Queensland Transport Minister Rachel Nolan and Port of Townsville Chair Ross Dunning turned the first sod of the Townsville Marine Precinct project today (Tuesday May 25), heralding the start of the $110 million works.

Laing O'Rourke, in an alliance arrangement with the Port of Townsville, will construct the marine precinct, reclaiming 34 hectares of seabed adjacent to the Ross River for industrial marine infrastructure and facilities.

Queensland Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said the Marine Precinct project was a strategic investment by the State Government in Townsville's economic future.

"The first stage of the Townsville Marine Precinct will be completed by the end of 2011, preserving 500 existing jobs in marine industries, and generating 400 new jobs over the various stages of construction," Ms Nolan said.

"The focus of stage one works will be to relocate the local commercial fishing fleet, marine fabrication and repair industries, marine research facilities, and other key marine operators."

Port of Townsville Chairman Ross Dunning said the alliance construction team was well resourced and ready to move construction forward quickly.

He said the Port had done significant groundwork in the key areas of project engineering and environmental management and was confident this would ensure the project's completion within the timeframe.

“I want to recognise our alliance partners in Lang O’Rourke and confirm how excited our Port team is about working with them,” Mr Dunning said.

“There are significant advantages in combining Lang O’Rourke’s international best practice in construction with the local knowledge of our experienced Port engineering and major project teams.”

Laing O’Rourke Townsville Regional Manager Bill Douglas said the project was the largest that the Port of Townsville had undertaken and the first to use the alliance method of delivery.

“It is recognition of the quality of the Laing O'Rourke team and our experience in delivering a project of this nature,” he said. “We are committed to working with the Port of Townsville to deliver this project and the proposed expansion works during the coming five to 10 years."

Original story: http://www.laingorourke.com.au/news/2010/townsville-marine-precinct-project-underway.