Australia Okays Adelaide’s Channel Widening Project

South Australia has granted an approval for the widening of the Adelaide Outer Harbor Channel following a rigorous development assessment process.

The approval follows careful consideration of public representation, stakeholder feedback and state agency expert advice.

The project, which includes dredging of some 1.55 million m3 of material along seven kilometres of the channel, would allow access for larger vessels at the Port of Adelaide, providing South Australian traders the cost benefits of using these vessels on the Australian trades.

Additionally, the widening operation, scheduled to start in autumn 2018, would increases the attractiveness and competitiveness of the Port of Adelaide to shipping lines, as well as increases competitiveness of the container shipping market.

“Without widening the channel to accommodate these new larger vessels, containerised trade and cruise shipping will omit Adelaide from their shipping calls,” Vincent Tremaine, CEO of Flinders Port Holdings, said.

In 2014, Adelaide saw 37 ships exceed the design width of the channel. In 2017, the number jumped to 312 and the ships continue to increase in size, demonstrating the need to be able to accommodate the rapidly increasing trend of Post Panamax-sized vessels.