Our Port’s still hard at work

ROD WISE

Recent figures released by the NSW Minister for Ports, Mr Joe Tripodi, confirm Port Kembla’s continuing position as one of Australia’s major working ports.

In the 12 months to end March this year, total exports in terms of tonnage put through the port increased by 6.6 per cent over the preceding 12-month period - to 1.065 billion tonnes.

The biggest increases were recorded for coal, coke and steel coils, a indication of Australia’s involvement in the present world resources boom.

On the import side, total tonnage increased by 13.6 per cent to 1.26 billion tonnes, most of it due to increased demand by Bluescope for such blast furnace ingredients as iron ore, dolomite and limestone.

During the year in review, a total of 316,249 motor vehicles were also unloaded in the port, a small increase over the previous period, a measure, perhaps of slipping domestic consumer confidence.

However, this modest import result is bound to change dramatically because, at present, only one ro-ro vehicular shipping line, Wall Wilhelmsen, is using the port.

With the completion of the lengthening of berth 105 by 80 metres in November, the port will then be able to service three of the world’s largest, 228-metre European car transporting vessels at any one time.

At that stage, the Glebe Island berths in Sydney will close and all shipping lines will move their vehicular operations to Port Kembla.

As predicted by the Economic Impact Study, additional employment for about 1000 persons will result from the port’s expansion when completed later this year.

The only black spot remains the grain terminal, whose operations have been badly hit by the drought. Once again, wheat did not feature among the top five products exported through Port Kembla harbour.

For the first time since the terminal was opened in 1988, there were zero exports of wheat in the 12 months to end March, while domestic imports amounted to 70,000 tonnes.

“We are looking for a big harvest, all right,” the terminal manager Mr Mark Jelbart said.

He added that the average annual throughput over the past 20 years is 1.5million tonnes, with a maximum of 3.1 million tonnes exported in the early ’90s. Actual terminal capacity is in excess of 5 million tonnes.