Port Melville on the remote Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory is a hive of activity with workers busy loading the year’s first shipment of woodchips. Source: ABC News
Under wet-season skies, the Daio Papyrus is being loaded with around 35,000 tonnes of woodchips produced from the Tiwi’s plantations of acacia mangium trees.
This ship follows on from the inaugural woodchip shipment which left the Tiwi Islands in November last year.
Glen Samsa from Plantation Management Partners said it was great to see the woodchip project going from strength to strength.
“These chips are off to Japan for pulping, it’s the same vessel that came in November,” he said.
“We’re hoping to get at least six vessels out this year, so this one is the first, and we’re looking forward to it.
“Everyone here is very excited to see this vessel come in.” Mr Samsa said loading was likely to take five to six days.
