Australia: Port of Melbourne Expands Its Capacity

Minister for Ports David Hodgett welcomed today’s news from the Port of Melbourne Corporation, announcing a shortlist of bidders to build and operate Melbourne’s third interna tional container terminal.

“The $1.6 billion Port Capacity Project is a critical infrastructure project that will drive competition and fundamentally enhance Victoria’s future economic growth,” Mr Hodgett said.

“I’m pleased to see the shortlist of bidders has revealed a strong field of experienced and world class industry players that will enhance and build on competition in the sector and fuel further jobs growth for the state.

“It was only a year ago when the Coalition Government announced the Port Capacity Project and already we have leapt forward to a stage where we are well on track to having an operating terminal by 2016, providing the certainty in container capacity this state needs for at least the next decade.”

The announcement of the short list for the international container terminal follows the announcement last week of the short list of bidders to operate the new automotive terminal and pre delivery inspection hub and concludes this stage of the Port Capacity Project. Melbourne’s third international container terminal bidder shortlist for request for proposal includes:

• a consortium comprised of CMA CGM S.A. ANL Container Line Pty Ltd and Macquarie Specialised Asset Management Limited
• Australian International Container Terminals Ltd (AICTL) – (a consortium comprised ofInternational Container Terminal Services Inc. and Anglo Ports Pty Ltd)
• Hutchison Port Holdings (part of Hutchison Whampoa Limited). and
• Qube Holdings Limited

The shortlisted bidders will be required to lodge their proposals in September this year and it is expected that the successful bidder will be announced in early 2014.

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Port of Melbourne, May 1, 2013