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Page last updated on 14-07-2021.
News
Port funds help locals lead 'Brighter Lives'
An innovative health and wellbeing program aimed at empowering young mothers living on Palm Island is just one of the important projects the Port of Townsville’s Community Fund has supported this year. A record 57 applications were received, with 10 successful recipients sharing in $50,000 that will go towards a range of projects and causes including environmental stewardship and community togetherness. Port of Townsville CEO Ranee Crosby said the Community Fund was in its fourth year and continued to make a positive difference to the wider community. “The Port of Townsville is celebrating its 160th year of operations this year and we have always existed to support our broader community,” Ms Crosby said. “To see the successful applicants of the 2024 Community Fund be able to purchase much needed equipment and bring to life important projects shows why our community partnerships remain so important. “We endeavour to support a wide cross section of our North Queensland community targeting a range of great initiatives and causes.” Brighter Lives Townsville Hospital Foundation will use the funding they received to support the delivery of a nutrition and cooking initiative. The funds will cover the cost of ingredients and utensils for the workshops plus support the development of a recipe book. Townsville Hospital and Health Service Clinical Midwife Consultant (Young Parent Support Worker) Kerry Foster said proper nutrition was vital for the healthy development of babies, both inside and outside of the womb. “By providing women and their families with the right knowledge and tools, we can promote healthy eating habits that will benefit them throughout their lives,” Ms Foster said. “We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Port of Townsville for their invaluable support. We look forward to the successful implementation of our project and making a positive impact on the community." Belgian Gardens State School’s Reef Guardian program has received a boost thanks to the funding that will be used to upgrade equipment in their vibrant reef room. “Our whole school benefits as Reef BG is a focal point for real-life hands-on science lessons,” Belgian Gardens State School STEM Coordinator Brett Murphy said. “We also have students come to our school and visit Reef BG and carry out learning activities. “Animals from Reef BG are also taken to other schools for science incursions.” Each application is assessed by the fund’s panel that carefully considers requests with the Port’s values of Partnerships, Opportunity, Respect and Trust and our themes of Prosperity, Planet, Community and People. Recipients of the 2024 Port Community Fund Organisation Item/s Funded Brighter Lives, Townsville Hospital Foundation Education and cooking classes to mitigate the risk of chronic illness for Palm Island families Belgian Gardens State School Expand the school’s Reef Ecology work breeding clownfish Jubilee Bowl's Club To purchase three bowlers’ arms to allow them to be actively involved in lawn bowls Coral Sea Outrigger Canoe Club New paddles and Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) North Queensland Wildlife Care Purchase a net launcher to capture injured birds TropWATER DNA kits and undertake studies to determine health outcomes for dugongs and sea turtles in Cleveland Bay Townsville Hike and Explore Group To purchase safety gear for their volunteer hike leaders Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare To support a large revegetation project at Douglas Magnetic Island Men's Shed To equip their premises with a kitchen Wulguru United Football Club To purchase nets, goals and equipment ahead of their junior carnival
Townsville Cruise Terminal Transformation Supports Local Economy
Port of Townsville’s Quayside Terminal is undergoing a $5.9 million transformation ahead of a record-breaking cruise season, which will see thousands of passengers and crew inject almost $10 million into the local economy. Contractor McMahon Services is delivering the package which is providing employment opportunities for local workers and suppliers throughout the construction phase. Port of Townsville CEO Ranee Crosby said the Quayside works were necessary to cater for an influx of passengers that will visit Townsville in the 2024/25 cruise season, with Large Class cruise vessels able to access the Port for the first time. “The $251 million Channel Upgrade project, which has widened the shipping channel from 90m to 180m at the inshore end is nearing completion, which will allow vessels up to 300m long to access the Port, instead of by-passing Townsville,” Ms Crosby said. “These ships can carry upwards of 3000 passengers, almost triple the number on any one ship that we’ve usually accommodated to date. “To ensure a seamless experience from ship to shore, Quayside Terminal’s bus and taxi rank will be expanded and a dedicated kiss’n’ride drop of zone will be established.” McMahon Services is expanding the bus zone to accommodate 12 coaches, rejuvenate the taxi rank and passenger drop off areas and modify the Breezeway to include shade structures, seating and landscaping. McMahon Services General Manager Queensland Chris Bassa said their business has been part of the local market in Townsville for the last 10 years and was committed to supporting the economic growth of the region. Mr Bassa said McMahon Services’ partnership with Intract