Pro-Palestine protesters scale 60m cranes at Port of Melbourne

A group of pro-Palestine protesters have wreaked havoc at the Port of Melbourne, hanging from 60m cranes and costing terminal operators hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Pro- Palestine protesters have scaled 60m cranes at the Port of Melbourne. Picture: @MattH093/X/Twitter

Protesters have scaled 60m cranes at the Port of Melbourne, holding up operations for hours and costing terminal operators a whopping $200,000.

A dozen pro-Palestine protesters wreaked havoc on Tuesday at Australia’s largest port for containerised and general cargo after breaking in and climbing the top of cranes.

Terminal chief executive Bruno Porchietto slammed a group for the “extremely dangerous” and costly act.

He said port security were alerted to a breach at the perimeter at 6.30am on Tuesday after a dozen activists cut through a barbed wire fence.

“They broke in during operations which is extremely dangerous,” he said.

“When they reached the cranes they pressed the emergency stop button and climbed the cranes before three of them hung themselves on the boom of the crane – that’s 60m high.”

Mr Porchietto said others chained themselves to the stairs of the cranes and refused to move.

“Police came very quickly but it took them a few hours to talk them down,” he said.

He said the cost of the hold up was estimated to be about $200,000.

The frustrated terminal boss, who has been battling protesters for months, said operations at the port “had nothing to do with Israel”.

“We’re not doing anything wrong, we’re facilitating the export of Australian goods,” he said.

“There’s no weapons whatsoever, there’s nothing related to the war.”

Shadow Minister for Ports and Freight, Roma Britnell said industry figures suggested Port disruptions can cost “$84 million per week.”

“The ongoing disruption of the Port of Melbourne has become farcical and worsening cost-of-living pressures on Victorian households and businesses,” she said.