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July 28th, 2013 
Peter Nolan
Updated
Protest action has continued to cause delays loading the Spirit of Tasmania.
About 70 workers gathered at Station Pier to protest over the sacking of a dock worker and the review of the positions of three others by logistics company Qube.
The ferry left an hour later than scheduled for a day sailing to Devonport on Sunday morning but will travel at a higher speed than usual and arrive on time.
The Bass Strait Ferry service was disrupted by 50 protesters on Friday night, who prevented freight being loaded on the ship.
Tasmania’s primary producers have expressed concern they will be left out of pocket by the delays.
Jan Davis from the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association said there was not the State Government could do, short of opening new shipping routes.
“We’re putting in a lot more irrigation and other infrastructure,” Ms Davis said.
“We’re expanding our dairy, expanding our fruit and vegetable growing. Our capacity is increasing every day. That product all has to be moved and if we don’t have options then every time something goes wrong, the whole industry grinds to a halt.”
Grant Riley from the company Fresh Freight Tasmania said another shipping company had put on an unscheduled service to help out.
“We’ve managed to get our freight on the SeaRoad ship and we’re very grateful SeaRoad has decided to discharge their ship, they don’t normally discharge it on a Sunday morning in Devonport,” Mr Riley said.
“That will be a costly exercise for them to do that so we’re very grateful.
“But the deliveries for us in Tasmania have been delayed by 24 hours.”
The Maritime union has distanced itself from the demonstration.
Topics:
business-economics-and-finance,
agribusiness,
unions,
devonport-7310,
port-melbourne-3207,
hobart-7000
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Source Article from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-28/protest-actions-delays-spirit-again/4848554
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