MV Norfolk First Voyage Arrived 21 July 2023

Great news this week on Norfolk Island as workers and businesses prepared for the arrival of the new cargo vessel, named MV Norfolk. This week I used my Vessel Marine tracker and spotted the ship at the Auckland port, where it was anchored as the cargo and freight was loaded. On Friday morning the cargo vessel arrived an anchored in the sheltered waters at Cascade Bay.

The shipping app also has this additional information about the MV Norfolk

Vessel Name: NORFOLK
IMO Number: 9906726
Flag: SINGAPORE
Vessel Type: Landing Craft
Call sign: 9V8849
MMSI: 563194200
Year: 2023
Register Company: Bureau Veritas
Additional info:
Overall Length: 80.0
GRT: 1967
Inmarsat C Text / Data: 453304574
Inmarsat C Text / Data: 453304575

The last delivery of cargo from New Zealand was in early January 2023, the final voyage of the Southern Tiare to Norfolk Island. Since then, cargo has arrived on Norfolk Island on Seaforce Barge and Tug from Brisbane or via airfreight on the Toll flights.

The local Norfolk Island Radio Station has announced that the ship was due to arrive on Friday 21 July 2023 and a lighterage call will be given in the morning. The weather is stormy on Thursday night, with rain and wild wind gusts, so the MV Norfolk may need to shelter when it arrives and await settled seas to unload the cargo. The Kingston Pier was rough with white caps on Thursday and again on Friday. It appears that Cascade Pier will be first to settle after the stormy weather clears.

The Shipping schedule shows the MV Norfolk will return to Auckland for another ship load of cargo, once the first shipment has been unloaded, as there is a back log of freight to deliver, including frozen goods and many locals will be excited when ice-cream is delivered, as the supermarket and restaurants ran up a few months ago.

The last cargo delivery was late May 2023, which was Seaforce Barge and Tug. This freight service has been assisting with Brisbane freight and the back log of

mail. The Seaforce Barge and Tug are also heading to Norfolk Island this month and I hope the vessels have a safe crossing with the high wind and swells in the Tasman Sea.

As from August the MV Norfolk is scheduled to have a regular shipping service from Brisbane and Auckland, alternating with back-and-forth voyages.

On Friday afternoon, 21 July 2023, I visited Cascade Bay and took a few photos of MV Norfolk as the vessel was anchored in the bay on its maiden voyage to Norfolk Island.

If you wish to read more details of the shipping schedules, follow this link, or contact Norfolk Forwarding Services.

Norfolk Island Shipping Schedules | Forwarding Services (norfolkforwarding.com)

Betty Matthews

July 2023