Future-proofing ports

Listing of $250m upgrade plans welcome

PROPOSALS to upgrade Hobart and Burnie ports to the tune of $250m is about futureproofing the state’s sea port system, TasPorts says.

TasPorts CEO Anthony Donald says the inclusion of the plans on Infrastructure Australia’s project priority list reflected that commitment.

In 2018 we released our Port Master Plan – a co-ordinated, statewide vision for the future of Tasmania’s multi-port system. Both the Port of Hobart and Port of Burnie were integral to this plan and the recognition by Infrastructure Australia in the 2021 Priority List is a significant step forward in realising both of these major initiatives,” Mr Donald said.

The initiatives — a $119m upgrade of the Port of Burnie so it can take bigger ships and a $137m project which would replace the Port of Hobart’s ageing wharf infrastructure and build a new tourist arrival terminal — were the only new Tasmanian projects to make it onto this year’s list.

The Infrastructure Australia report said the condition of Macquarie Wharves 4, 5 and 6 was limiting tourism growth, trade and the Antarctic exploration sector. It said Burnie was the only seaport in Tasmania which could expand to be the state’s biggest, but it needed to be able to accommodate ships bigger than Handymax size.

But Mr Donald said TasPorts was equipped to facilitate the berthing of RSV Nuyina at Macquarie wharves and it and the Australian Antarctic Division had signed a new fiveyear agreement in December.

“This agreement will see a joint investment of $3m by TasPorts and AAD in minor infrastructure upgrades, including fenders and bollards, to ensure operational efficiencies for the new 160m vessel. These works will be completed prior to the vessel’s arrival.”

TasPorts’ vision for the Port of Burnie was announced in August last year and Mr Donald said it would enable capacity for larger vessels to berth.

Assistant Minister for Industry Development Jonathon Duniam said world-class freight and port facilities were important to ensure the success of Tasmania’s renowned producers and other key employment industries. “We will work hard to ensure the Tasmanian government delivers on these important projects,” Senator Duniam said.

Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson said the latest Tasmanian Infrastructure Pipeline forecast $17.4bn in planned public economic and social infrastructure investment over the next 10 years.

Labor MP Shane Broad said the state government had not spent a cent on either port project to date.