The Port of Mackay has chalked up increased tonnage across the wharves in early 2022, including 235,533 tonnes of trade in February.

Mackay trade results are 23 per cent above last year’s throughput for the same year-to-date period, totalling 2,443,600 tonnes.

North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) chief executive officer Nicolas Fertin said while increases had been recorded in grain, magnetite, fertilizer and molasses – break-bulk trade continued to go from strength to strength at the port.

“A recent break bulk shipment saw the super-sized Höegh Trigger with an impressive length of almost 200m berth at the port on February 9 – carrying two, CAT 797 haul trucks bound for the Bowen Basin,” Mr Fertin said.

“The trucks, with a special target payload of 371 tonnes and gross power of 4,000 horsepower, were part of a shipment into the Port of Mackay that totalled 3,308 freight tonnes.

“Growing break-bulk trade through the port has been a real team effort, and this trade movement was no exception.

“From Texas in the USA to Paget in Mackay and then onto the Bowen Basin, the delivery of the trucks involved several companies and service providers, bolstering local jobs along the way.

“The trucks started their journey at Caterpillar’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) facility in the United States, where they were loaded onto Höegh Trigger in Freeport, Texas bound for Australia.

“The trucks were then transported by one of Australia’s largest logistics providers, Centurion, to the Hasting Deering facility in Mackay for assembly.”

Mr Fertin said the Port of Mackay was an essential gateway linking Central Queensland to the world, servicing mining and agricultural industries and supporting 2,100 trade jobs and delivering an economic contribution of $3.5 billion.

“In 2020-21, we invested in $1.8 million to expand cargo capacity at the Mackay’s Wharf Four and a $2.5 million to extend Wharf One,” he said.

“We’ve greatly improved our ability to handle larger cargo such as rail infrastructure, wind turbines and heavy machinery.

“Work is also progressing on a new $8.5 million tug berth facility at the port, aimed at supporting growth and diversified trade.

“Our proximity to current and future regional resource projects in the Bowen Basin, agricultural developments, and to Australia’s leading mining equipment technology and services (METS) hub in Paget, makes the Port of Mackay an ideal and efficient global supply chain solution.”

Höegh Autoliners chief sales officer Oskar Orstadius said the company pioneered the addition of Mackay to its service back in 2018.

“Today we are the only Roll On Roll Off (RoRo) carrier with a direct service to the port, offering North American and European equipment manufacturers direct connectivity to Central Queensland and the Bowen Basin,” Mr Orstadius said.

“Our vessels and equipment are specially designed to transport over-dimensional cargo. With good co-operation and handling by NQBP, we can serve our customers in both the mining and agricultural industry better by landing heavy cargo closer to its destination.”