MEDIA RELEASE
REGIONAL EXPORTERS TO WIN FROM PORT BOTANY PROJECT
Tuesday 27 October 2009
Sydney Ports Corporation says that the $1 billion expansion of container facilities at Port Botany is
set to deliver major benefits for regional exporters, with the project reaching a significant phase.
Chief Executive Officer Grant Gilfiillan says work has begun on installing 216 concrete
“counterforts”, which will form the face of the third terminal’s 1850 metre long wharf. Ten of the 20-
metre high counterfort units have been lowered into place after being constructed on site and taken
by barge onto Botany Bay.
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“This is a billion-dollar vote of confidence in the future prosperity of regional New South Wales,” Mr
Gilfillan said.
“Sydney Ports aims to increase the volume of full container exports, especially from regional areas
of NSW and this massive expansion project is a major part of that strategy. This new phase of our
program will see one of these counterforts placed in the Bay every day, a major
engineering feat
given each section weighs 640 tonnes.”
Mr Gilfillan said that Sydney Ports Corporation aimed to meet the commercial and logistical needs
of regional exporters.
“The new terminal will provide additional capacity to meet projected long-term trade growth for
Sydney and provide better access to shipping lines for the state’s regional exporters. Sydney Ports
Corporation builds, manages and develops world class port facilities and services to service
regional New South Wales—from paddock to port,” he said.
“In the 2008/09 financial year, total containers—measured in TEUs, twenty foot equivalent units —
transferred through Port Botany reached a record 1.784 million. This eight consecutive
annual
growth record can be attributed to the strong growth from our regional and rural exports.
Mr Ian Murray, Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Export
said the Port Botany
Expansion is a great example of making important things happen.
“It’s a fact that marketing plays a big role in generating exports, in the final event though
getting
products to a destination on time consistently and in a cost efficient way are the critical factors
behind driving a sustainable and profitable export business,” Mr Murray said.
“It’s not just the port development that will help our NSW exporters but also the benefits that will be
derived from its interface with the Intermodal Logistics Centre at Enfield and the Port Botany
Landside Improvement Strategy reforms in driving efficiency and consistency at the landside
connections for road and rail”.
“The Government has taken a well thought through strategic approach to the Port Botany supply
chain for NSW and it will pay dividends” Mr. Murray said.
Sydney Ports has contracted the Baulderstone - Jan De Nul Consortium to design and construct
the terminal and related environmental and community works.
“Their extensive experience will help us build one of the most important port infrastructure projects
in Australia for the last 30 years—a major win for regional New South Wales,” Mr Gilfillan said.
The
concrete counterforts will form the 1.8 km of new wharf face against which ships will berth
when the terminal is completed in 2011. The outer wall will consist of 199 counterfort sections with
an additional 17 counterfort units used for the tug wharves.
The concrete blocks
are being constructed on site via the use of a concrete batching plant to
reduce the impact of trucking movements on the local community. Once completed, each unit is
transported to a temporary wharf, taken by barge to its final location and lowered onto a
compacted sand and gravel bed.
Contact: Peter Zangari 0408 441 010/ 92964995
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