The Port of Newcastle has started the first stages of construction on their anticipated container terminal which will allow them to operate over and above their cap.
Construction work has kicked off this week on an almost 12,000 square metre hardstrand area which will allow the Mayfield 4 cargo berth to accommodate up to 50,000 container movements. The Port has put in the $60 million investment to get the work done.
At the moment if the Port of Newcastle exceeds the cap on container imports they face financial penalties – back in 2013 the NSW Government and NSW Ports struck a deal which imposes financial penalties on the Port if it exceeds 50,000 movements per year.
The deal created a monopoly of container handling in the state for Port Botany and Port Kembla.
$2.4 billion in private funding will be unlocked if the cap is removed.
Already at the Mayfield berth are two Mobile Harbour Cranes which were delivered back in August and an expanded Multi-Purpose Cargo Handling Facility now caterse for container handling, break-bulk and project cargo.
The hardstrand area that is being worked on now will see the oversize access road to the Mayfield Cargo Storage Area upgraded, service upgrades to stormwater, fire systems, CCTV, potable water, lighting, electrical and site security, additional car parking external to M4 and storm bollards on M4 wharf.
By late 2022/early 2023 the Waterside Works and Berth Extension will cater for 300m LOA vessels at M4, which carry around 6000 20ft containers, accounting for 80% of container vessels that visit Australia.