THE 2018-19 financial year delivered a financial result for North Queensland Bulk Ports as the corporation focused on environmental stewardship, safety and community, and trade development.
NQBP recorded a net profit after tax of $15.8 million, and returned a total dividend to shareholders (the state of Queensland) of $9.9 million.
Total throughput facilitated through NQBP’s ports was 177.5 million tonnes via the ports of Hay Point (118.32 million), Abbot Point (28.9 million), Weipa (27.34 million) and Mackay (2.91 million).
NQBP CEO Nicolas Fertin said the NQBP team was continuing to drive a strong business performance, while remaining committed to their own safety and the safety of others. It had also demonstrated its dedication to operating alongside customers, communities and the environment throughout the year.
With three ports in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, NQBP has maintained a strong focus on environmental research and innovation.
“We undertake a range of long-term environmental monitoring at each of our ports and during the year we launched our second online environmental dashboard, which shares data from our seagrass monitoring and complements the air quality dashboard launched the previous year,” Mr Fertin said
The recent national recognition of NQBP and James Cook University’s integrated marine monitoring program was a testament to the breakthrough environmental work.
NQBP’s innovative research to sustainably manage sediment from dredging culminated in two substantial achievements in 2018/19 with essential dredging completed at both the Port of Weipa and the Port of Hay Point.
At the Port of Hay Point, NQBP successfully obtained dredging permits from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, which carried conditions to ensure the protection of the marine environment within the World Heritage Area. Mr Fertin said NQBP’s business activities continued to support regional economic growth in 2018-19 through direct and indirect employment and the facilitation of trade movements worth $40 billion.
