Boost for Port of Brisbane

NEW South Wales infrastructure company Asciano has boosted its foray into the Queensland market, with a $125 million terminal at the Port of Brisbane and a 10-year haulage contract with Anglo Coal.

Asciano claims the AutoStrad Terminal at Fisherman’s Island at the Port of Brisbane (POB) is a world first, with a quay length of 900m and a capacity to hold 800,000 twenty foot units.

Managing director Mark Rowsthorn, says the terminal’s construction underlines a commitment to the Port of Brisbane, with an AutoStrad which can straddle containers and move them at 27 km/h unmanned.

“The terminal has been built to last and has been carefully planned to accommodate expansion as the POB grows,” says Rowsthorn.

“The Brisbane AutoStrad terminal is far removed from most people’s perceptions of the traditional waterfront. It is a sophisticated, safe and highly efficient environment exhibiting revolutionary technology and a highly skilled workforce.”

Anglo Coal will be Asciano’s fourth Queensland coal haulage customer, alongside Xstrata, Macarthur Coal and Rio Tinto.

The interest in businesses involved with the State Government’s infrastructure assets sends strong signals to the value of those assets, which include the Port of Brisbane, Queensland Motorways and Queensland Rail.

But as Asciano makes ventures into the Sunshine State, Queensland Rail has signed an 11-year contract with coal company Peabody Energy which will see QR forge a stronger presence in New South Wales.