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Media Release - Ministers Office Sydney: 20 April 2005 $30 MILLION PORT KEMBLA EXPANSION PROJECT APPROVED The Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, Craig Knowles, has approved construction of a new $30 million cargo facility at Port Kembla near Wollongong.
“The new cargo facility will increase capacity significantly over time, with the current 600,000 tonnes per annum handled through the multi-purpose terminal increasing to 2.77 million tonnes of freight per annum,” Mr Knowles said.
“This is good news for the Illawarra with at least 60 permanent and 100 construction jobs to be created through the expansion.
Mr Knowles said the proposal from Port Kembla Port Corporation was consistent with the NSW Government’s Ports Growth Strategy which aims to ensure the growth and development of port capacity in NSW, and to distribute the benefits of port growth more strategically between Sydney, the Hunter and the Illawarra.
“The metropolitan region is growing by a thousand people a week. With that growth, and the increase in trade that comes with it, will also come a need to develop the capacity of our ports. The ports growth plan sets out how all our ports can be utilised to cater for this growth.
“Stevedoring leases at East Darling Harbour will be expiring from February 2006, freeing up land at East Darling Harbour which we have committed to turning into a new inner-city park and commercial accommodation.
“The expansion at Port Kembla will also make an important contribution to the Carr Government’s plans to reduce heavy freight traffic on the city’s roads.
“Port Kembla’s available berth space and back-up land, road and rail network and proximity to the Sydney market provide a solid basis for trade growth.”
Mr Knowles said the $30 million project will see construction including stevedore offices, maintenance buildings, cargo sheds and Australian Quarantine Inspection Service facilities along with the relocation of the existing rail spur, additional car parking, paving and entry and queuing facilities.
“This work will add to the $14 million extension of the multi-purpose berth which is due for completion next month.
“This project will extend the length of the wharf to 430 metres, which is important in accommodating modern shipping vessels.”
Minister for the Illawarra, David Campbell MP, welcomed the approval saying that investment in infrastructure and jobs was important for the region.
“The wharf extension works in tandem with this new project which will upgrade the land-based facilities at Port Kembla to make it a more functional enterprise, and attract more freight movements to region.
“Inevitably this increase in the share of freight moving into NSW through Port Kembla means more jobs and more economic activity for the region,” said Mr Campbell.
Member for Wollongong, Noreen Hay also said the expansion of Port Kembla would bring long-term benefits to the city and region.
“This announcement is recognition of the increasingly important role that our Port can play in the prosperity of NSW.
“This announcement brings another 60 jobs to the region but it also reinforces the importance of Port Kembla as a freight gate-way into NSW,” said Ms Hay.
© NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources
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