A $3.8m dollar mooring structure at Gladstone Ports Corporation’s Auckland Point terminal is set to help transform the region into a “containerised freight hub” according to the port.
Larger container vessels are now able to berth at Auckland Point with the recent completion of the new mooring dolphin.
A mooring dolphin provides a tie off point for the ships lines to secure to during loading and unloading.
The new structure is set approximately 60 metres east of the wharf, enabling the bow of the ship to position itself safely beyond the existing wharf.
GPC’s acting CEO Craig Walker said that the mooring dolphin is all part of a 50-year vision to diversify trade opportunities and stimulate jobs in the region.
“The mooring dolphin is just one of the strategies we’ve implemented to open up trade and stimulate jobs,” he said.
A $6m fender upgrade is also set to future-proof the facility while multi-million dollar works are underway to develop a logistics staging area adjacent to the wharf.
“During a time like COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to turn our focus to projects like these which will assist the Queensland economy,” Mr Walker said.
This year GPC delivered a record dividend for Queensland for a second year in a row.
Data from the 2019/20 annual report revealed GPC achieved a dividend of $79.55m.
“Our trade performance remains stable despite the challenging conditions of COVID-19, with our three port precincts handling 122.5m tonnes of cargo,” Mr Walker said.