Australia, an Indigenous owned and operated business with 98% Indigenous employment, would provide opportunities for First Nations peoples to work on the Quayside Terminal project. “The project is directly supporting 11 full time equivalent positions, including staff from Intract Australia, with additional employment opportunities created with subcontractors, of which we are using 100% local trades and suppliers,” Mr Bassa said. “We are committed to delivering this project for the benefit of the local community which we have been part of for 10 years, to ensure cruise operators continue to visit Townsville with the upgraded facility.” Works commenced in early July and be complete ahead of the arrival of Silver Muse on 3 November, 2024, the first cruise ship for the 2024/25 season. Work will take place during daylight hours from Monday to Saturday. As part of the Port’s commitment to sustainability, Ms Crosby said an additional $3 million has been injected into renewable energy projects at the Terminal. HE Solutions has recently installed 430 solar panels and 60 battery banks on the roof at Quayside Terminal, which are predicted to produce 279MWh of electricity annually, which equates to 10 per cent of the Port’s annual electricity consumption.
Quayside Terminal Transformation
Townsville’s dedicated cruise terminal will undergo a major transformation as the city prepares to welcome larger passenger vessels for our 2024/25 cruise season. Local businesses are encouraged to tender for the suite of works at Port of Townsville’s Quayside Terminal which will take place over the winter months. To cater for an influx of passengers, the Terminal’s bus and taxi rank will be expanded to accommodate 12 buses and a dedicated kiss ‘n ride drop-off zone will be established. Landscaping, seating and shade structures will be installed in the Breezeway to provide guests with a tropical welcome to Townsville. Port of Townsville CEO Ranee Crosby said the work to transform Quayside Terminal was essential to ensure cruise guests had a flawless experience when getting out to explore the region. “We have just said bon voyage to our final cruise ship for this season with Nautica visiting our city last week,” Ms Crosby said. “We already have record bookings for the 2024/25 season with 25 vessels scheduled. “We are excited to welcome Large Class cruise ships for the first time, with each carrying up to 3000 passengers, which is triple the number of guests we’ve greeted on any one ship. “The Terminal upgrades will ensure our visitors have a seamless experience from ship to shore.” The tender is open until 30 April, 2024, with works to take place between June and October. The construction work includes general earthworks, stormwater drainage, roadworks, shade structure, landscaping improvements and ancillary works. View the tender documents here.
Green methanol agreement could see Townsville join global green shipping network
Townsville stands to become a global leader in the production, export and supply of green methanol, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ABEL Energy and Port of Townsville. The MoU underpins ABEL Energy’s plans to produce and export green methanol from a new $1.7 billion manufacturing facility in Townsville. The partnership will also explore opportunities for establishing marine bunkering facilities at the Townsville Port, making Townsville a critical pitstop in the emerging green shipping network. ABEL Energy CEO Michael van Baarle said the Townsville project would seek to replicate the company’s flagship project, Bell Bay Powerfuels in Tasmania —and would produce 300,000 tonnes per annum of green methanol for the shipping and aviation sectors. “ABEL’s green methanol production process uses 100 per cent renewable power, fresh water and biomass residues. Our production site in Bell Bay – and the one planned for Townsville – is clean in operation with virtually zero greenhouse gas emissions, water emissions or waste discharge,” Mr van Baarle said. “Townsville poses an ideal location for our second green methanol production facility due to the availability of wind and solar energy, along with the large amount of readily available biomass in the forms of sugar cane waste, invasive pest species, prickly acacia and woodchip.” Port of Townsville CEO Ranee Crosby said the proposed project presents benefits for the region that expand beyond ABEL’s direct investment, trade and employment opportunities. “This initiative aligns with Port of Townsville’s commitment to supporting sustainable energy projects and reinforces our position as a key facilitator of trade and economic growth,” Ms Crosby said. “The world’s shipping industry is facing enormous change as it seeks to decarbonise fleets globally to meet IMO’s long-term GHG reduction ambitions. “ABEL Energy’s project presents an exciting opportunity to provide green methanol marine bunkering facilities at the Port of Townsville, as well as exporting renewable energy to global markets.” The MoU outlines a collaborative effort between the Port of Townsville and ABEL Energy to undertake comprehensive investigations to assess the feasibility of the proposed project. Early investigation will include market assessment and analysis, identifying infrastructure and logistic requirements and working cooperatively to advance the project. ABEL Energy joins a growing list of proponents seeking to export renewable energy through the Port of Townsville, including Edify Energy, Origin Energy and Ark Energy Corporation.
