Aurecon gets top environmental honour at Bulk Handling Awards

On winning Environmental Project of the Year for theLucinda Bulk Sugar Terminal Tropical Cyclone Yasi Recoveryproject, Project Director, Arne Nilsen said, “I am honoured to have been part of the team that received this award for displaying environmental sensitivity and innovation in facility rehabilitation.”

The Lucinda Bulk Sugar Terminal’s (LBST) 5.76 kilometre jetty and offshore wharf suffered significant wave damage following Tropical Cyclone Yasi (TC Yasi); the repair and re-commissioning of its offshore facilities was one of the largest single recovery efforts, in the wake of the much publicised TC Yasi.

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.

The LBST is located on the North Queensland coastline, in a sensitive environmental area within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and Hinchinbrook Island National Park. Its offshore facilities form a key link in the efficient delivery to market of sugar from the Herbert region. 

Appropriate environmental management practices were, therefore, a key consideration during the design and construction phases of the project.

Aurecon implemented environmental control measures into its design and specification and then monitored the environmental performance throughout the construction phase, by undertaking regular audits. Aurecon also provided environmental management advice to the contractor based on its risk analysis and site observations.

The terminal was safely and successfully returned to full operations on time for export of product from the 2012 sugar season and on budget, to the satisfaction of all stakeholders. Importantly, it was 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 “we are thrilled that the Lucinda Bulk Sugar Terminal Tropical Cyclone Yasi Recovery project has been recognised at the Australian Bulk Handling Awards. The project reflects the partnership, developed over five decades, between our two organisations, and Aurecon’s commitment to be there for us at our time of need immediately following cyclone Yasi.”

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.