Hi Aden,
It depends on the “Value for money”, you are allowed to demonstrate your case for it and explain why it is crucial (if it is..); Also, it is a fair assumption to make that there might be skilled professionals on Thursday Island instead.
Again it depends on what your priorities are. Is it capacity, safety, comfort, speed and efficiency? In which case, yes, fishing boats aren’t great. But distance between PNG, the neighbouring Daun Island and Saibai is all under 5kms. So, depending on whether you are designing for short distance or long distances, your priorities might vary and with it the answer. Hope that helps.
Cheers,
Sai