Darwin Port is pleased to award a contract for the upgrade and enhancement of Fort Hill Wharf (FHW) to Duratec Limited Australia's NT branch, who has a considerable number of locally employed full-time staff.
Expected to cost around $2 million dollars, the delivery of the Project will ensure that FHW is able to support the growth of the cruise ship industry now and into the future.
The upgrades will include:
- Installation of four new mooring bollards with a design capacity of at least 150T;
- Structural strengthening of the wharf to support the newly installer higher capacity mooring bollards; and
- Upgrade of the western mooring dolphin.
Darwin Port CEO Darren Lambourn said the project will ensure FHW can safely accommodate large cruise ships across a wider range of conditions.
"We want to ensure we are ready to safely welcome large cruise ships when the industry recovers, following the impacts of COVID-19."
Managing Director for Landbridge in Australia, Mike Hughes, said "this work is part of our masterplan for upgrades to port infrastructure, both at Fort Hill Wharf and East Arm to ensure port facilities keep pace with demand.
"We believe it is important to work with local industry to develop opportunities for northern Australia," he said.
"We are pleased to award this project to a business who is employing NT locals."
NT Manager for Duratec, Garth Beechey said Duratec Australia is pleased to partner with Darwin Port to deliver the FHW enhancement project and provide opportunities for local employment and supporting local businesses.
"As a solutions driven contractor this project aligns well with our business model of providing whole of life engineering, construction and remediation services, and our mission statement "Extending the life of your assets," he said.
Preparatory works on the project commenced during September 2020 with completion expected in the second quarter of 2021.
