Sea freight resumes out of Townsville

28th January 2010

Sea freight feeder company Q Coast is launching coastal shipping services at Townsville. The company will operate weekly services between Brisbane, Gladstone and Townsville. Q Coast spokesman Graham Magoffin says the company believes viable coastal shipping services can be relaunched in Queensland for the first time in many years. Queensland Rail has announced it is cutting freight services between the port of Brisbane and Townsville from four or five to two trains a week. ''We plan to be a major competitor to QR,'' Magoffin says. ''Regular, dedicated containerised coastal shipping has not operated for a very long time in Australia but we believe this service will work.” Fertiliser manufacturer Incitec Pivot will use the shipping service from February to transport fertiliser between Townsville and Brisbane. The company is also looking to provide transport services to major mining ventures, including Gladstone's Curtis Island LNG project.