The Tasmanian Freight Logistics Council today welcomed the announcement that a joint venture agreement between Agility Logistics Pty Ltd and Transworld Marine Express Pty Ltd has been signed to form Agility Shipping to recommence a Melbourne-Bell Bay shipping service.

The 516-teu Hafentor is due to arrive in Melbourne tomorrow to begin preparations for the expected start of Agility Shipping’s new Melbourne-Bell Bay service next week and will be renamed Tassie Bridge. Depending on customer demand for the new service, a second vessel might be added to the service later in the year.

The new shipping service will justify TasRail’s recent decision to re-commence its interrmodal service between Bell Bay and Hobart in the last quarter of 2010.

The Council’s CEO, Rob McGuire, responded to the announcement by saying that it is great news for Tasmania and will be welcomed by both shippers and freight services providers to industry alike. “Industry is constantly seeking ways to improve its reliability, market reputation and competitiveness so anything that leads to better service and more competition in the market place has to be a good thing.”

McGuire believes that the announcement will end the uncertainty that has surrounded shipping at Bell Bay for some time now and is fantastic news for the people working at Bell Bay whose jobs are now safe. It is a real win-win for shippers in Tasmania.