Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers Ltd (ASX:KPT) has hit a milestone in the harvest and marketing of its fire-damaged pine logs with 300 cubic metres loaded on a barge at Kingscote wharf to be shipped to a customer in South Korea.
The pine logs are being loaded aboard the Rocksea to be towed to Port Adelaide, where they will be containerised and shipped to South Korea.
Smith Bay export facility approval still primary objective
This is another step in harvesting and processing the pine logs, which now have a short shelf life due to the fire damage.
KPT managing director Keith Lamb acknowledged this was a milestone for the company in its harvest and marketing of the fire-impacted timber.
He, however, reiterated that this was a “proof of concept” start by the company and that the approval of the Smith Bay export facility was still KPT’s primary objective.
Need to export as not enough storage
Lamb said: “The fire impacted pine has a short shelf life. It needs to be harvested and processed.
“We have started storing our pine in dams on our properties to preserve it as we await the approval and building of the Smith Bay facility, but we do not have enough water storage so we must begin exporting.
“There are one million tonnes of pine between us and the independent growers that need a solution in the next 18 months.
Not a solution for all timber
Lamb said: “Today’s shipment is important but this is a costly and inefficient way to export and won’t be the solution for all of that timber.
“If we exported all of the pine as we’ve done today, we would need 5,000 days to do it – every day for 13.5 years.
"It would no doubt become more efficient but not enough to get this fire-damaged resource away over the next couple of years, nor to cope with blue gum and then the new timber from re-planting.
"It would be a huge impact on the township of Kingscote and I don’t think that’s what the community wants.”
Improving Kingscote barge facility
The arrival of the barge Rocksea and the loading of the logs generated a lot of interest in Kingscote, with many residents and tourists visiting the wharf to watch.
KPT is the client of the barging operation, which run by T-Ports and Maritime Constructions.
The companies have a development plan application underway to repair and improve the barge facility at Kingscote to make the operation more efficient.
Timber mills in Green Triangle
KPT is also actively marketing its timber to mills in the Green Triangle for the construction industry, with a showcase truckload of logs scheduled to head off via the Sealink ferry after Easter.
Radiata pine comprises about 20% of the KIPT estate.
Planning continues for the harvest and export of more than three million tonnes of blue gum.