‘Bouquets’ to our team which is delivering for Northern Stevedoring Services.
To start with, transport and logistics has delivered quarter-on-quarter increases for the company across our sites.
They sit under the NSS Port Logistics banner.
This rapidly expanding division includes warehouses, bulk sheds and a fleet of trucks and trailers.
The one-solution approach is being received very well by customers who appreciate the option of having all the moving pieces managed by a single operator.
If you have a piece of machinery or a container for export located in Mount Isa, we can pick up and transport to Townsville, disassemble, pack it onto flat racks, into containers, strap it down, take to the port for export and load it onto the vessel.
They get one price and if they win the quote then we win the job.
The same with imports. Unload the consignment, unpack into storage, reload to transport and deliver to the client. It’s a one-stop shop for them and cuts down on their administration.
There’re tailwinds for the stevedoring side of the business as well.
The shipment of both copper anode, copper cathode and concentrates has always been a big part of our business.
Copper has its name on a bullet with projections that as much product will be needed to meet net zero carbon 2050 ambitions as has been produced to date.
That side of the business has been given a big boost recently with Evolution Mining’s announcement of drilling results indicating high grades at depth at Ernest Henry north of Cloncurry which could add decades to the life of the mine.
This product is sold to Glencore, who ultimately refine the copper into an LME grade copper cathode for export through the Townsville Port.
Mid-tiers and juniors are also coming through for copper.
For example, Cloncurry junior miner True North Copper has combined a group of marginal operations and created economies of scale. They’re getting new life from old assets and bringing in revenue.
Renewables are presenting a whole new set of opportunities. The largest wind farm in the southern hemisphere is in Central Queensland and there’s more to come through Gladstone Port.
There are already critical minerals processing plants being built in Townsville albeit at a test level.
The future looks bright for NSS.