Our Organisation

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

We are one of Australia’s largest port authorities by tonnage throughput and more than half of Queensland's trade, by tonnage, pass through our ports. Our aim is to be the recognised leader in the delivery of bulk cargo infrastructure.

The sea port facilities we manage are vital to the export and import performance of Queensland and Australia. NQBP ports handle bulk shipments of coal, bauxite, sand, sugar, grain, petroleum and general cargo. Coal is by far the main commodity handled, but each port and each commodity is important in its own right.

As a port authority, NQBP is responsible for:

  • strategic port planning

  • port business development

  • port infrastructure development

  • environmental management and marine pollution (within port limits)

  • port security and safety

  • port efficiency

  • maintaining navigable port depths for shipping

  • issuing licences, leases and permits to other organisations for use of port land, infrastructure, and facilities (NQBP has a multi-user access policy in place at its ports to facilitate highest possible utilisation of port infrastructure, and greatest possible operational efficiency).

Port pilotage operations and navigation are controlled by Queensland Transport. Stevedoring and towage services are outsourced to approved contractors at all of NQBP's ports.

NQBP ORIGIN

NQBP was formed as a result of the 2008 Queensland Government Review of the Queensland Port Network Structure. The outcome of the review has led to a regional five Port Authority model with the aim to meet the long term supply chain and trading needs of the State of Queensland.

The outcomes included the directive to divest of certain ports under the management of Ports Corporation of Queensland, with the remaining to merge with the Port of Mackay. On 1 July 2009, the ports of Hay Point, Abbot Point, Weipa and Maryborough merged with Mackay to become part of the new port authority of North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation Limited (NQBP).

NQBP is a company under the Corporations Act and the Government Owned Corporations Act (GOC Act) and a port authority under the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994.

Under the GOC Act, NQBP's activities are governed by:

  • a Statement of Corporate Intent, which is an agreement between the organisation's Board and its shareholding Ministers;

  • a five year Corporate Plan.

As a GOC, NQBP operates according to commercial principles, raises its own revenue and make the dividend and tax equivalent payments to the Queensland Government.