Port sets new sugar shipping benchmark

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

30 Apr 2008

The Port of Townsville has set a new benchmark by shipping 30 million tonnes of sugar from the region. The port has been exporting sugar since the 1800s when it bagged and handled the the highly prized export manually, before the first bulk sugar terminal was built in 1959. Port chairman Ross Dunning says sugar produced in north Queensland has made a significant contribution to the state's economy.
"If you're shipping coal there are ports in Australia that ship more than 30 million tonnes in a year," he said.
"It has taken Queensland Sugar many years to get to 30 million tonnes, but by the same token, sugar's about eight or nine times the price of coal, so its all relative."

Source: ABC News