Nathan Conley is one of many King Islanders producing beef rated among the best in Australia.
He is also one of many on the Bass Strait outpost frustrated with a "suboptimal" shipping service.
King Island, which has a population of about 1600 people, is home to roughly 100,000 cattle and is responsible for more than a fifth of Tasmania's overall beef production.
"The value King Island has to the Tasmanian economy would be quite substantial but we've got a boat that is semi-reliable and not fit for purpose," Mr Conley said.
Bass Island Line, a subsidiary of state-government-owned company TasPorts, runs a weekly service using the John Duigan from Devonport in northwest Tasmania to King Island.
Bass Island Line has operated since 2017 when SeaRoad Shipping pulled out because its upgraded roll-on-roll-off vessel was too large to dock at King Island's Grassy port.
A recent review by Tasmania's Economic Regulator urged Bass Island Line to review whether the John Duigan was suitable to continue providing freight services.
King Island Mayor Marcus Blackie described the vessel as essentially an open barge and not one designed to handle Bass Strait.
"Cargo is put on the deck and it's exposed to ... the weather, including livestock," he said.
"In winter in particular, sometimes it can be a 50/50 proposition if it even sails or can even get in here.
"(The cattle) don't arrive in great shape at the other end which can often downgrade the quality of the meat."
The economic regulator noted a variety of King Island industries rely on sea freight, including highly regarded dairy and cheese which is exported nationwide.
Isolation means residents rely on imported goods including food and fuel.
Mr Blackie said since the end of a triangular shipping service, supermarket goods arrive the "long way" from Melbourne down to northwest Tasmania and then back up to King Island.
Phillip Jacobson, general manager of the IGA at Currie on King Island, said it resulted in higher prices, and either carrying excess stock or empty shelves.
"If there is a delivery with the boat once a week and that boat misses, well it's two weeks," he said.
"Sometimes the freight is more (in price) than the product is."
Mr Conley, who runs about 1500 cattle, said shipping delays resulted in slower production and "shrinkage" of cattle on longer than ideal routes.
"For bulls, they're a shell of themselves by the time they get here because it takes so long," he said.
Keith McKnight, CEO of Group 6 Metals which operates a tungsten mine on the island, said there have been equipment transport challenges with ships getting turned away in bad weather.
However, the mine could play a part in providing a solution.
Mr Blackie said the state government had committed to funding an expansion study for the port at Grassy.
He was optimistic rock from the mine could be used in construction and was hopeful a bigger port could lead to a more reliable, more robust shipping service.
TasPorts has committed to implementing the economic regulator's recommendations, including that Bass Island Line publishes its price schedule in the interests of transparency.
The regulator noted some businesses requested direct mainland access, based on relationships with Victorian businesses.
Eastern Line Shipping, partly owned by beef producer Greenhams, also provides a service three or four times a week to Stanley in northwest Tasmania.
Mr Conley believes providing better shipping would have broad benefits.
"In general what most King Islanders want is a reliable ocean vessel," he said.
"How do you make it cost effective for people to stay here? And how do you get people to come live here?"
TasPorts CEO Anthony Donald said the organisation would always work with key customers and stakeholders.
"(We will do this to) ensure the service meets their needs and to identify ways in which we can continue to add value to the transport of goods on and off the island," he said.
This AAP article was made possible with the support of the Meta Australian News Fund and The Walkley Foundation.
Australian Associated Press
