NQBP - North Queensland, Hay Point, Mackay, Abbot & Weipa Bulk Ports

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Welcome. North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) is a leading port authority responsible for world-class facilities at the working ports of Hay Point, Mackay, Abbot Point and Weipa.

Port Community Facts

Great Barrier Reef Dredging Coal Dust Marine Fishing

Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is not under threat by proposed port development.
In 2012, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) released a comprehensive study clearly showing that the Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its coral cover in the last 27 years. The loss was due to storm damage (48%), crown of thorns starfish (42%), and bleaching (10%). These findings are based on the most comprehensive reef monitoring program in the world. The program started broad scale surveillance of more than 100 reefs in 1985 and from 1993 it has incorporated more detailed annual surveys of 47 reefs. Researchers spent more than 2,700 days at sea and invested in the order of $50 million in this monitoring program.
In June 2012, the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation issued a draft report on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The draft report followed a committee inspection in March 2012 of developments in the world heritage area including proposed expansion of NQBP ports.
The World Heritage Committee noted that Australia had a history of strong management of the reef that was an example to other marine protected areas; that a negative trend in reef water quality had been reduced; and Australia had effectively tackled threats to the reef.
Among the World Heritage Committee’s recommendations, no new ports should be developed along the Queensland Coast and any developments should be within existing ports. Interest groups opposing port development claim that the boundaries of ports have been extended. This is not correct.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has a long history as a multi-use national asset, supporting many industries that drive Queensland’s economy, including tourism, sugar, livestock, minerals, timber and coal.
NQBP’s social licence to operate is determined by our stewardship of the environment in which we operate.
Australia’s best-practice development within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area has maintained environmental values and economic growth for more than 30 years.

Dredging

NQBP has a long and respected history of successfully delivering dredging projects at its various ports. For over three decades NQBP has been undertaking dredging programs to ensure the safe navigation of ships and port efficiency. This highly regulated process has been undertaken without significant impacts with the material dredged returned safely to the marine environment.
Dredged material relocation at sea is highly regulated and requires extensive analysis of alternatives in accordance with international protocols (London Convention) and Commonwealth requirement (Sea Dumping Act). Decisions with regards to dredging are based on achieving the best environmental outcome.
Material for ocean disposal is tested under rigorous requirements set out by the National Australian Guidelines for Dredging (NADG) in accordance with London Protocol, an international agreement relating to the disposal of dredged material in Australian waters. Only material that has been tested and determined suitable for ocean disposal is disposed of at sea.
Toxic or hazardous material cannot be disposed of at sea.
In 2006, NQBP dredged around nine million m3 of material in the Port of Hay Point and relocated it to an offshore relocation area in the GBR Marine Park. There were no significant or long term environmental impacts from the dredging apart from increased water turbidity during the dredging. No impacts on fishery values were reported.
Acid Sulphate Soils (ASS) requires oxygen in the air to catalyse chemical reactions that result in the formation of acids. These reactions do not occur while the material is saturated in water therefore the chemical reaction resulting in ASS cannot occur during offshore disposal.
Onshore and offshore options for the disposal of dredged material are considered and studied. The recommendation is based on the best environmental outcome which allows a proposed project to be viable.
Since 2002, 19 dredging campaigns (maintenance and capital) have been undertaken at NQBP ports without incident.
Current proposed dredging for Abbot Point will be 3 million cubic metres in total and will be undertaken in three separate campaigns over five years lasting up to four weeks each.

WHO ARE WE? North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation Limited (NQBP) became a port authority on 1 July 2009, under the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994, for the seaport facilities at Hay Point, Mackay, Abbot Point, Weipa and Maryborough.

ABOUT NQBP

EXPLORE OUR PORTS

LATEST NEWS

GENERAL ENQUIRIES

For all general enquiries, please call or email.

