The Hodgman Liberal Government will fund a trial, beginning this afternoon, which involves additional sailings to Bruny Island by the barge MV Bowen.
This is great news for tourists and residents alike.
Under the existing agreement negotiated by the previous Labor-Green government, the barge was contracted to provide extra capacity alongside the Mirambeena during peak periods, and the last summer period sailing finished at the end of the school holidays (Feb 10).
Since then, the demand for additional services has remained, a sign that Tasmania is experiencing a very strong summer tourist season.
With the barge becoming available for charter after some commercial work finished, the Transport Commission was able to negotiate an additional charter arrangement with the operator as a trial to test the strength of the market to see if the additional capacity is sustainable through to the Easter period.
This trial will determine whether the operation is commercially viable and extended in future years.
MV Bowen will start tonight and continue morning and afternoon services through until Sunday 22 March.
It is contracted for work in the aquaculture industry for a little over a week in late March, which means we cannot utilise the barge during that period.
It will resume service for Easter on the Thursday April 2 and will run through until the Wednesday April 8.
MV Bowen will also operate over the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend from Thursday June 4 to Tuesday June 9.
This is a commercial charter arrangement and commercial in confidence, but there is a cost to the taxpayer and it is being met from within the existing budgeted Shipping Contingency Fund.
Rene Hidding, Minister for Infrastructure