Bumper cruise week to pour almost $1 million into Townsville business
Townsville’s cruise industry will notch up another major achievement this week, welcoming a record four cruise ships in eight days. The bumper week at the Port of Townsville will see more than 4,000 visiting passengers and crew directly inject $932,000 into local businesses during their days ashore. Port of Townsville Chief Executive Officer Ranee Crosby said the arrival of four cruise ships within such a short timeframe underscores Townsville's growing popularity as a port of call on cruise itineraries. “This cruise season has been our biggest yet and they’re only growing from here with new record booking numbers expected each year for the next two years,” said Ms Crosby. “The significant passenger and crew presence over the next week will be a good taste of what’s to come, while bolstering local businesses and injecting a welcome dose of energy into the city's vibrant tourism sector.” “This will be a warm-up as we prepare to welcome Large Class cruise ships next Summer, following completion of our Channel Upgrade project. These larger vessels will hold up to 3,000 passengers and crew, demonstrating the upgrade’s role in significantly growing Townsville’s tourism sector.” Townsville Enterprise, Director of Visitor Economy and Marketing, Lisa Woolfe, said it was exciting to welcome four cruise ships into our port over eight days. “Cruises play a crucial role in our visitor economy, allowing us to diversify the tourism season and providing a welcome boost over the summer period for our tourism operators right across Townsville North Queensland.” “Welcoming more than 4,000 passengers presents a fantastic opportunity to inject almost $1 million into our local economy while showcasing our region to many first-time visitors. We know that cruise passengers have a high propensity to return to places they enjoy – so we always make sure that the welcome they receive is second to none and the experiences they participate in are the best on offer,” Mrs Woolfe said. Passengers will include some Australians, as well as international visitors from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, United States, United Kingdom, Canada and more. VESSELS VISITING IN TOWNSVILLE’S BUMPER CRUISE WEEK Viking Orion, 4 March 2023: 8am – 6pm Returning a second time this cruise season, this 228-metre Viking cruise vessel was built in Ancona, Italy in 2018. She will be sailing from Sydney to Benoa (Bali), Indonesia, carrying a maximum of 930 passengers and 465 crew. Seven Seas Mariner, 5 March 2023: 11am – 8pm Stopping in Townsville on its 38-night voyage from Sydney, the Seven Seas Mariner will sail through to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Maldives, India, Oman and disembark in the United Arab Emirates. The 216-metre vessel will carry a total of 700 passengers and 465 crew. Silver Muse, 9 March 2023: 12:30am – 6:30pm Visting Townsville twice this cruise season, the Silversea Cruises vessel will host 596 guests and 411 crew on a 14-day voyage from Sydney to Benoa (Bali), Indonesia. Seven Seas Navigator, 12 March 2023: 8am – 6pm Hailed the “most luxurious ship at sea”, this ship features an acre of marble, and a $9 million dollar art collection featuring pieces by Picasso and Chagall. After embarking in Auckland, its 496 guests and 365 crew will complete their 18-night journey in Bali (Benoa), Indonesia.