$64m shiploader contract at Port of Burnie to be awarded next month

A new $64m facility planned for the Port of Burnie will load ships twice as fast and give Tasmanian miners the green light to bump up exports. DETAILS >>

• $250m port upgrades to future-proof state
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THE IMMINENT building of a new shiploader at the busy Port of Burnie will be a “huge green light” for mineral exporters, the mining industry says.

TasRail is finalising negotiations with COVA Haywards to design and build the $64m piece of infrastructure.

TasRail CEO Steven Dietrich said the deal was great news for the rail company, the resources industry and Tasmanian jobs.

He expects the contract to be awarded in August, with the detailed design phase of the project starting immediately after.

Port of Burnie, Ports Special Report, 2020

The TasRail Shiploader Project is fully funded by the Australian Government.

The new infrastructure will bring significantly higher loading rates – about double that of the existing shiploader – be more reliable and meet contemporary environmental and safety standards.

“The new shiploader will dramatically increase productivity and reliability, therefore export

opportunities for our highly-valued customers, which in turn will create more jobs and

security in regional Tasmania,” Mr Dietrich said.

Tasmania’s Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council CEO Ray Mostogl said the facility would prove a “huge green light” for existing and future mineral exporters.

“The world remains hungry for minerals, particularly the minerals which will help reduce the carbon emissions and Tasmania has the world class geology to be a part of this,” Mr Mostogl said.

Port of Burnie, woodchips. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

“The economic wealth generated from the minerals and manufacturing sectors has constituted more than 50 per cent of Tasmania’s export wealth and in recent times where other sectors have struggled due to the pandemic, the minerals and manufacturing sector has increased its contribution to the state.

“With the prime construction being carried out by Tasmanian manufacturers, it also shows a strong vote of confidence in the capacity and capability of Tasmanian manufacturers to be able to design and construct this specialised asset. This project will demonstrate to Tasmania, mainland Australia and internationally the capability of Tasmanian manufacturers.”

Talks of a protest ride over closure of Arthur-Pieman 4WD tracks

KEEN offroaders frustrated by the government position on its promise of reopening four-wheel-driving tracks in the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area are talking of organising a protest ride.

But other supporters are voicing caution that such a show of force could backfire.

Last week, the government’ said it was walking away for its contentious plans to reopen the tracks - a position which garnered loud support at a rally in Smithton in the lead up to the 2014 election.

Unlock Tasmania Rally at Smithton organised within an hour in response to the Ta Ann protesters

A poster on the Stop the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area Track Closures Facebook page called for those who want to return to the area to stand together and have a protest ride/drive into the Interview River in November to hold the State Liberals to their promise.

Others said they were “all for protesting” but didn’t think 500 plus bikes, four-whel-drives and buggies descending on the area would do the environment - or their cause - any good.

Instead they recommended a show of united force be held in Tasmania’s cities.

Tack in the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area. Picture: THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY

Chair of the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area committee Locky Avery said he understood the frustration driving thoughts of mass protests.

“While I am a big fan of a protest I don’t want to play into the hands of those who want to keep the area locked up,” Mr Avery said.

“I don’t want to see the place trashed.

“There are only 10 per cent of people who love the area and getting out into it that are the idiot rednecks we are all painted to be.

“What we need to do is open the tracks back up and manage the area properly. Conditions have improved a lot north of Sandy Cape since it was better policed.

“If we manage the area properly it will drive the idiots out. We can do that through education, peer group pressure and putting up big deterrent to those doing the wrong thing.”

Mr Avery said the committee and others in the community were still scratching their heads over the report into protecting Aboriginal heritage which was released last week.

“It appears to be outside the scope of what we thought it was meant to do - recommend how we can manage the environment and Aboriginal heritage and provide access to the community at the same time.

“What has happened instead is the community has been divided on the issue again.”

Originally published as $64m shiploader contract at Port of Burnie to be awarded next month