Channel widening to commence in Queensland’s Townsville Port

The Port of Townsville in Queensland is set to undergo channel deepening and widening works to enable it to accommodate vessels of up to 300 metres in length.

The AU$232 million (US$167 million) channel upgrade project will see the Platypus channel (Port end) widened to 180 metres, tapering to 120 metres offshore, to accommodate larger vessels.

The shipping channel is currently just 92 metres wide, making it one of the narrowest in Australia, and can only accommodate ships of up to 238 metres in length.

The project will commence shortly and will be completed by 2023. The backhoe dredger Woomera, owned by Hall Contracting of Brisbane, has been deployed to perform the widening works.