First fuel carrier to visit Devonport since Goliath incident

TasPorts is expected to welcome a 121-metre-long fuel tanker – the first since the cement carrier Goliath collided with two berthed TasPorts tugs at the end of January – into Devonport during the first week of April.

TasPorts CEO Anthony Donald said the company had been working very closely with VIVA Energy to facilitate the visit by the oil and chemical tanker Stolt Sakura and was obviously pleased with the outcome.

“While there is significant landside work for TasPorts to complete before the visit, it is an investment we are prepared to make for the benefit of our customer and the greater northern Tasmanian community,” he said.

“The visit will occur before salvage barges are expected in Devonport to undertake the salvage works of the York Cove and Campbell Cove wrecks from the Mersey River.

“TasPorts is also actively engaging with other customers about bringing other products into Devonport.”

Mr Donald said TasPorts had been consistently monitoring the condition of the wrecks in the Mersey River via divers and underwater drones and was confident they were sufficiently stable for the fuel tanker to pass the wreck site on the way to its berth.

“In addition, the 80-metre-long Bass Island Line vessel John Duigan has successfully berthed at Berth 5 West (near the wreck site) on a number of occasions,” he said.

“These movements have enabled us to assess any potential impacts on the wreck site under different environmental conditions.”

Mr Donald said the Stolt Sakura was smaller than the tankers that normally visited Devonport.

He thanked VIVA Energy for its collaborative approach to working with TasPorts to successfully confirm a fuel tanker visit to the Port of Devonport.