Northern Australia marine transport provider Sea Swift will next month complete a major milestone in the construction of its new vessel MV Newcastle Bay II.
The current MV Newcastle Bay’s last voyage will depart Cairns on Friday 27 December, servicing the northern remote communities of Cape York Peninsula.
After this voyage, MV Newcastle Bay will be sold to make room within Sea Swift’s fleet for the arrival of its replacement line haul vessel, MV Newcastle Bay II, which will be in service in March 2021.
Sea Swift will be utilising other vessels in the fleet to cover the scheduled Friday services until MV Newcastle Bay II is in operation:
- One dedicated vessel for a Cairns to Weipa service, departing Fridays and arriving in Weipa on Monday mornings
- One dedicated vessel for a Cairns to Horn and Thursday Islands service, departing Fridays and arriving Sundays
- Mobilising a reserve vessel when freight volumes exceed the scheduled services capacity.
Exact schedules confirming vessel port rotations will be communicated to the public prior to Christmas.
Sea Swift is also working on the introduction of an Adventure Cruise for the MV Newcastle Bay II in 2021, which will carry 35 passengers per week in addition to the already popular MV Trinity Bay cruise into the Torres Strait and Cape York.
General Manager of Operations (Queensland) Peter Domenighini said it was exciting times with the introduction of the MV Newcastle Bay II now becoming a reality.
“The new MV Newcastle Bay II will be with us before we know it, and will be a massive plus for the region,” said Mr Domenighini.
“The vessel will add an additional 50 per cent cargo capacity, which is a major positive for our customers.
“As always, the team at Sea Swift are committed to moving our customers’ freight in a timely and safe manner.
“Customers are always welcome to contact our friendly customer service team to seek clarification on any matter regarding the movement of their freight.
“It’s an exciting time for the communities that we service with the new vessel arriving soon, and it will bring with it an opportunity for tourism partnerships and increased freight volumes.”
Sea Swift has more than 30 years of experience providing essential services and project freight in Northern Australia with more than 400 staff and 28 vessels, 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 and Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory.
