Over more than 50 years’ operations, Northern Stevedoring Services has not been afraid to invest in what we see as the emerging future of regional Queensland.
Most recently the business is positioning itself for an expansion in container traffic.
With board approval we’re developing a 3ha intermodal facility at the Port of Townsville. It gives us the chance to handle more goods and services for both discharge and loading.
We’re restricted in the height we can stack containers on a set down area depending on the foundation. That’s why the engineering is important and that’s why we’re spending $5 million in development.
The new area will house both containers and break-bulk cargo.
The business has also recently invested in prime movers and trailers to service business including the delivery of anode and dispatch of cathode from Copper Refineries Limited and carting molasses from Ingham sugar mills in what looks like being a seven-month round-the-clock operation.
We’re also the only facility in the Port of Townsville with a negative pressure shed.
The facility stores copper and zinc concentrate and is engineered to contain dust, avoid cross-contamination and ensure environmental security.
NSS spent more than $18 million in the mid-2000s on that facility which also helps us co-exist in the city we call home.
The shed is 8,500sq m and has the capacity to store between 50,000 and 70,000 tonnes of material depending on density.
This not only minimises health, safety and environmental risks but also ensures that operational efficiency is maintained by recovering product that would otherwise be lost.
Another feature of the business is our plant and equipment. NSS has one of the largest logistics catalogues in regional Queensland.
There are more than 180 pieces of plant on our register ranging from forklifts to five-tonne cranes and the signature Liebherr mobile harbour crane.
In making these and other investments, NSS is continuing to position the business to scale up and meet future growth opportunities for regional Queensland.