Environmental incidents at Port of Townsville spike
Globs of grease washing up at beaches and a dead turtle are part of a spike in environmental incidents at the Port of Townsville. Read the cause.
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Globs of grease washing up at beaches and a dead turtle are part of a spike in environmental incidents at the Port of Townsville.
This past financial year reportable environmental incidents more than doubled, from eight to 19.
The incidents were briefly noted in the port’s annual report, but were the subject of closer scrutiny in parliament recently.
On Monday the answer to a question on notice from Coomera MP Michael Crandon about the incidents was published.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey revealed repeated instances of hydrocarbons (fuel) going into the water throughout the year.
Six of these happened in connection to a $251m channel upgrade.
“The matters classed as notifiable marine pollution events were assessed as not warranting further investigation. In the Port’s assessment, it does not believe environmental harm has occurred because of the incidents,” Mr Bailey said.
In September 2022 and March 2023, “small globs of grease” related to the channel upgrade ended up in the water. The grease was seen at beaches on The Strand and Pallarenda/Rowes Bay.
Authorities were also notified of a dead turtle observed near the port’s outer harbour in September 2022 as well.
But the port was also kept busy by some of its 17 tenants.
Seven times the trade waste of port tenants was not up to scratch, with monitoring stations catching higher-than-acceptable sulfides, suspended solids and grease.
Each tenant is responsible for these incidents. A specialist consultant was working with the port to fix the problem, and in the meantime the port had issued noncompliance letters and two cease-trade notices until those tenants met their requirements.
The $251m dredging is happening 24 hours a day so ships larger than 300-metres can dock in Townsville. The port has budgeted $17m for environmental monitoring and management during the upgrades which began in March 2022.
Chief executive of Hall Contracting, which has the dredging contract, Cameron Hall directed questions to the port, but said the company had a 77-year history of taking “our responsibilities to protecting the environment very seriously”.
All of Hall’s work was in compliance with international standards and environmental plans, he said.
Dredging is expected to be finished in April and the whole project completed by late 2024.
The port also has a five-year deal with the city council to send the dredged sand to beaches for restoration required because of erosion.
In response to questions, a Port of Townsville spokesman the organisation believed no environmental harm had occurred because of the small volumes, detailed recovery and responses.
“No further actions have been required by the regulator,” the spokesman said.
One business issued a cease-trade notice because of its waste has resumed operations, the other deemed the upgrades were not required for site operations, the spokesman said.
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