TasPorts expansion works to boost freight capacity

The pandemic might have caused a perfect storm for global trade. But for an island state economy, within a larger island national economy, it loomed as an even bigger set of challenges for Tasmania.

SeaRoad Mersey II departing Port of Devonport.

The pandemic might have caused a perfect storm for global trade, with the flow of goods across the globe curtailed, air travel collapsing, a shipping container shortage leading to higher freight prices and delays, and shutdowns causing ripple effects along the entire supply chain.

For an island state economy within a larger island national economy, it loomed as an even bigger set of challenges.

Fortunately for TasPorts, a lot of work in recent years had gone into planning for the future, and the fruits of that work were being rolled out as Covid-19 emerged, giving its customers and communities a sight of how the state’s multi-port system – 11 ports plus the Devonport airport – would work in the future.

“Given our central role in facilitating the transit of Tasmania’s freight task, our customers and communities are reliant upon us to actively plan for the future,” says Anthony Donald, chief executive at TasPorts.

“In 2018, TasPorts released its Port Master Plan, with a co-ordinated, statewide vision for the future of Tasmania’s multi-port system and earlier this year, two of the TasPorts Master Plan initiatives were included in Infrastructure Australia’s Priority List 2021.”

These projects were the potential $137m Burnie Export Gateway, and the $150m Macquarie Wharf redevelopment in Hobart.

The Port of Burnie will be upgraded to enable increased volume of cargo.

The former is envisaged as upgrading the Burnie port to expand freight handling facilities and increase the maximum vessel size from Handymax to Panamax, which would enable an increased volume of cargo capacity.

The project in the state capital would extend the continuous quay line at Macquarie Wharf from 570m to 720m, as well as building a new Antarctic Precinct, to foster growth in the Antarctic science and research sector while also boosting the Port of Hobart’s capacity in a variety of industries including bulk log exports, container exports, bulk fuel imports, commercial fishing and the tourism sector.

The two projects are the centrepieces of TasPorts’ plan to “future-proof” the state’s ports.

Current capacity and infrastructure at Burnie are seen as limiting export opportunities: the port cannot accommodate vessels larger than Handymax size, which carry less than 60,000 tonnes, vessels that are considered too small to service the modern supply chain. Moreover, the export terminal space and multi-commodity logistics infrastructure at Burnie port is limited.

In Hobart, the redevelopment of Macquarie Wharf is seen as solidifying the Port of Hobart’s position as the international gateway to the Southern Ocean, actively supporting world-class Antarctic exploration and scientific research while also enabling growth in crucial trade areas such as bulk export (forestry), containers and tourism (cruise ships).

TasPorts chief executive Anthony Donald.

“The delivery of this initiative will facilitate solutions for a variety of industries, including bulk log exports, container exports, bulk fuel imports commercial fishing and tourism,” says Donald.

“Alongside this, it is anticipated the delivery of this initiative could generate up to $3.3m in additional expenditure from Antarctic ships annually and will also be key in continuing to build Tasmania’s reputation as the gateway to east Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.”

Not only is Hobart the designated home port for the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) research vessels – including the $529m new icebreaker RSV Nuyina (named after the Indigenous word for the southern lights) which is due to arrive in October – it plays a critical role internationally as a refuelling and restocking point for the Antarctic operations of countries including China, France and Japan.

In addition, at the Port of Devonport, TasPorts is supporting terminal operators’ plans to ensure fit-for-purpose infrastructure to meet future demand.

“Terminal operators at the including TT-Line and SeaRoad, are introducing larger vessels in response to increasing Bass Strait trade,” Donald says.

“It’s expected that our infrastructure investment at the Port of Devonport will provide a 40 per cent increase to overall capacity at the port and enable increases in efficiency and productivity for our customers.”

Donald says the national recognition of the initiatives at the ports of Hobart and Burnie follows more than five years of hard work across the organisation.

“It is an important milestone as TasPorts ensure infrastructure at our multi-port system continues to support the trade demand for our customers now and into the future,” Donald says.

“TasPorts’ contribution to a sustainable future for Tasmania lies in being responsive to user demand and future-proofing our multi-port system.

“It is critical to stay ahead of forecasts and as our customers respond to growing demand, we must be geared towards growth, with a forward thinking and commercial approach, to enable our customers to realise operational efficiencies.”