Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The federal government has granted conditional approval to the Port of Gladstone to dredge a further 800,000 cubic metres of the harbour. Gladstone's Clinton Vessel Interaction Project, CVIP, was lodged two years ago. Gladstone is the largest commodity port in Queensland. Last year it sent $122 million worth of freight out of its waters. The federal government has given approval for this $80 million project. The CVIP is consistent with the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan. With 20 new conditions from the Department of Environment and Energy, the acting CEO, Craig Walker, has marked this as another milestone for the project. When the job is completed, capesize vessels with draughts of more than 14 metres will now be able to pass other ships which are tied up on other wharves. With two ships passing alongside each other with an 80-metre span between the ships, there's an awful pull on the mooring lines. It can actually snap the mooring lines. Of course, this is something we don't want. For any vessel berthing at the RG Tanna terminal, there is a danger of this occurring and breaking the mooring lines.

This is going to be a great thing for the Gladstone port. It will make the movement of ships much easier for the tugboats and the captains of the ships. Increasing the width of the channel will make the channel about 100 metres wider. That will give the channel about 180 metres of width. Conditions of the approval include that the dredging must not occur outside the Clinton Channel or the western basin; no more than 800,000 cubic metres of material can be removed; no uncontrolled releases of dredged material from the reclamation area are allowed; and the Gladstone Ports Corporation also needs to complete an annual compliance report. A dredging compliance report is required within six months of the project finishing. The department said the GPC may also deliver offsets in contributions to the Reef Trust.

The GPC is committed to ensuring the safety of vessels transiting the port. The approval comes into effect as of now, and the project has until 30 June 2026 to be completed. (Time expired)

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 193, the time for members' constituency statements has concluded.