MV Norfolk Unloading Kingston September 2023

The new cargo vessel, named MV Norfolk, arrived back from Brisbane and last weekend the cargo was unloaded at Kingston, Norfolk Island. This was the inaugural Brisbane voyage with cargo from Australia for Norfolk Island.

The MV Norfolk arrived at Kingston on Friday 8 September 2023. The lighterage crew unloaded the cargo on Saturday 9 September after waiting overnight for sea conditions to settle, and they completed unloading the freight early Sunday afternoon. Saturday was a busy day at Kingston with trucks transporting the cargo from the Kingston Pier up into Burnt Pine. Visitors and locals lined the viewing areas at Kingston, as the lighterage crew unloaded cargo onboard the transfer vessels, the workers had a long day moving boat load after boat load of food, ice cream, building materials, vehicles and I also saw a pallet filled with A4 white paper.

Once completed, the MV Norfolk then sheltered off Cascade and on Monday headed off to New Zealand for the next shipment for local businesses.

The last delivery of freight from Australia was over a month ago, on 31 July 2023, Sea Force Barge and Tug transported supplies from Brisbane and the Australian cargo and mail was unloaded at Cascade Pier during the following days.

Last month the MV Norfolk was anchored at Norfolk Island for a couple of weeks after unloading freight from Auckland at the beginning of August, which was the second delivery of cargo from New Zealand on the new vessel. The September return voyage to Brisbane was delayed a couple of weeks, and businesses will be pleased to see that their stock arrive this week.

The Shipping schedule shows as from September the MV Norfolk is scheduled to have a regular shipping service from Brisbane and Auckland, alternating with back-and-forth voyages. These “Depot Cut Off Dates” are subject to change.

2023 advertised “Depot Cut Off Dates”.

• Auckland LCT Norfolk 4W Auckland 17 September Norfolk Island 28 September

• Brisbane LCT Norfolk VOO5E Brisbane 8 October Norfolk Island 20 October

• Auckland LCT Norfolk 5W Auckland 29 October Norfolk Island 9 November

• Brisbane LCT Norfolk VOO6E Brisbane 19 November Norfolk Island 1 December

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)

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

MV Norfolk sails under the Flag of Singapore and is a NPDL, Neptune Pacific Direct Line cargo vessel. MV Norfolk is a “Landing Craft,” or looks very much like a barge, but is a motorised vessel, so does not require a tugboat for the voyages, as the Sea Force Barge required from Brisbane.

Here are a few images of MV Norfolk anchored in the bay at Kingston on Saturday 9 September unloading freight on the transfer vessels.

Betty Matthews

15 September 2023