services.

Mr Charlton said the task force was preparing an itinerary of North-West ports and towns in the hinterland they will be visiting to discuss their future transport requirements.

Media contact:  Ian Hasleby 321 7333