28 September 2023
Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL) and Blue Water Shipping (Blue Water) turned the sod on a 5.178-hectare site on Fisherman Islands for the international transport and logistics provider.
PBPL and Blue Water have agreed to terms for a 10-year lease. The new site will enable Blue Water to establish its permanent landside transport and logistics operations in Brisbane, having occupied a casual lease site at the Port for just over 12 months.
The new facility will comprise a 15,000sqm warehouse plus a 500sqm administrative building, car parking and over 30,000sqm of hardstand together with a washbay and bond store.
PBPL CEO, Neil Stephens, welcomed Blue Water to the port community and congratulated all involved.
"We're delighted to work with Blue Water Shipping to identify a permanent site and now commence development of a purpose-built facility that will allow them to expand their current operations while providing potential for future expansion to support their growing business," said Mr Stephens.
"Port of Brisbane is a well-established hub supporting southern Queensland renewables projects, and for Blue Water, with their significant focus on servicing Australia's expanding renewable sector, there is no better location to call home.
"In 2022/23 Port of Brisbane handled a record 1.56 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) and as Queensland's largest container port, it's the logical location for a supply chain logistics leader like Blue Water to operate and grow."
The new facility, designed by Sparc Architects and project managed by Johnstaff, is currently out to tender. Construction is expected to commence towards the end of 2023.
Steven Lofaro, Managing Director for Blue Water Oceania says the location is highly attractive for their operations. "The proximity to the wharf is incredibly valuable for us, and our Blue Water chartered tonnage that services the Port of Brisbane will be even more at an advantage. Consolidating all our port activities within a single location and connecting Shippers and Consignees to our facility for streamlined one-stop import and export processing needs will unquestionably prove to be a significant asset."
Founded in 1972, Blue Water Shipping is a leading global provider of comprehensive logistics services in modern supply chain management. With a presence in over 70 international offices, the company offers a wide range of services, including road transport, sea and air freight, rail and courier transport, reefer and marine logistics, renewables, as well as expertise in oil, gas, and project transports.
The Port of Brisbane is an economic powerhouse for Queensland. A 2022 report by Deloitte Access Economics (commissioned by PBPL) found that in FY22, the Port of Brisbane and its supply chain contributed approximately $7.8 billion to the Queensland economy and supported 62,900 jobs, including around 7,900 jobs directly supported within the port precinct.