Port of Brisbane Motorway upgrade kicks off
The Port of Brisbane Motorway provides a critical link between the port precinct and the major freight transport corridors. It was first opened in 2003 as a two-lane motorway from the Gateway Motorway to Lindum Road. Work on the $385 million upgrade, called Port Connect, kicked off in early 2011. The project will deliver a duplication of the existing two-lane motorway, and a 3km extension. On completion, the Port of Brisbane Motorway will be four lanes from the Gateway Motorway through to Pritchard Street, Lytton.
As part of the sale of the port, the Queensland Government transferred responsibility for the third stage of the motorway to PBPL. Cost estimates for the future upgrade of this 3.2km public road exceed $200 million. PBPL will fund this major infrastructure project through the introduction of a cost recovery Port Access Charge, based on commodity type, introduced on 1 July 2011.
Click here to learn more about Port Connect
Bridge duplication ensures safe and efficient access for the future
In 2008 PBPL began a project to duplicate the Captain Bishop Bridge and upgrade associated roads at Fisherman Islands. The bridge is the main access point for vehicles coming in and out of the port, and in its existing state it would not have catered for future traffic requirements.
The upgrade project was completed in August 2011, and included construction of a duplicate bridge, replacement of the existing bridge, and an upgrade of the Lucinda Drive and Port Drive interchange. Each bridge is now three lanes, and can handle current and future loading requirements for heavy/wide-load truck traffic.
Completion of this vital project means the port is now well equipped to handle the demands of increasing trade, with a safer and more efficient road network.
New container berths on track for HPH
Construction of the port’s newest container facilities, Berths 11 and 12, is progressing on schedule. Berths 11 and 12 will be operated by the port’s new stevedore, Hutchison Port Holdings, through its local subsidiary, Brisbane Container Terminals (BCT).
Work on Berth 11 is now halfway complete, with full completion expected in mid-2012. In May this year we awarded the construction contract for Berth 12, and piling work is expected to begin later in the year. Completion of Berth 12 is due in 2013. Brisbane-based construction company Smithbridge Australia has been awarded the contract for both berths.
BCT will construct the terminal areas, and they are now finalising the design, with construction due to commence by September 2011.
Reclamation works pushing ahead
Our Reclamation team had a busy year, with surcharge works progressing on several future development sites. These included the Bishop Drive Estate (at the end of Fisherman Islands), the backup area for container Terminals 11 and 12, and the third stage of surcharge works at Port West. We also concluded the monitoring and testing phase of our mud-drying trial, and results will be finalised later in the year.
For the year ahead, key areas of focus will include completing surcharge placement at Terminals 11 and 12, work on the old IPS Logistics site (now part of DP World’s site), and the next stage of surcharge works at Port West.
New weighbridge opens for business
Port users now have access to a new, automated truck weighbridge. The weighbridge provides auditable records of a vehicle’s weight, which assists with legislative requirements like Container Weight Declarations. It will also help facilitate compliance with Chain of Responsibility legislation, which imposes liability on all parties in the supply chain for breaches of road transport law.
The weighbridge is owned and managed by PBPL, opened in March and is located at the BMT.
Click here for more information about the weighbridge
Vessel tracker system online soon
The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is used around the world for identifying and locating vessels. It provides positioning information and can link in with a port’s local Vessel Traffic System (VTS).
Currently, information about shipping movements is available to port customers through Maritime Safety Queensland’s VTS. However, the nature of shipping often means timings and locations change after VTS information is posted. To address this, and allow for more effective decision making by port users, PBPL has been working on a project to combine AIS and VTS information in a visual format. The system, called PortBris Vessel Tracker, displays the data through Google Earth, so users can look at an image of port limits and see where vessels are in real time. Users can then click on each vessel to see more detailed information.
The system is now in test phase, with a number of port users trialling the technology. Their feedback will be incorporated into further refinements.
For more information, contact Trade Development Executive, Rowena Routh, on (07) 3258 4696 or rowena.routh@portbris.com.au
GrainCorp truck marshalling area up and running
GrainCorp’s new truck marshalling area at the Port of Brisbane opened for operation in early 2011. Construction of the marshalling area added extra space to accommodate a minimum of 16 B-doubles at any one time. Extra lighting means the facility can also now operate 24 hours-a-day.
The increase to five lanes, online booking system and improved signage allows for better control of truck movements, and the addition of CCTV cameras has improved both safety and security. The marshalling area also meets Chain of Responsibility requirements for truck drivers using the facility.
Construction of the facility was managed by GrainCorp’s Capital and Improvement project team.