LHIB has finalised alternative emergency sea freight arrangements to manage the impact of the cancelled Birdon voyages due to damages to the Island Trader.

We have negotiated with Polaris Marine Group (Polaris) to provide an emergency voyage for delivery of essential items to the Island, anticipated to arrive Friday 7 February. The voyage will be via a tug and barge, with much less capacity than the Island Trader. Therefore, there was a need to prioritise what is transported.

The items prioritised include jet fuel, diesel, avgas, and ULP, as fuel cannot be brought in by plane. Gas has been ordered, as it is required for cooking and supplies have been exhausted. Then limited essential food and grocery items (eg. baking flour for bread, UHT milk, staples and toilet paper). No cooler or freezer is possible.  Some mail items are also planned to come. 

Food and grocery items brought in on this emergency voyage will be available through the local businesses that are licenced to sell groceries – Joys shop, Diamonds, and Thompson’s store, at standard prices (with standard marine freight included rather than airfreight). Flour will be provided to Anchorage to ensure continuity of bread supply.  Thank you to those businesses for working with us to order priority items.

After a thorough review of alternative options, the decision was deemed the best possible outcome to ensure focus on delivery of essential services emergency items

Please note it is not possible to make personal or business orders on this voyage other than the above. Please continue to consider Eastern Air Services as an alternative option or support our local businesses if you wish to purchase other items.

LHIB will continue to review biosecurity risks given the change to the vessel. During this period, the Biosecurity team will adjust their operations and continue to conduct essential inspections on all freight transported from the mainland to the Island.

We would like to thank Eastern Air Services for supporting businesses and residents who are making other commercial arrangements during the period. Thanks also to Polaris and Marine Parks for assisting at short notice, and to Birdon for their cooperation to allow use of their wharf and equipment. 

We are awaiting further advice from Birdon regarding status of repairs to the MV Island Trader and whether voyage 170 (arrival 1 March) is able to proceed as scheduled. This will determine whether there is a need for another voyage operated by Polaris. 

We will continue to provide updates as further information becomes available. 

Helicopter winch operations postponed

Due to efforts to conserve fuel, helicopter winch operations scheduled for February will be postponed. The second and final window of this summer’s operation will be rescheduled to the end of the year to complete important weed eradication and maintenance work. Priority weeding in accessible terrain will continue to be undertaken over the next few weeks.