Townsville port expansion moves ahead

The A$1.6-billion expansion of Australia’s largest lead and copper export port in Townsville, Queensland, has been approved by the state’s Coordinator-General. The 30-year development plan includes four key elements, including capital dredging of some 11.48-million cubic metres of sediment to widen and deepen the channels and expand the harbor basin, establishing a 152 ha reclamation area, construction of 4-km of rock revetments and potentially a new 700 m western breakwater, and the construction of six new berths.