RORO your truck right up to the Port of Mackay

In a win for the local economy, the Port of Mackay will welcome its first ever roll-on roll-off (RORO) trade later this month.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the port was due to welcome a cargo of four massive mining trucks, bound for the Bowen Basin mining sector.

“These are big trucks, and this is big news for the people of the Mackay region,” Mr Bailey said.

“This will be the first time a RORO vessel has come into the Port of Mackay, off the back of a $9.8 million infrastructure upgrade delivered under the Palaszczuk Government’s Accelerated Works Program.

“With the critical METS hub just down the road at Paget, the Port of Mackay’s new RORO capability really does open up a new world of economic opportunity for the region.

“This Government is committed to regional Queensland. As well as investing in the port, we have funded a range of other critical projects in the region such as the Vines Creek Bridges upgrade and the Mackay Ring Road.”

Member for Mackay and Assistant Minister for State Development Julieanne Gilbert said the Port of Mackay was a critical asset for the people of the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday region.

“The port is the logical gateway for break bulk cargo bound for the Bowen or Galilee basins,” Assistant Minister Gilbert said.

“North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) has invested heavily in port upgrades in recent years, and I congratulate them on securing this important new trade.

“With mining activity picking up strongly over the past year, NQBP is well positioned to facilitate the extra trade at the port.

“We also see positive flow-on effects for local businesses, as the fleets often require quarantine wash down, cleaning, assembly or even painting and refurbishing once they arrive in Mackay.”

NQBP Acting CEO Officer Brendan Webb said after being unloaded in parts at the port, the 794AC trucks will be transported to the nearby mining equipment, technology and services (METS) hub in Paget for assembly. 

“Before the infrastructure upgrade, RORO vessels could not berth at Mackay and this cargo would instead have had to travel large distances along the highway from southern ports.”

The RORO upgrade involved replacing the fenders at two wharves within the port and amending the wharf infrastructure so that a RORO ramp can be used to roll cargo on or off a ship, as opposed to lifting heavy vehicles off vessels with a crane.

NQBP marine pilots undertook training to manoeuvre RORO ships into the Port of Mackay at the Queensland Government’s Smartship Australia simulator in June.

The world-class training facility was able to simulate a RORO ship pilotage experience, complete with tug boat, within a virtually recreated Mackay harbour.

The Port of Mackay experienced its strongest trade in four years in the 2017-18 financial year, with more than three million tonnes of throughput.

Break bulk cargo grew by more than 1000% and the port is set to continue supporting local industry growth in the year ahead.  

ENDS

Media contact: Toby Walker, 0439 347 875