Thinking big down under

The new units will join the 11 ACCs already in operation and form part of a package of new equipment set to be installed as part of VICT’s two-part Phase 3 expansion. Also scheduled for arrival in the near term are six Kalmar Automated Stacking Cranes (ASCs) and, chalking up another first for VICT, two ZPMC built ship-to-shore cranes able to serve vessels with a beam of 55m (across 22 container rows) and possessing a lifting height of 49m. They and a third unit, to be delivered under the part two expansion works, will be the first cranes deployed in Australia and Oceania able to serve Ultra Large Container Carriers (ULCC) of up to 18,000TEU.

VICT, a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI), has a history of innovation, commencing operations in 2017 as the first wholly automated container terminal in Australia and one geared towards meeting the requirement of higher capacity vessels. Significantly, the Port of Melbourne Corporation has just approved trials for vessels up to 350m LOA; current limitations are 347m.

The six ASCs will join 20 units already in service and the new STS cranes the five existing units.

Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) will remove a knuckle and extend VICT’s existing quay by 71m to give a 731.58m (768.98m including mooring dolphins) continuous quay, enabling the simultaneous berthing of 350m and 367m long vessels. The landside expansion will take place within the footprint of VICT’s existing concession area.

The current works will raise terminal capacity by 25% to 1.25mTEU/yr entailing a total investment of A$150m under the first expansion phase. The second expansion will entail a further investment of A$85m (total: $235m) and increase the capacity to 1.5mTEU/yr.