The port of Newcastle, Australia has launched the development of a new bulk terminal at Walsh Point, Kooragang Island in an effort to diversify trade operations.
The port has recently pledged a $33 million investment into bulk handling equipment, associated infrastructure and additional strategic initiatives to help realize the new terminal.
The development is set to combine two berths, Kooragang 2 and 3, into one, demolish and replace the existing crane unloader infrastructure, provide a temporary mobile hopper unloading infrastructure, and set up the relevant direct management and environmental services at the port.
Kooragang 2 and 3 berths are the busiest common user berths in the Port, handling fertiliser, meals, alumina, magnetite, cement and a range of bulk liquid commodities.
The two existing ship unloaders, which are now over 50 years old, will be dismantled and replaced by a new high capacity ship unloader, conveyor structures, and electrical systems.
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Port of Newcastle's Executive Manager Operations and Infrastructure, Keith Wilks, commented: “The Newcastle Bulk Terminal will deliver best practice in safety and environmental management, while driving efficiency and maximizing trade growth.
“We have listened to our customers, who have requested more capacity to grow their cargo volumes, and to the NSW Environment Protection Authority, which wants to see best practice in cargo handling.
“The new equipment will deliver on both fronts, providing state-of-the-art environmental capabilities, and delivering faster unloading to enable customers to access the berth quicker, reducing vessel turnaround times and moving more cargo across the berth.”
Once the current development work has finished, the initiative will move into its second phase — minimizing cargo double handling, reducing cargo transfer points and removing the need for trucks at the berths via conveyor systems.
The project has been estimated for completion at the end of 2019.
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