Aurecon recognised at Bulk Handling Awards 2013

Aurecon in joint venture with Hatch takes top honours for NCIG

Aurecon in joint venture with Hatch won Bulk Handling Facility of the Year (Resources and Infrastructure) for Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group (NCIG) – All Stages.

In May 2005 NCIG successfully tendered to the NSW Government to develop a greenfield 66 Mtpa coal export terminal at the Port of Newcastle in NSW.

Following the success of this tender, NCIG required the construction of a world class facility to cater for the growing demand from the Hunter Valley and developing Gunnedah Basin.

Aurecon in joint venture with Hatch was engaged to complete engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services for all three stages of the Coal Export Terminal project.

Project challenges included the safe delivery of a cost effective facility in line with stakeholders’ expectations of time, cost and quality.

The Aurecon Hatch joint venture teams completed each phase under budget, ahead of schedule and the facility is already achieving nameplate capacity.

Safety was a high priority on the project and a pleasing outcome was that the project team achieved an outstanding record with only two lost time injuries in over eight million work hours.

The delivery of cost effectiveness was through a high degree of originality in both design and construction and the use of innovative technology.

Rob Yeates, CEO of NCIG, stated: “In executing the project, the team was able to exceed the expectations of the NCIG Board by bringing in the project ahead of time and under budget. The outcome was achieved in spite of many hurdles that had to be overcome, in many cases well outside the control of the project team.”

Recognised as a premier coal export facility, the NCIG coal export terminal is an integral part of Australia's coal supply chain, ensuring reliability and continuity of coal supply from the Newcastle, Hunter Valley, Gloucester, Gunnedah and Western Coalfields to the world export market. 

Aurecon highly commended for Lucinda Bulk Sugar Terminal Tropical Cyclone Yasi Recovery

Aurecon, in association with Queensland Sugar Limited, received Highly Commended: Best Practice OH&S for the Lucinda Bulk Sugar Terminal Tropical Cyclone Yasi Recovery project.

The Lucinda Bulk Sugar Terminal (LBST) is located on the North Queensland coastline. Its offshore facilities are situated within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and form a key link in the efficient delivery to market of sugar from the Herbert region. 

The 5.76 kilometre long jetty and offshore wharf suffered significant wave damage following Tropical Cyclone Yasi (TC Yasi) as it crossed the coastline in the early hours of Thursday 3 February 2011.

Queensland Sugar Limited (QSL) engaged Aurecon to provide a full suite of services to initially report on feasibility of repairs to the facility, and then to plan, design and manage the recovery project.

Reliable return of the facilities to their full operational state on time for export of product from the 2012 sugar season was a primary objective of the project.

The repair and re-commissioning of LBST's offshore facilities was one of, if not the largest single recovery effort in the wake of the much publicised TC Yasi.

The terminal was safely and successfully returned to full operations on time and on budget, to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, and subtly but importantly reconfigured in a way that it will be significantly more resilient in the face of the unlikely return of a similar event in the future.

Damian Ziebarth, General Manager Operations QSL, said: “Aurecon and QSL have a long partnership that stretches back to when the terminals started to be built, as early as the 1950s. At our time of need immediately following cyclone Yasi, Aurecon was there to help.”

The engineering for the project built on Aurecon's experience in delivery of innovative and durable industrial port projects – a history in which the terminal's original offshore facilities' design and construction more than 30 years ago formed an important part. Coupled with that expertise was the keen awareness of the intrinsic community and economic links that LBST has to the region and the desire to maximise the opportunity to learn from the damage caused from this rare event.