One thousand, three hundred and thirty tonnes of steel are on a vessel and making their way to Queensland for a multi-million dollar project at the Port of Bundaberg.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said the imminent arrival of the steel was an important milestone for Stage 1 of the $15 million Pacific Marine Base.

“The Federal Government has supported Stage 1 of the Pacific Tug project with a $6 million grant from the Building Better Regions Fund and I’m pleased it’s getting underway and bringing with it more local jobs,” he said.

“The Marine Base will create a hub where maintenance can be carried out on vessels and it will provide a cargo barge facility suitable for intrastate and Pacific Island trade.

“The base will include a hard stand to support heavy industry activities, a roll-on, roll-off facility and a commercial vessel wharf for the temporary berth of vessels at the site.

“More than 70 full time equivalent jobs are expected to be created during construction and 110 full time ongoing positions,” Mr Pitt said. 

The 765 sheets of steel will arrive in Mackay before being brought to Bundaberg by one of Pacific Tug’s barges.

Pacific Tug Group CEO Chris Peters said it was great to see that we will be substantially starting construction works on our Pacific Marine Base Bundaberg facility.

“Once these works are underway our focus will turn to the task of confirming and developing new trade through the site bringing great opportunity for alternate logistical operations in the Wide Bay Burnett region.”