ICTSI enters Australia with new Melbourne terminal project
International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) and Victoria International Container Terminal Limited (VICTL) have signed a contract with the Port of Melbourne Corporation on operating Melbourne port’s new international container terminal and empty container park at Webb Dock.
VICTL is 90% owned by ICTSI alongside its Australian partner, Anglo Ports.
The contract grants VICTL the rights to design, built and operate the new terminal at Webb Dock and design, build and operate the new, on-port Empty Container Park at Webb Dock East. The lease concession extends to 2040, enabling a competitive platform for the development of ICTSI’s Australian business.
Investment for the full development of the Webb Dock Container Terminal and the Empty Container Park is estimated at around AUD550m ($509m), and forms part of Melbourne port’s AUD1.6bn port capacity project.
Phase 1 of the terminal, to be ready for operation by 31 December 2016, will have one berth of 330 metres fitted with three post-panamax ship-to-shore cranes, 23.7 hectares of yard and off-dock area with fully automated operations from the gate to the quayside to deliver an estimated capacity of 350,000 teu.
The terminal will be able to handle vessels with a capacity of up to 8,000 teu. Servicing the terminal will be a 10-hectare empty container park with a working capacity of around 200,000 teu.
Construction of the terminal superstructure and facilities is planned to start in late 2014. Phase 2 work is planned to be operational by 31 December 2017, delivering an additional two post-panamax ship-to-shore cranes on a second 330 metres berth.
When fully developed and as required by volume growth, the 35.4-hectare terminal will have a total of six post-panamax ship-to-shore cranes on 660 meters of berth, and will be able to handle up to 1.4 million teu annually, with the empty container park’s capacity rising to 280,000 teu.
“These leading edge solutions will ensure not only superior operating efficiency, but will limit the noise and light impact on surrounding communities,” said Christian R Gonzalez, ICTSI head of the Asia-Pacific region.
The project marks ICTSI’s entry into Australia, further extending the port operator’s portfolio of managed ports to 30 terminal across six continents.
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