A LAUNCESTON ship owner has called on Tasports to speed up modifications to wharves at Stanley and Devonport, so he can start up an alternative service from King Island.
LD Shipping's Les Dick said he had brought a new ship from Western Australia, the Go Lesath, to service King Island.
But Tasports was "dragging its feet" on modifications to berths at Stanley and Devonport, to allow access for the Go Lesath.
"Tasports has made a decision to put a berth in, but we are still waiting for that to happen," Mr Dick said.
It was planned to ship cattle from King Island, in stock trailers, to either Stanley, Devonport, or Geelong, he said.
"We count it one of our strengths, to be able to go over to King Island almost immediately, as stock is required to be moved," Mr Dick said.
"Greenhams rings and says we want a load on Monday or Tuesday and we can load on Sunday night and deliver at six am on Monday - the same for Swifts, or we can move cattle to Tongala (Vic),"
LD Shipping already ran a service to Stanley, with the MV Statesman.
Mr Dick was also scathing of the state government, which has been in discussions with shipping companies over the provision of a service to King Island, when SeaRoad pulls out of run, next year.
"We buy a boat worth $6 million, we are creating employment for 15 people, stopping a gap that's going to cost them a lot of money, but they don't want to know us," Mr Dick said.
"The Minister for Infrastructure (Rene Hidding) doesn't ring us and say, 'what do you need to get this boat going ?' - we are employing Tasmanian people, moving Tasmanian beasts, so they should get on with supporting industries which are already here, keeping Tasmania moving," he said.
Tasports Emily Sonners said the Go Lesath was too large for existing port infrastructure, at Stanley.
"Tasports has been working with LD Shipping to deliver a long term solution in Stanley which will accommodate the much larger vessel," Ms Sonners said
"Tasports has therefore commissioned a project to reconfigure the current RORO (roll on, roll off) berth to accommodate both LD Shipping's vessels, namely the Statesman and the Go Lesath.
"Tasports is also assessing a berthing option at East Devonport to accommodate LD Shipping in the interim period," she said.
Shipping company SeaRoad Holding's vessel the SeaRoad Mersey is expected to be replaced at the end of next year, with a ship that is too big for the island's port.
The SeaRoad Mersey and LD Shipping's Statesman are used to export cattle, kelp and dairy products.
No freight service had yet been locked in to replace the Mersey.
Meanwhile, the King Island shipping group was focussing finding out what solutions the market could provide, when SeaRoad pulled out.
Chairman Jarrod Reeman said it had been resolved the community would not put in its own vessel, but seek a service from commercial providers.