1300 129 255 info@nqbp.com.au

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To view PDFs, download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
11.04 MB		Port of Weipa - Consolidated Long Term Dredge Management LTD MP Maintenance Dredging
1.71 MB		Port of Weipa Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
10.64 KB		Port of Weipa Port Charges effective 1 July 2012
247.46 KB		Port of Weipa Port Handbook June 2012
75.96 KB		Port of Weipa Port Rules
2.27 MB		Port of Weipa Statement of Proposals 2012

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10.08 KB		Abbot Point access request
0.96 MB		Access Procedures to Land at the Port of Abbot Point
2.95 MB		Port of Abbot Point Environmental Management Plan
1.43 MB		Port of Abbot Point Land Use Plan
19.53 KB		Port of Abbot Point Port Charges - Effective 1 July 2012
2.29 MB		Port of Abbot Point Port Handbook
220.44 KB		Port of Abbot Point Port Rules

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761.93 KB		Application to Berth form
1.79 MB		NQBP Mulherin Park Hire Agreement
145.12 KB		Port Notice 1/12
2.26 MB		Port of Mackay - Development Guidelines for the Land Use Plan
12.06 MB		Port of Mackay - Long Term Dredge Management Plan (LTDMP) 2012 to 2022
126.98 KB		Port of Mackay Community Reference Group (CRG) Application Form
29.61 KB		Port of Mackay Community Reference Group (CRG) Guidelines
30.80 KB		Port of Mackay Community Reference Group (CRG) Terms of Reference
6.96 MB		Port of Mackay Land Use Plan
166.39 KB		Port of Mackay Port Charges - Effective 1 July 2012
770.96 KB		Port of Mackay Port Handbook 2012
75.81 KB		Port of Mackay Port Notices (Rules)
		Shipping Schedule

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3.59 MB		Draft Final Port of Hay Point Ten Year Development Master Plan
4.69 MB		Draft Final Port of Hay Point Ten Year Development Master Plan Drawings
6.32 MB		Dudgeon Point Coal Terminals Project Initial Advice Statement (IAS)
423.23 KB		Dudgeon Point Final Environmental Impact Statement Guidelines
191.96 KB		Fact Sheet: Dudgeon Point Environmental Baseline Studies
866.47 KB		Fact Sheet: Port of Hay Point History of Dust Management
6.82 MB		Hay Point Ambient Air Noise and Weather Monitoring Report - March 2013
6.87 MB		Hay Point Ambient Air Noise and Weather Monitoring Report - February 2013
5.37 MB		Hay Point Ambient Air Noise and Weather Monitoring Report - January 2013
10.04 MB		Hay Point Ambient Air Noise and Weather Monitoring Report - November 2012
7.86 MB		Hay Point Ambient Air Noise and Weather Monitoring Report December 2012
9.05 MB		Hay Point Ambient Air Noise and Weather Monitoring Report October 2012
504.09 KB		Hay Point Seagrass Report November 2011
828.33 KB		NQBP Perceptions Survey Report
397.66 KB		Outcomes of Rail Corridor Study - Hay Point
97.24 KB		Port of Hay Point Community Reference Group (CRG) Application Form
52.44 KB		Port of Hay Point Community Reference Group (CRG) Guidelines November 2012
52.60 KB		Port of Hay Point Community Reference Group (CRG) Terms of Reference November 2012
286.62 KB		Port of Hay Point Development Guidelines for Land Use Plan
3.83 MB		Port of Hay Point Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
3.29 MB		Port of Hay Point Land Use Plan
113.38 KB		Port of Hay Point Port Charges - Effective 1 July 2012
10.87 KB		Port of Hay Point Port Charges Effective From 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012
1.46 MB		Port of Hay Point Port Handbook 2012
102.05 KB		Port of Hay Point Port Rules
5.68 MB		Port of Hay Point Seagrass Algae and Benthic Macro - Invertebrate Survey October 2010
4.36 MB		Preliminary Dust Modelling Investigation - Possible Coal Terminal at Dudgeon Point

Port Community Facts

Enterprise Whitsunday – Whitsunday Industrial Workforce Development (WIWD) Strategy Workshop

Turtle monitoring program

Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) Facility

Weipa Downloads

Abbot Point Downloads

Mackay Downloads

Hay Point Downloads

Great Barrier Reef

Dredging

Coal Dust

Marine

Fishing

NQBP. DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE, COMMERCIAL SEAPORT SERVICES.

Port Community Facts

Enterprise Whitsunday – Whitsunday Industrial Workforce Development (WIWD) Strategy Workshop

Turtle monitoring program

Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) Facility

Weipa Downloads

Abbot Point Downloads

Mackay Downloads

Hay Point Downloads

Great Barrier Reef

Dredging

Coal Dust

Marine

Fishing