Mackay Port Authority Fender System Replacement Underway Article first published on Wednesday, 17 December 2003 @ 9:31:21 AM

A new $900 000 fender system being installed at Mackay Harbour will place the busy sea port in a better position to handle more Panamax vessels.

Workers are replacing the old continuous fender system on the Number One breast wharf with six, individual units, weighing about 40 tonne each.

The original fender system, installed in 1978, catered for up to 50 000 dead weight tonne (dwt) ships, but the new system will enable the  breast wharf  to eventually handle Panamax vessels, or ships of up to 70 000 dwt.

The Mackay Port Authority is presently reviewing plans to deepen the harbour basin to cater for fully laden Panamax vessels. The time frame currently rests with the requirements of the sugar and grain industries.
 
MPA general manager of Engineering Services Ian Meech said the breast wharf mainly catered for fuel ships, but could also handle general cargo and machinery ships.

“The new rubber fender system has been designed to absorb increased energy from berthing ships, such as the big Panamax vessels, but will not place any higher load on the wharf structure itself,” he said.

Mr Meech said the design was completed by consultants and the majority of the steel fabrication and rubber fenders were supplied under contract.

The concrete support frames and the installation of the components were carried out by the MPA workforce.

“The project offered quite a few challenges due to the variance in the tides at Mackay and the restricted space we had to work in, but everything is coming along nicely now,” he said.

Mr Meech said the installation phase of the project is on target to be completed by Friday.