More than one million cubic metres of dredge material have been removed from Townsville's shipping channel, making the project almost one-third complete.
It's being hailed as a major milestone for the Port of Townsville's $232 million channel upgrade project, which, when complete in 2024, will allow vessels up to 300 metres in length to be able to access the port instead of bypassing the northern city.
Approximately 3.4 million cubic metres is forecast to be removed in total, widening Townsville's shipping channel from 92 metres to 180 metres at the inshore end, tapering to 120 metres at the seaward end.
The channel upgrade is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments, as well as the Port of Townsville, and federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said she was thrilled the critical upgrade had hit a key milestone.
"Trade volumes through the Port of Townsville are expected to triple over the next 30 years, which is why the Australian government is proudly providing $75 million to help fund this upgrade," she said. "More trade through the port means more local jobs, a stronger economy for Townsville, and greater business opportunities in the region."
Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the state government was committed to making the Port of Townsville as accessible as possible, to increase the opportunities for import, export and defence through the port.
"A mammoth 120 jobs are being supported by the project, which is the Port of Townsville's largest to date," he said. "Ninety-three per cent of these jobs are made up of Townsville workers - ensuring that this investment goes back into the local economy."
All dredge material is being brought back to land to be reused as part of the 62-hectare reclamation area, which will pave the way for new berths to facilitate future growth in existing and emerging industries.
According to Hall Contracting CEO Cameron Hall, the crew has transferred about 715 barge loads of material, each weighing about 2800 tonnes, back to the reclamation area to date.
"Moving such a substantial volume of clay, silt and mud is no small feat, especially as we are transferring the material into a wet reclamation area, which requires us to continually establish and maintain stable ground conditions for operating earthmoving equipment," he said.
An independent technical advisory committee has set thresholds to protect the marine environment during capital dredging works, and scientific experts have endorsed the dredge method as providing a better solution for the environment.
The Port of Townsville has committed $17 million for environmental monitoring and management programs as part of the project, including for dolphins, turtles, seagrass, corals and shorebirds.
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
