About Us – Marine Support Company
North Marine is a prominent marine support company based in the Port of Cairns in Queensland, Australia.
North Marine provides commercial marine support via two operating departments – Vessel Charters and Commercial Diving – with a range of ancillary support.
Head office is in Cairns City, with a waterfront marine facility, North Wharf in the Port of Cairns in Queensland, and an office in Mackay.
On This Page
- Company Values: Environment & Local Communities
- North Marine Management
- Company History: 30+ Years
- Our Clients
- Marine Support During COVID -19
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North Marine Company Values: Environment & Community
Dedicated to environmental initiatives & supporting local communities
First and foremost, we are a network of dedicated seafaring mariners.
A passion for the ocean, the communities and the industries it supports is at the core of North Marine.
Below, you will see a brief overview of our dedication to regional Queensland.
If you want to learn more about the meaningful initiatives we’re part of, please visit our Community and Sustainability page.
Supporting Future Generations – Youth & Indigenous Initiatives
North Marine proudly commenced a ‘Commercial Diving Traineeship Program’ – the first of its kind in Far North Queensland. North Marine is excited to offer training pathways to provide long-term job opportunities in the maritime sector.
The first round of graduates completed their training in early 2022 and we look forward to expanding our commercial diving trainee program in the coming years.
Furthermore, North Marine works with AFL Cape York House to help showcase career opportunities to Indigenous youths.
Our staff volunteer time to worthwhile causes such as PCYC Queensland “Breaking The Cycle Mentor Volunteer Program.”
North Marine also provides a limited number of maritime work experience placements for year 12 students in Cairns, Queensland. This delivers a first-hand taste of some of the opportunities that a career on the water can offer.
Volunteering & Community Initiatives
North Marine aims to promote awareness around ocean conservation and Great Barrier Reef initiatives.
North Marine volunteer time and resources to:
- The Reef Restoration Foundation
- Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef ‘Great Reef Census’
- Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Center
- The ‘Eye On The Reef’ program
- The ‘Minke Whale Project’
- PCYC Queensland’s ‘Breaking The Cycle Mentor Volunteer Program’.
Commitment to the Environment & Sustainable Practices
As a conscientious marine contractor, we commit to a focus on an environmentally sustainable future.
We have a proud past, present and future of being an environmentally-minded organisation. Our founder, Tim North, pioneered mooring installation on the Great Barrier Reef to prevent coral damage from anchors.
Today, North Marine are continually striving toward adopting sustainable practices.
Currently, we are working to revolutionise the way vessels anchor on the Great Barrier Reef with innovative mooring systems that leave only a small environmental footprint.
We are also collaborating on projects to reduce ocean pollution.
Furthermore, in 2014 we attained ‘Advanced Eco Certification’ and ‘Climate Action Business’ accreditations. Sustaining these ratings is of great importance to North Marine, and we proudly have maintained them by continually striving to adopt new and innovative business improvements.
North Marine consult with traditional owners and marine experts to ensure best practices.
Where applicable, we consult with ‘Sea Country Education’.
Visit North Marine’s ‘Community & Sustainability’ page to learn more:
North Marine Company History: 30+ Years Of Trusted Marine Contracting
Formerly ‘Tim North Marine’, North Marine was re-branded in 2020
North Marine Company History
30+ years of trusted marine contracting in Queensland, Australia
Formerly ‘Tim North Marine’, the company was re-branded ‘North Marine’ in 2020.
Owned by business partners Ben Hales and Courtney Hansen, the company was founded by the renowned mariner and businessman, Tim North.
A leading marine support company grew from his love of the Pacific Ocean and a desire to support maritime industries to thrive in their field.
Notably, in it’s early days, the company was instrumental in developing and implementing positive changes to protect and showcase Australia’s natural assets – in particular the Great Barrier Reef.
Importantly, this included working in close collaboration with both Government and the private corporate sectors. Positive relationships were forged and remain strong to this day.
Tim North revolutionised the use of boat moorings throughout Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. Formerly an uncommon practice, he advocated with Government and industry partners for permanent mooring installations – to limit the damage caused when vessels drop anchor.
This solidified North Marine’s long-standing reputation as the ‘Great Barrier Reef, Boat Mooring Specialists’.
Mooring installation and maintenance remains a cornerstone of our Commercial Diving Department to this day – although now our influence reaches further than Queensland. Our expert team deploy internationally to consult on mooring practices and installation.
Our diving services are continuously reviewed to adopt new technologies, enhance sustainable mooring installation and employ environmental best practice.
Learn more about North Marine’s commitment to the environment – past, present and future, here:
Our Valued Clients
View our diverse range of clients - Private, Industry and Government
Government Clients
Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) – Federal Government
North Marine holds a long-term contract to provide the re-supply service for the remote Bureau of Meteorology weather station, located at Willis Island in Queensland.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) – State Government
North Marine holds a long-term contract with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) to maintain public moorings throughout Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) – State Government
North Marine works with Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) in various capacities, including but not limited to marine salvage for the ‘War on Wrecks’ initiative.
Sea Swift
Northern Australia’s largest shipping company, Sea Swift, is owned by the State Government Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC).
North Marine installs and maintains Sea Swift vessel mooring infrastructure, between Cairns to the Torres Strait Islands. Due to the remote locations and the essential nature of the work, these moorings are amongst the largest boat mooring installations in Australia.
Public Sector – Other
North Marine works frequently with local councils, delivering in-water inspection services and larger infrastructure projects both inland in rural Queensland and along the Queensland coastline.
Shipping, Tourism & Superyacht Industry Clients
Shipping Industry
North Marine has close working relationships with many prominent Australian shipping agents and international shipping companies.
We provide a range of services, including tug assist charters when navigating the Great Barrier Reef, a launch service for cargo & provision deliveries, crew transfer vessels and vessel mooring installation services.
Tourism Industry
North Marine looks after the in-water infrastructure of most Far-North Queensland Marine Tourism operators.
We install, maintain and ensure compliance standards for over 30 reef tourism operations between Mackay in the south to Lizard Island in the north of Queenslands Great Barrier Reef. This includes, but is not limited to, installing and maintaining vessel, helipad and pontoon moorings, towage of vessels, helipads and pontoon between locations and in to Port for refit and severe weather.
Superyacht Industry
North Marine delivers superyacht support, both via agents and directly, to superyachts visiting Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef region. We provide deliveries to vessels in the coral sea, underwater inspection services and itinerary assistance/expert reef guides.
General Public
North Marine work within the community for private individuals who own vessels and require in-water infrastructure. Services for these clients include mooring installation, mooring inspections and in-water maintenance work.
Our Management Team
Meet the North Marine management team
Meet the North Marine management team, here:
Marine Support During COVID-19
North Marine support the shipping industry through COVID-19
Marine Support Company During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Marine support companies are classed as an ‘essential service’. As such, we will continue to offer high-quality marine support as long as it is safe to do so.
We will maintain our shipping activities, including marine support services, during the COVID-19 pandemic unless directed otherwise.
Strict safety processes and procedures are followed for all company operations.
Furthermore, North Marine are the only approved ‘COVID Safe’ crew transfer provider with a base in the Port of Cairns, on Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef.
Learn more about our marine support services during the COVID-19 pandemic
Related Pages
Your Reliable Marine Support Contractor in Australia – North Marine
We operate throughout Australia inside the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and are based out of the Port of Cairns in Queensland.
Our primary service area covers Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef region, the Torres Strait and the Gulf of Carpentaria.
View Our Range Of Marine Support Services