Port’s $ 193m plan floated

A BUSINESS case for the first stage of a $ 1.64 billion expansion to the Port of Townsville has been submitted to the State Government, with the project’s environmental impact statement in the final stages of approval.

The $ 193 million channel capacity upgrade will see the channel widened to accommodate ships up to 300m long.

The Port of Townsville has predicted the upgrade will reduce carbon emissions by removing 8230 B- double trucks off road highways between Brisbane and Townsville each year.

The business case for the channel upgrade has been sent to Treasurer Curtis Pitt and Ports Minister Mark Bailey for consideration.

Port of Townsville chief executive officer Ranee Crosby said the expansion project had been in the planning phase for more than 10 years.

“The channel capacity upgrade is a critical project to ensure the future growth of North Queensland as well as the competitiveness and viability of the Townsville Port,” she said.

“The bottom line is ships are getting bigger and Townsville’s channel is too narrow to accommodate that growth.

“That means over time, less commercial ships and cruise ships will be able to access our port, stifling trade opportunities and potentially putting an end to the boom we are seeing in cruise ship visits to Townsville over the next 10 years.

“Things that we get into the port directly to supply North Queensland like motor vehicles, fuel, gas, bitumen, cement and containers loaded with furniture, building products, food and clothing would need to be transported more than 1300km by road from the south if the channel widening does not go ahead, as larger ships bypass Townsville.

“This is bad for traffic on the Bruce Highway, bad for the environment and would mean increased freight costs and longer transit times for North Queenslanders.”

Ms Crosby said the channel widening project would take six years to complete and generate 120 fulltime equivalent jobs in Townsville during construction.

“It will also contribute $ 580 million of value to the regional economy,” she said.

An evaluation report on the Port of Townsville’s environmental impact statement is being prepared by the Department of State Development’s co- ordinator- general.