Blue Water Shipping opened its new 5.2-ha Queensland depot and distribution hub on Fisherman Island at the port of Brisbane.
With nearly 200 people in attendance for the celebration of the opening, Blue Water Shipping now has all its port operations in one location. For the past two years, the company has occupied casual lease sites at the port.
The new facility, which took less than a year to design and deliver, contains a 15,000 sq m warehouse and a 500 sq m administrative building, car parking and more than 30,000 sq m of hardstand along with a wash bay and bond store.
“Ultimately, we’ve delivered a highly flexible site that helps give Blue Water a competitive edge in its project cargo work, that will ultimately enable them to bring more trade through their port operations and support their growth aspirations,” said David Kier, Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL) chief commercial officer.
Blue Water Shipping is particularly focusing on mining, renewables, infrastructure, and conventional energy – such as oil and gas.
With work beginning in January 2024 and finishing in November 2024, the facility was delivered by PBPL with its primary contractor, FKG, was designed by Sparc Architects, and project managed by business consulting firm Johnstaff.
With a five-star equivalent sustainability rating, the hub possesses a 99-kW rooftop solar system, Enviroconcepts water treatment system, and a steel frame design that reduced overall steel tonnage, amongst other features. The sustainability measures incorporated into the project achieved an estimated 11 percent reduction in embodied carbon – approximately 1,464 tonnes of CO2 savings.
