Number: A32/2020
Date: 28 July 2020
I am pleased to announce the new ferry services schedule for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands will come into effect from Monday, 3 August 2020.
The ferry schedule has been changed to better reflect the needs of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI) and its communities, following consultations and the subsequent review of the ferry services by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.
The feedback from the community summarised in the review report has been considered, and the Department will be implementing the attached ferry timetable which includes additional night time services on Tuesday and Friday nights. These additional night time services were well supported by the community feedback and are designed to allow more community engagement through increased opportunities for sports, night time business operation and community events. Morning and afternoon services remain in place to ensure school and work ferry services are not interrupted and changes to the midday ferry services have been made to make flight days less congested.
These changes to the ferry timetable are in line with actions proposed by the community in Our Cocos (Keeling) Islands 2030 Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan called for ferry services, including timetables, to be reviewed to increase social harmony through expanded opportunities for inter-island interaction and community engagement.
I would like to thank all who contributed to this process and am pleased that another action from the Strategic Plan has been addressed.
The Department, through its service contract with the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society, will continue to monitor the patronage of the ferry services and welcomes feedback on the new timetable to IndianOceanTerritories@infrastructure.gov.au.
Mrs Natasha Griggs
Administrator of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
