$220M CARMICHAEL RAILWAY CONTRACT
ADANI Mining has awarded a $220m civil construction contract for the Carmichael Rail Network to Australian rail company Martinus, to build a critical section of the railway.
The contract is the second major package of works awarded to Martinus, following the $100m contract announced in October 2019. Martinus will base its workforce out of Rockhampton and Townsville, in a boost for regional Queenslanders and local economies in particular.
The civil components include the delivery of 86km of rail formation works, a road-over-rail bridge, nine waterway bridges, more than 200 culverts and 35 rail crossings.
Martinus CEO and Managing Director Treaven Martinus said the company’s focus had been to be the best largescale railway construction contractor in Australia, and being a part of this project helped fulfil that vision. “In October 2019, Martinus was awarded the track works package to deliver about 200km of narrow-gauge rail from the Carmichael Mine to the existing rail infrastructure,” he said.
“Delivering both the civil and track works will ensure a smooth transition from earthworks to track construction.”
Adani Mining CEO Lucas Dow said the contract with Martinus would deliver about 600 new jobs, which was more important than ever as the community braces to withstand the economic shifts being brought about by the COVID-19 virus.
Assembly of Adani’s first mining trucks is now also complete, with two heavy vehicles having left Mackay to make the 300km+ trip to the Carmichael Mine site in April.
“Each truck requires a team of about 40 men and women to complete the assembly, over an approximately 10week period,” Mr Dow said.
“These are the first of more than two dozen trucks being assembled in Mackay, requiring the skills of trade qualified HV electricians, diesel fitters and auto electricians.”
Mr Dow said Adani was following all advice from Queensland Health and the Federal Government and doing all it can to keep people and the community safe.
“We also understand how important it is to continue our operations where safe and practicable to provide certainty of employment for our staff and contractors,” he said.
“We have implemented measures including social distancing, health screening and increased hygiene, in the hope that more of our contractors, suppliers and the businesses who depend on us can also weather the storm, keeping their doors open, services running, and importantly provide certainty of employment.”
Mr Dow said that despite a sustained nine-year campaign, anti-coal activists had failed to stop the project going ahead.
“Their recent claims that contractors have pulled out of our project are false and we remain on track to create more than 1500 direct jobs during the construction and ramp up of our project and some further 6750 indirect jobs,” he said.