Burnett Heads and Bargara residents have been seeing sugar ships offshore for the past few days.
The Port of Bundaberg is a hive of activity with one ship berthed and two anchored, waiting to load sugar.
The Ken Sei is currently at the terminal loading sugar, while the Belle Ocean and Ansac Phoenix are at anchor.
The 163-metre Ken Sei with 19,800 gross tonnage was built in 2010 by Saiki Heavy Industries and flies the Panama flag.
The Ansac Phoenix has sailed from Japan under a Hong Kong flag; it’s 170 metres long and was built in 2014.
The Belle Ocean is also a Panama-registered vessel, 169 metres and built in 2014, which sailed from Port Kembla. Its carrying capacity is 28,354 tonnes.
COVID-19 restrictions apply to sugar ships
COVID-19 restrictions apply to ships entering Australia from foreign ports.
Vessels may berth in Australia at any time, however if the ship arrives within 14 days from their last international port of call the following restrictions apply:
- All crew must remain on-board while the vessel is berthed in Australia.
- Crew are able to disembark to conduct essential vessel functions and crew must wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while performing these functions.
- Crew should restrict their interaction with non-crew members to those interactions that are critical to the safe operation and loading/unloading of the vessel.
- Crew must also use PPE in public spaces on board the vessel while non-crew members are on-board.
These restrictions apply until 14-days have elapsed since the vessel departed the last foreign port before Australia, and where there are no reports of crew being or having been unwell, or there is a suspected case of COVID-19 on-board.
Shore leave may occur after the 14-day period has been completed.
- Other news: Dredging works increase Port of Bundaberg depth
- Port land use plan released for comment
