Port of Townsville Limited (POTL) has posted solid trade results for its two ports at the halfway point of the 2017/18 financial year.

Overall combined tonnage through the ports of Townsville and Lucinda is up 6% on the same time last year, with strong performances in the commodities of sugar, mineral concentrates, bitumen, cattle, motor vehicles and general cargo.

Port of Townsville releases half yearly trade figures

Highlights for the period 1 July to 30 December 2017 include:

  • 93,000 head of cattle have been exported from Townsville; up 17% on the same time last year
  • Mineral concentrate exports up 14% on the same time last year.
  • A 68% increase in the container trade with more than 43,000 boxes moving through Port of Townsville
  • More than 8,000 motor vehicles imported; a 34% increase on the same time last year

POTL’s Acting General Manager Business Development Maria James said that the port was on track to exceed its trade projections for the 2017/18 financial year.

“POTL’s projection this year was for about eight million tonnes of trade to be moved through our two ports, and the half yearly results show we are on track to reach that figure,” said Ms James.

“The port’s berths have been increasingly busy with a total of 321 vessel arrivals, up 7% on the same time last year,” she said.

“The mining sector appears to be recovering after several years of flat performance which is reflected in export tonnage figures. The import of mining consumables has also been strong so far this financial year.”

“The construction of several solar farms in our region has continued the record-breaking trade figures of containers moving through the Port of Townsville which we expect will continue into 2019.”

“The Port of Townsville had a very busy six-months accommodating Defence vessels, with 16 grey ships utilising Berth 10; and we expect demand to continue to ramp up with the impending Australia-Singapore Military Training Initiative.”

“The completion of the $40.7 million upgrade to Berth 4 next month and the start of the $193 million Channel Capacity Upgrade to widen the channel will ensure that our port can cope with the forecast trebling of trade volumes over the next 20 years.”

Source: Port of Townsville