First Singapore to Karratha international freight shipment sails into Dampier Port

The first direct international freight shipment from Singapore to Dampier arrived last Tuesday when the 99m Karratha Bay made port. The 11-day journey saw the vessel arrive in Dampier last week and marked the first freight shipment to arrive in Dampier since Sea Swift announced the service in December. It is the first of two voyages the company will be making a month, based on a regular scheduled roll-on, roll-off freight operation model. The service arose from the Pilbara Freight Study’s findings and subsequent work by its consultant, Paul Toussaint-Jackson, to set up a new route in the region. “Servicing the area directly with a liner service will not only reduce the time and cost of doing business in the region, but importantly, will significantly reduce the carbon impact on the existing supply chain by shortening the supply chain and reducing multiple handling steps,” he said. Mr Bruno said the roll-on, roll-off model could operate both containers and break-bulk cargo. “The RORO model for scheduled freight services has never been operated before in the Pilbara, and is not only efficient but also safe, avoiding the need to lift cargo across a wharf, which is a key safety requirement for some companies,” he said. The freight company will use shipping and logistics company GAC to provide port operations, documentation, financial governance and equipment handling. GAC Singapore managing director Henrik Althen said it was expected demand would rise. “It is likely to be further bolstered by the growing imports and exports generated by developing economies in Asia, post-COVID-19, with Singapore acting as a transshipment port,” he said. Dampier and Port Hedland ports were granted Federal biosecurity first-point entry status in 2019.