Mackay Port’s new container depot now taking shape should boost trade prospects and reduce inland transport costs.
The 1.3-hectare depot is being built by North Queensland Bulk Ports (NQBP) corporation, and will allow container traffic for the first time.
The NQBP says the depot will be the first of its kind in the region and give local businesses and producers quicker, cheaper access to domestic and overseas markets.
Chief Executive Officer Brendan Webb says the depot will eliminate the need to route freight through more distant ports such as Brisbane.
“Mackay’s strategic location — close to major mining and agricultural hubs — means … the new container depot will allow regional exporters and importers to move goods directly through Mackay , eliminating the need for long-haul transport to other ports.
“This unlocks significant savings in freight costs and time while reducing heavy vehicle traffic on the Bruce Highway,” Webb says.
MACKAY DEPOT’S CAPABILITY
“As well as safer roads and more efficient trade, a local container facility also strengthens the region’s supply chain against weather disruptions and reduces transport emissions.”
He says the depot will be built to handle current demand and future expansion such as reefer (refrigerated container) capability.
“NQBP market studies show a strong demand in the region for the depot, with a steady build-up of trade in the coming years to around 7000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEU, the length of a standard container) a year through Mackay,” Webb says.
“Built for heavy-duty performance, it will be reach-stacker ready, with reefer capacity, efficient empty container management and set up to handle growth from day one.”
Transport and Main Roads Minister Brent Mickelberg described the project as a practical investment in regional Queensland.
“… this is a funded, construction-ready project that is happening now. This project will improve road safety (and) get trucks off the highway.”
Construction is due to finish by the end of the year.
NQBP manages ports at Hay Point, Mackay, Abbot Point and Weipa which together handle more than 150 million tonnes of trade annually, injecting $35 billion into the state economy and supporting 47,000 jobs.
The corporation says its ports move 54% of Queensland’s trade by volume, including 68% of the state’s coal exports.
For more about NQBP, click here to visit their website.
PORT TO TAKE ON APPRENTICES
The NQBP also took on four new plumbing, electrical and (two) horticulture apprentices who will be paid, the corporation says.
“Having started my own career as an apprentice, I know how powerful these opportunities are,” Webb says.
“Apprenticeships open doors, build confidence and create skills that last a lifetime.”
MP for Mirani Glen Kelly says apprenticeships will protect a workforce that supports North Queensland’s industrial backbone.
“Plumbers, electricians and maintenance workers keep vital assets operating safely and reliably; those skills don’t appear overnight,” he says.
“This program is about building a workforce that can be relied on year after year so major facilities like the Port of Mackay are properly maintained and future-proofed for the region.”
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