Page 18 - Tropic Magazine Issue 30

TROPIC • INDUSTRY

High tide

MARINE BOOM

Cairns is on the cusp of a
maritime industry boom as the
Pacific region moves to the
geo-political forefront.
1
Words: Renee Cluff

More than $200-million is being pumped The bulk of the spending is going towards
into the Cairns Marine Precinct by the new facilities at HMAS Cairns. North
Federal Government alone. The defence Queensland construction firm Watpac
funding is going towards an upgrade of has secured a $155-million contract.
HMAS Cairns, the establishment of a Works will include demolition of the
Regional Maintenance Centre to service existing wharf and construction of a
defence vessels, the building of new army replacement wharf, an upgrade of the
watercraft and a training contract to skill existing explosive ordnance loading
up our Pacific neighbours. buoy, a new office building and
While it’s great news for the local upgrades to storage, maintenance
economy, it coincides with concerns and logistics facilities.
China is creeping closer to our northern Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch,
border. There are plans by two separate says Watpac will maximise opportunities
Chinese companies to build a fish for local businesses to supply goods
processing facility and city on the island or services as part of a contractual
of Daru, which is on the Papua New obligation, with the target set at 80 2
Guinean side of the per cent. “With a
border in the Torres commencement
Strait. Chairman of of 45 extra jobs
Advance Cairns, Nick and at its peak up
Trompf, told Tropic it’s Obviously developing to 180 personnel, MARINE PRECINCT
just one move China is sovereign defence this is just what With future works all dependent on
making that’s causing we need in the the new Cairns port masterplan, the
alarm. “When you look capabilities in Australia, region,” Mr Entsch State Government is under pressure
at the geo-political and particularly in Cairns, said. “This just to deliver. A detailed business case for
environment in the isn’t onsite either, the Cairns Marine Precinct, which will
Pacific, this is an is very welcome offsite work is also set out priorities for infrastructure and
area of great Nick Trompf, carried out, so the investment, is scheduled for completion
political tension,” Advance Cairns positive flow-on in November. A $1.69-million contract for
Mr Trompf said. Chairman effect this creates the business case was awarded in April,
in the supply chain however Tropic was unable to find out who
is just great.” The upgrades will support the successful tenderer was, before going
the new Arafura Class offshore patrol to print.
vessels. Overall, a spend of $420-million
was committed to the Navy base in
the most recent Defence White Paper,
however Mr Entsch has foreshadowed
more than $600-million will be spent
on the expansion over the next decade.
Designs for the initial upgrades will be $1 spent $5+ to the
finalised around July next year, with on defence local economy
onsite construction to commence in
September 2022 and be completed by Source: Department of Defence
3 December 2024.

18 • Tropic • Issue 30