ICTSI, Aussie partner bag Melbourne port project

MANILA, Philippines - Internatiomal Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) has bagged a contract to construct and operate a container terminal in Melbourne, Australia.

The project marks ICTSI’s entry into Australia, and further extends ICTSI’s portfolio of managed ports to 30 terminals across six continents.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the Enrique Razon port operator said its subsidiary in Australia, Victoria International Container Terminal Ltd. (VICTL), signed yesterday a contract with Port of Melbourne Corp. (POMC) for the design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance and financing of the Port of Melbourne’s new international container terminal and empty container park at Webb Dock.

 â€œThis new concession represents a major milestone for ICTSI, not only because it is our first concession in Oceana, but also because it establishes us as one of very few truly global operators with facilities on six continents,” ICTDI head of Asia Pacifi region Christian Gonzales said.

“VICTL is 90 percent owned by ICTSI through ICTSI FE,  a wholly owned subsidiary. The remaining 10 percent is held by Anglo Ports Pty Ltd.

The terminal will be able to handle vessels with a capacity of up to 8,000 TEUs.

Servicing the terminal will be a 10 hectare empty container park with a working capacity of around 200,000 TEUs.

Construction of the terminal superstructure and facilities is planned to commence in late 2014.

A second phase, planned to be operational by Dec. 31, 2017, will deliver an additional two post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes on a second 330 meter berth.

Investment for the full development of the Webb Dock Container Terminal and the ECP is estimated at around $407 million, and forms part of the Port of Melbourne’s AUD$1.6 billion Port Capacity Project.

VICTL is also committed to limiting the terminal’s impact on surrounding communities as well as to supporting community initiatives throughout the term of its operations at Webb Dock.